The Importance of Role Models in Sports

A young fan at the Vancouver Canucks hockey game. Photo from canucks.nhl.com

There is something to be said about a young fan going to watch his favourite player. I was at the Winnipeg Jets game on Sunday evening, and in front of me was a young boy, maybe five years old. The boy… who was just the cutest.. was fully dressed in Chicago Blackhawks attire. From a miniature Jonathan Toews jersey, to a Blackhawks baseball cap, and a Blackhawks poster rolled up sitting on the ground in front of him. For all four of the goals that the Blackhawks scored in the game, each time he would jump from his seat and stand clapping watching his team on the ice. As I watched this little boy, it was evident to see the spark in his eye as he watched. He was in complete awe of Jonathan Toews and the Blackhawks.

It something like this that I think shows just how important it is for professional athletes to recognize the effect that they have on their fans… especially the young ones. To young fans these athletes are not just athletes but instead role models. If Sidney Crosby is wearing Reebok hockey gear, you can guarantee thousands of little boys and girls will do the same because it’s what their idol wears when he plays the game.

Andre Deveaux is the complete opposite of a role model. Instead he sets a terrible example for young kids to follow and is a disgrace to the game. I grew up with a brother and father who both played hockey, so naturally I took interest in the sport as soon as I could get on skates. To see a player do something so reckless during a hockey game makes me ashamed. Athletes need to realize the impact that they have on fans. Deveaux used his stick pretty much as a weapon on the ice attacking a player on the opposing team before a Swedish League game on Thursday.

Seeing this little boy on Sunday brought back memories of how much I would idolize my favourite players when I was small… heck I still idolize my favourite players. As a professional athlete it is your job to set a good example for the young kids that look up to you, in more ways then one. Every sports fan can think back to the one player that they looked up to as a child. If your gonna take the responsibility of a being a professional athlete then you should also take the responsibility for setting a good example for the young athletes of today.

The Power of Words

In the past two weeks I have seen two instances where writing has shown impact in hockey. Instance one, a letter. The letter I am talking about is the one Jordan Leopold’s daughter wrote to the Minnesota Wild. Nothing cuter than a daughter trying to convince a team to sign her dad so he can be with her more often. The cutest part? Probably the fact that Jordan Leopold got traded to Minnesota on Monday before the trade deadline. But what I want to talk about, is instance number 2, when a little girl raised her powerful sign at a Winnipeg Jets game. The local story that touched the hearts of many Winnipeggers. The extraordinary story of Alyx Delaloye.

Alyx Delaloye at the Winnipeg Jets game on February 24, 2015. Photo from the Winnipeg Sun.

The seven year old girl held up her sign at the Winnipeg Jets game on February 24th, the sign read “Chemo by day… Jet’s by night.” What was remarkable was how everyone stopped to acknowledge this amazing young girl. As she stood up holding her sign with the help of her mom, the entire arena stopped focussing on the game and instead focused on something more important. All the players on the ice stopped as they were about to face off, and players on the benches began to bang their sticks against the boards. It was one of those moments that send shivers up your spine and tears in your eyes. In comparison it was about as amazing as watching your favourite team score a big goal in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And everyone in Winnipeg who saw this little girl agreed. After that, it was like a ripple effect. Ace Burpee, local radio host, reached out to the the family and on the following Friday held “Alyx’s All Request Super Fun Friday Pay 2 Play!”. Every song request made was accompanied with a donation of $103.00, every cent of that going to Alyx and her family. Many players on the Winnipeg Jets also reached out to the family. I think that the power of a moment like this is something that cannot be put into words. The power of an amazing play during a big game is one thing, but the power of a community coming together for one little girl is something else. What was the best part though was something that happened during the Jets game on Sunday. A little boy who had gotten a stick from defence-man, Tyler Myers, after the three stars of the game. The boy ran up the stairs from his seat to give the stick to Alyx. To watch a young boy do something so kind was just a great thing to see. Rare moments like these, when a community comes together to help a young girl who is fighting leukemia are moments that should never be forgotten.  Alyx, you are one amazing girl. It is moments like these where we temporarily forget about a score, or standings or a fight, and focus on something much more important. The power of words, are much bigger than any hockey game.

Winnipeg Jets players posing with Alyx and her family in the Jets dressing room. Photo from cbc.ca

Talk of the Town

Photo from cbc.ca

It seemed as though everywhere you went yesterday the hot topic of the day for Winnipegger’s was the trade of Evander Kane and Zach Bogosian to the Buffalo Sabres. Looking on Twitter, and talking to customers at work, even those who don’t care about hockey where discussing the trade. Jets general manager, Kevin Cheveldayoff, made a great move for his team. It was no surprise that Kane was going to get traded but I think what surprised me was how quickly he went.

