Jennifer Botterill on Putting Joy Back Into Hockey • • • • • • The following piece written by Jennifer Botterill, Senior Aeros player and Olympic Gold Medallist most recently at the 2006 Torino Games, was originally published in the Comment section of the Calgary Herald on 18 Feb 2004. It was part of series published by the paper called Our Game: A Tribute to Hockey in Canada. This article is reproduced here by kind permission of Jennifer Botterill. • • • • • • Innocence lost: We must put joy back in the game of hockey, says national team member Jennifer Botterill Years ago, my father, Cal Botterill, wrote the book, Every Kid Can Win, in which he argued that sports should be fun for kids. And what could be more fun than a good old-fashioned game of hockey? Many Canadians have experienced the special feeling that comes with the brisk sound of your skates carving a path on the ice, and the fresh air hitting your face as you glide smoothly, or not so smoothly, across the rink. Watching the faces of kids and adults light up as they play shinny on the outdoor rink is how the game started. And yet, some of us seem to have forgotten that's what the game should really be about. In the new reality of the game, the focus is on the player achievements -- the number of points, awards, expectations of others or, perhaps, even a big contract. Their sense of self-worth is on the line. Pressure from coaches or parents makes these kids miserable. The value in the game is in its innocence. Earlier generations appreciated the sport and the opportunities it brought to them. The game should be a positive aspect of society, not something that brings pain or suffering. I remember when I first started playing. I loved it from the moment my parents put me on bob skates before I was three. I would hit the community rink and play a pickup game with my family and some friends, just take a bag of pucks and practise my shot on an empty net, play some street hockey or have some intense, one-on-one battles in the basement before dinner. Perhaps the highlight of most years was the outdoor game at Christmastime with the relatives. We would play at a local rink, the community club or out at my uncle's homemade rink on the farm, where bales of hay formed the edges. More than once, I was tossed into the banks of snow or sent to retrieve the puck, but I didn't mind at all. At 13, I joined a midget girls' team. My parents said they knew this was something special because they could see me and my teammates smiling through our helmet cages. It is refreshing to be around people who enjoy life, and I encourage anyone associated with hockey to find the time just to appreciate the fun. You may be walking to the outdoor rink, driving to a game or drinking hot chocolate in the stands. Whether you are competing on a local club team, a junior team, an NHL team or the Canadian national team, take a moment to contemplate the experience you are part of. We need to return to our roots and remind ourselves of the many positives the game of hockey brings. The outdoor game in Edmonton this fall was so refreshing because it took hockey back to its roots. It was a reminder of the pure form of hockey and a connection to its origins. I was once told that it is important to see the difference between excellence and perfectionism. It is a tremendous attribute to pursue excellence, but it is impossible to be perfect in everything you do. Hockey is not a game of perfection, and we need to embrace and accept that. Twenty-five years after my father wrote Every Kid Can Win, he wrote, Perspective: The Key to Life. He reminded us that staying grounded and connecting with environments and people who have been supportive helps us maintain perspective. Remembering special moments in the game is extremely valuable. I can recall the many strolls down the street with my stick over my shoulder or playing shinny in the basement. It is this feeling -- this lightness, this state of pure contentment -- that I love and that brought my passion for the game. I have been fortunate to be a part of a tremendous family. My mother, my father and my brother have been inspirational and supportive. When I am entering a big event, I remind myself that this moment, this game, practice, tournament or hockey performance does not define my worth as a human being. I, like many athletes, have found that I perform best when I have a free mind and an unburdened heart. Hockey allows kids to have a lot of fun and to dream. Kids should be encouraged to enjoy the game and not criticized continuously for their performance. Seeing a child tremble with fear as his parent criticizes his play after the game, or seeing tears fall down their cheeks as a coach yells at them for a mistake, is not what hockey was meant to be. Players at all levels, from the grassroots to professionals, need to remember the feeling and the joy this game brings. Hockey has the potential to bring so much happiness. Whether you are a player, spectator, parent, coach or a fan, you can be supportive of the game. Pat someone on the back for doing something well. Maybe you can tell someone what a pleasure it was to be at the rink and to watch him or her play. Drop by the rink to go for a skate with the family. Do what you need to do to remember the essence of the game. • • • • • • | 
