Thursday, September 4, 2008
So what exactly is a ‘hockey mom’?
I can’t remember if I’ve ever heard the term “hockey mom” before Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin entered the public consciousness last week. Palin refers to herself as a hockey mom quit a bit. In fact, she even mentioned it in her speech last night. She even worked it into a joke involving lipstick, a bulldog, and (I think) a transvestite.
I might have thought the joke was funny if I knew exactly what a hockey mom was. Then again, maybe I wouldn’t.
As a kid growing up in the high desert of southern California, youth hockey was something only the rich kids played. The cost of all the gear coupled with the cost of rink time made hockey the most expensive sport a kid could play. I realize that Palin is from Alaska and I am from California, but it’s not like her kid played out on the frozen tundra and she made all of his gear out of discarded elk bones.
Hockey is expensive no matter where you live.
When Sarah Palin refers to herself as a “hockey mom”, she might as well be referring to herself as a “polo mom” or a “fox hunting mom” or some other kind of mom that involves a really expensive sport that only rich kids play.
I don’t think that is her intent.
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There is no way in heck I am voting for her but your assessment is a little off. I grew up on Long Islanc and a lot of my friend had Hickey Moms. It is not anymore expensive than youth football. I wouldn’t call it a sport for the wealthy.
@Tony Scarfone: So how much exactly did it cost per year to play hockey?
Well depends. Some leagues have a loaner program but most you have to buy your gear. If you are a goalie you really need to borrow the gear cause the pads are ridiculous. When I was a lad, I think the whole shebang with pads, stick and uniform would be about $150. This was the late 70’s. I am sure it is more now but I know my firend with kids who play baseball or football have some serious expenses as well.
My understanding of youth hockey (disclaimer: never played, only had friends who did) is that the costs involved always start within the realm of reason, but the older your kids get, and the more involved they are with traveling teams, the more extreme the cost. Gear that fits your kiddo one season is out of date or too small the next. As anything and everything in Alaska requires distance traveling, and the Palin family have five children (am I allowed to say that they have children?), I would hazard a guess that the Palin family isn’t poor. I say all this because I agree with Rick’s assessment that the artificial designation ‘hockey mom’ really shouldn’t be used as code for “Hey look! I’m as poor as you’se guys, eh!”
I agree with what your saying and you are correct that the costs of having kids in sports is an ongoing and increasing endeavor. I guess I got the feeling that you were saying being a hockey mom is an elitist thing when I knew a lot of middle class folks who were hockey moms. Sorry if I was wrong in taking it that way. I have plenty of other reasons not to vote for this scary conservative woman anyway.