Evander Kane has be in the eye of the media for quite some time now. Between flashing money in Vegas, to going against dress code and wearing a track suit to the arena, to shoulder surgery that his him out for the remainder of the season. In my opinion, this is the best thing the Jets could have done for the future. Players who are individuals are the hardest to work with. You look at surging teams in the NHL like the Nashville Predators and the Montreal Canadiens, and they play like a team. Take the Montreal Canadiens for example, there isn’t just one player to attribute their success to. Sure, there are players that are put into the spotlight more than others like Carey Price and P.K. Subban, but at the end of the day on the ice they are a team. For the Jets, they have many great players, and although Kane is a great hockey player he didn’t play with his team, but instead as an individual.

Zach Bogosian on the other hand was a surprise for me. Sure, he has not had the best of seasons, especially with injury, but in my opinion he had his moments. It’s no surprise that the Jets have been struggling as of lately, so it will be interesting to see the chemistry the new guys acquired from Buffalo will bring to the team. Tyler Myers will be a great addition to the Jets defence, standing at 6 ft 8 I think it will be interesting to see who the Jets will pair him with, and how he performs with players like Enstrom and Byfuglien. It will be interesting to see how beneficial this trade will be for the Jets, who are looking to get back on track with just under two months remaining in the regular season.

A Certain Spark

A photo from Thursday night’s Winnipeg Jets game at the MTS Center.

For those of you that have never been to a Winnipeg Jets game it’s something I would recommend trying. I’ve been to many games but for my best friend last night was her first game. She lost her Jets “virginity” you could say, and she loved it. For those who say it’s a waste of money I beg to differ. Winnipeg Jet’s games and NHL hockey games for that matter are something that everyone should try at least once. Although the beers are $9.50 and tickets in the lower bowl could pay for three tanks of gas I would argue that the overall experience is well worth the money you will spend.

Last night the Winnipeg Jet’s took on the Pittsburgh Penguins and it was a hell of a hockey game. It was three periods of end to end action, followed by an intense overtime. Overtime solved nothing. It was 3-3 going into a shootout. Blake Wheeler and Evgeni Malkin were first up to shoot for their teams and were able to find the back of the net on both ends. Next up was Andrew Ladd, the captain was stopped by Pittsburgh goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and next to shoot and end the game…. no other than Sid the Kid. Sidney Crosby slipped the puck past Ondrej Pavelec to solidify the Penguins victory and end the game. Being a Pen’s fan (I know, how bad not routing for the home team) I was ecstatic, it was the great game and great ending that I had been hoping for.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby warming up during the pre game skate Thursday night at the MTS Center.

I’ve been to many Jet’s games before and I have to say for the most part the Winnipeg Jet’s don’t excite me like the average Winnipegger. But last night I left impressed. The hustle, the speed, the chemistry. Everything was on point for the Winnipeg Jets last night. I’m not saying I’m about to jump onto the Jets bandwagon but what I am saying is that the play last night was the kind of play I hope to see for the home team. We’ve barley scratched the surface of the 2014-15 season but my hope is that Winnipeg continues to play as they have been, and continue to show the spark that they were able to light last night.

10 Sports Venue’s to add to your bucket list

1. Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

With a capacity of 50,291 every baseball fan wants to watch 9 innings in this place. The new Yankee Stadium opened in 2009. That year the Yankee’s beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 in Game 6 to win the World Series. The stadium has also played home to Derek Jeter’s last home game. A beautiful ballpark, not just for Yankee’s fans but any fan of the game.

Photo from the New York Times

2. United Center, Chicago, IL

Better known as the Madhouse on Madison, the United Center plays home to the Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Bulls. With a capacity of 20,500, your bound to hear the song Chelsea Dagger by The Fratellis when Patrick Kane goes top shelf on the opposing goalie. This arena gets loud and energized whether its ice or hardwood. A great atmosphere to experience.

Photo from the SFGate.

3. Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO

Home to NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs in the heart of Kansas City, Arrowhead Stadium is said to be one of the loudest in league on Sundays. The stadium can pack 79,451 fans and is a must for any NFL fan out there. On a Sunday afternoon after the tailgate festivities have ended and the Chiefs hit the field, this place really comes alive.

