Sometimes it takes a lot of work to get a chance to enjoy french fries and a pop. Justin Poitras, 11, found that out recently during the annual NOHA tryouts held at the Ray Plourde Arena (the former Confederation Arena) in Val Caron. Justin, who attends school at St. Michel, was trying out for the Minor PeeWees as a goaltender. Last winter he played for Rayside Balfour Major Atoms and is hoping to earn a spot with Valley East this season.

The try-outs can be quite a stressful time for young players. There is a lot of pressure placed on children to “make the cut” in order to play for the competitive club and represent the Valley. In many cases, the pressure is so great that a lot of good hockey players avoid even making an attempt, preferring to play at the house league level where they are guaranteed a spot on a team, or opting to drop out completely.

It is also a stressful time for coaches and managers. They have to evaluate players based on a couple of practices and then pick a team which they must work with for the entire season. They also have to make the phone call to tell a young child that he isn’t good enough to make the team. Once again, some of the best coaches find the politics and administrative problems so distasteful, that they opt to watch from the stands.

Finally, it is a very stressful time for parents who live vicariously through their children. In other words, these are the parents who experience a spiritual transformation into their child’s body when he is on the ice. It is not the ten year old playing, but his forty year old father who is actually carrying the puck up and down the ice. When the child makes a mistake, it is the father who is embarrassed. “How could he do something stupid like that? What will the other fathers think of me when my son makes a mistake?” You can usually pick out these fathers, and I don’t think I have to tell you how.

Then there are the “mothers”. The dear, dear angels who have nurtured their young children, bandaged their cuts and scrapes, and cuddled them to sleep when they were sick. All of a sudden the pressure of watching other “bullies” hit their young pumpkins is too much. They snap. They are suddenly transformed into a beast who would frighten away the toughest lady wrestlers on the WWF. And what they would do if they could get their hands on the referee who is letting the bullies pick on their son!

Yes! Hockey is here again! And, ready or not, you better get used to it for another seven or eight months. After all, this is Canada’s sport!