Saturday, September 12, 2015
Lessons From Behind the Glass-Allyson Tufts
Allyson Tufts is a hockey fan. She grew up with the game in a large family. She married a hockey player. She raised a hockey player. That does not make her much different from many other mothers in Canada. The difference in her case is that she took the time to write about her experiences. She shares the triumphs, the tragedies and the passion involved in the game. She shares with the reader the lessons she has learned, as it says, “From Behind the Glass”.
In the introduction, she writes: “I have to say my
toughest love affair has been with hockey”. Growing up, she quickly learned the
importance of hockey in the Canadian mosaic. She experienced the excitement of
the game as a child watching the Belleville
Allyson has broken the book down into ten chapters.
Essentially, the lesson is that you should let your kids play and enjoy the
game. But she also cautions that there are lessons to be learned from the
related activities behind the scenes, namely the politics involved in the game.
If you happen to be the parents of a young athlete, you
will benefit from a read of this book. Allyson indicates in several situations
in the book that it is necessary to step away from the game in order to
appreciate it. Move away from the coaches, the managers, the agents, the other
parents, even away from the other kids. When players continue to rise in the
ranks of hockey, and in other sports as well, the pressures mount, as do the
expectations.
As an example, Lesson #2 suggests that you should
leave your baggage at home. There are so many situations that occur in the
games, and on other occasions with the team that defy explanation. Especially
to the parents. The children that do well in sports are expected to climb the
ladder in the levels of the games in Canada
Allyson experienced the frustration dealing with the
levels in hockey. I am not letting any cats out of the bag when I write that
there are mistakes made in player selection. There are mistakes made in the
selection of coaches as well. Certain individuals should never coach. They may
know the game. They may have been fine players. But they also may be completely
lacking in communication skills, and the abilities required to lead a group of
kids. Foul-mouthed immature adults do not belong behind the bench of young
hockey players.
I liked the way that Allyson sets out, in each chapter,
to present a challenge, then summarizes her results at the end of the chapter.
The final chapter is entitled: “Let go of the control-You never had it in the
first place.” The conclusion she presents is that getting your child noticed is
achieved by how they perform on the ice, and how they present themselves off
the ice.
The book is a must read for parents who believe that
their child should rise in the ranks of hockey. There are some unwritten rules
that need to be followed. The pressures do increase right up to the day of the
draft, for players eligible for college or junior hockey. Then there is that
tough decision about what fork in the road is the best to pursue.
Ah! The choices of life! If you choose to read this book,
there is a copy in the Wellington
James Hurst
# posted by James Hurst @ 8:02 PM 
