February 2020 will mark the 10th anniversary for our Hockey Mom website and community. This is my fourteenth year as Hockey Mom. It took me several years to get started on our community.
It began as Hockey Mom in Canada. Once the website had enough followers and was large enough, I was contacted CBC lawyers to inform me that I was infringing their copyright.
Canadian Hockey Mom
We became Canadian Hockey Moms. It’s fitting, really, since I’m only one Canadian Hockey Mom, but we all are Canadian (or American or European) Hockey Moms.
Although I have been asked many Bavarian Football Works times why I created this website over the years, I have never revealed the whole truth. Some things I have said were not lies. I stated that my children were interested in playing hockey and that there weren’t enough resources. I also mentioned that my background in community psychology and education was helping me to build an online community of hockey moms. Although these reasons are true, the website was not even an idea until our fateful Novice tournament at Wasaga Beach.
Truth be told, this website was started by me when my 7-year old son needed only one shift in an entire soccer game. I had no idea how to handle it.
It is true that I did not tell anyone why I started it for so long
The website was created anonymously by me as I didn’t want to draw attention or make it personal. I have not spoken about this topic on the website since then. I didn’t intend to shame, blame, or rage. My intention was and still is to find ways to remain rational and sane in a hockey world that is often irrational.
I’m a rational person, but it was difficult to understand a strange world. To make it work, I needed the support of Hockey Moms, who have been there.
You may have felt something if you have ever witnessed the fearful shortening of the benches for your children. It could be tightening of your throat, increased blood pressure, anger or sadness or resignation.
It is not good to know that your child was chosen for a team, but it is still hard to believe.
“You’re not hockey mom good enough.”
Let me be clear: I know that my son was not the only one to experience this. Other children have likely experienced worse. This was my experience.
My oldest son, who was 7 years old at the time, was a novice “first-year”, and was playing with an 8-year-old team. Although I was familiar with hockey and rinks as a kid, this was my first year coaching a competitive hockey team.