Photo from espn.go.com

4. Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec

Whether you are a die hard Habs fan, or a hockey fan who despises anything to do with the Montreal Canadiens everyone knows your in for treat when you get your hands on tickets to a home game in Montreal. The Bell Centre packs 21,273 fans in red and white. A tip before heading here to watch a game remember these key words,”Olé, Olé, Olé, Olé”

Photo from the Montreal Canadiens Official Website.

5. AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX

At full capacity this stadium can fit 105,000 people. This larger than life venue plays home to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. AT&T Stadium also plays home to college football’s Cotton Bowl Classic. Football lovers need to mark this one down on their list. I guess it’s true what they say everything is bigger in Texas.

Photo from usatoday.com

6. Fenway Park, Boston, MA

Home to the Green Monster that stands 37.167 feet tall, baseball players around the league aim to hit a homer past this beast. The Boston Red Sox play out their home games at this gorgeous venue that fits up to 37,499 fans every night. If your ever in Beantown make a trip out to Fenway, you won’t be disappointed.

Photo from espn.go.com

7. Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI

If you wanna see big, then this is place to be. Michigan Stadium is the biggest stadium in the United States and third largest in the world. Home to the Michigan Wolverines, expect to see this place filled to its capacity of 109,901 screaming fans, majority being college students from the University of Michigan.

Photo from mgoblue.com

8. Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY

Maybe it’s that I have a soft spot for New York City and the big lights that surround the city, but MSG is something else tucked in-between the hundreds of skyscrapers New York City has to offer. Home to the New York Rangers and New York Knicks this venue is a historical one, opened since 1968 it is a must see place to catch King Lundqvist make some stellar saves.

Photo from newyork.cbslocal.com

9. AT&T Park, San Francisco, CA

Home to the San Francisco Giants, this has got to be the stadium that offers the best view. It offers an amazing view of the bay, this venue can fit 41, 915 people at capacity. Players constantly hit game winners into McCovey Cove as fans will park their boats and kayaks in the water hoping to catch a game winning ball.

Photo from launch photography.com

10. MTS Center, Winnipeg, MB

Maybe it’s because I’m a Winnipeger, but the MTS Center sure knows how to get loud. Home to the Winnipeg Jets, although it is a smaller venue the place really has great atmosphere. 15,004 energetic fans fill the seats every home game to cheer on their team. It truly is a treat to watch a hockey game in this town.

Photo from the Winnipeg Jets Official Website.

For any sports fan, its all about the atmosphere and the action. These 10 venue’s are some of my favourites and make a great top ten to knock off of any sports fan’s bucket list.

Hockey’s Back!

It’s like all of the holidays rolled into one… for a hockey fan at least. The quest for the cup is back on, so grab out your gear and get your fantasy draft picks all finished up because the big day is finally here. For hockey fans the few months of off season is just used as time to prepare for whats to come.

The 2014-15 NHL season gets underway tonight, and with the beginning of a new season brings the anticipation of what story lines to watch. It’s fitting that two Canadian rivals start off the action with the Montreal Canadians playing the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight.

The Montreal Canadiens I think will be a team to watch this year. Why? 1. Carey Price, not only did this goalie perform big at the Olympics this past February and show his star quality to the hockey world but it was also his consistency throughout the season. Although his appearance in the Rangers series was cut short by injury he still was able to help his team excel throughout the regular season and part of the post season. 2. Brendan Gallagher, this young player sure showed he has the grit and grind on the boards to make up for his size. He showed up to play in the playoffs and showed hockey fans why he’s such a good forward.

Another team to watch, the Colorado Avalanche. Watching this group of guys in the playoffs last year was nothing short of remarkable. The team has young talent and a lot of it. Nathan MacKinnon was a superstar on the ice and although the Avalanche had an earlier exit then expected they still did well. Other star players Gabriel Landeskog and Matt Duchene are another reason to keep an eye out for the Av’s this season. The young talent on this team is something that’s going to send the Av’s right back into the post season.

The third team that you should watch this upcoming season? The Los Angeles Kings, yes they did win the cup this past season and they sure as hell will try to do it again. This squad has proven their star quality through their ability to play as a team as opposed to a group of individuals. The team has so many leaders from Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Drew Doughty Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar the list goes on. This team is a force to be reckon with and it would not be surprising to see them showing up to play in the 2014-15 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

So to those of you that have been waiting for the return of hockey since it ended in June, enjoy the upcoming months and bask in your hockey glory. For it’s the most wonderful time of the year!

Michelle