The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
This season, young hockey players across Canada will take to the ice to learn how to skate, stick handle and shoot the puck. Along the way, they will also develop new friendships, confidence and self-esteem. However, it is lessons of sportsmanship - respect, fair play and cooperation that ultimately will be the most beneficial to a child's overall development. This hockey season, POST Shreddies Cereal, a key sponsor of minor league hockey, reminds all players, parents and coaches that having fun, improving skills, trying hard and making friends are the fundamental components of the game. Hockey sportsmanship tips: Being a good sport and playing fair requires a commitment from players, parents and coaches. These tips will help keep the game in perspective: Parents' attitudes play an important role in influencing how their children behave on the ice and how they feel about their performance. Be positive and encourage children to have fun and try their best. Try not to put pressure on players to win. Show respect for the other team at all times. Show respect for the officials. They are there to ensure the values of sportsmanship and fair play are upheld. Understand, and appreciate the rules of the game. Playing hockey is a privilege. Maintain self-control at all times. Accept defeat in the spirit of sportsmanship. Remember that it is only a game and the players should be there to have fun. The onus is on parents and coaches to promote the guiding principles of sportsmanship and teach fair play to children to reinforce hockey as being a fun and positive experience.
