Whether itSA国际影视传媒檚 getting up at 5 a.m., hopping from hotel to hotel, or eating family dinners in shifts, nearly every aspect of Crystal CraigSA国际影视传媒檚 life is affected by her kidsSA国际影视传媒� involvement in hockey.
SA国际影视传媒淚 always say the most stressful position on the team is goalie mom,SA国际影视传媒� said Craig with a smile.
She wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 have it any other way.
Mother to goalie Gavin, 13, and defenseman Dawson, 14, both of whom play organized hockey in Yellowknife, Craig has been juggling home, work, and rink life for nearly a decade.
Craig first became immersed in the citySA国际影视传媒檚 hockey world after she encouraged her oldest son, Dawson, to grab a stick and hit the ice.
Thirteen-year-old Gavin Craig, left, and brother Dawson, 14, have been involved in organized hockey in Yellowknife for nearly a decade. Their mother, SA国际影视传媒済oalie momSA国际影视传媒� Crystal, has invested countless hours and thousands of dollars into their on-ice pursuits. SA国际影视传媒淚t's worth it,SA国际影视传媒� she says.
SA国际影视传媒淚t was just a given. YouSA国际影视传媒檙e playing hockey SA国际影视传媒� you live in the North,SA国际影视传媒� said Craig's mother Dale Bouchard when the Yellowknifer caught up with the Craig family at the Fieldhouse earlier this week.
Craig said her son Dawson was reluctant to lace up his skates at first, but that heSA国际影视传媒檚 since embraced the sport. Gavin jumped at the chance to get on the ice and in between the pipes as a goaltender.
For the past two years, Gavin has played on a development or SA国际影视传媒渞epSA国际影视传媒� team SA国际影视传媒� a group of skilled young players eyed for their on-ice potential. For Craig, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 meant more costly traveling, more on-ice and off-ice responsibilities SA国际影视传媒� and more money.
SA国际影视传媒淎 lot of money,SA国际影视传媒漚s she puts it.
If hockey has become the face of high costs in organized sports, goalies SA国际影视传媒� who require much more and much pricier equipment than their padless counterparts SA国际影视传媒� are picking up the bulk of the tab.
While Craig opts to sign her kids up for affordable hockey camps when theySA国际影视传媒檙e available in town, trips to camps outside of the territory, including Edmonton, can cost the SA国际影视传媒済oalie momSA国际影视传媒� $3,000 a pop.
With more tournaments and more travelling following Gavin's move to the elite squad, Craig estimates she coughed up between $25,000 and $30,000 in one year alone.
But money isnSA国际影视传媒檛 CraigSA国际影视传媒檚 only expense when it comes to supporting her kidsSA国际影视传媒� hockey dreams. Her hectic schedule demands time SA国际影视传媒� and lots of it.
When she isnSA国际影视传媒檛 working at her day job, Craig is dropping her kids off at school and picking them up at games or practices, providing groceries to her sonsSA国际影视传媒� teams, and arranging for Gavin to fill in for absent goalies on other teams. Most nights CraigSA国际影视传媒檚 family isnSA国际影视传媒檛 able to eat together as a whole.
SA国际影视传媒淕avinSA国际影视传媒檚 probably on the ice everyday, sometimes twice a day, sometimes two or three games,SA国际影视传媒� said Craig. SA国际影视传媒淚f we didnSA国际影视传媒檛 have a night at the rink last year we were pretty shocked. We didnSA国际影视传媒檛 know what to do with ourselves.SA国际影视传媒�
But Craig said sheSA国际影视传媒檇 axe the taxing schedule if her boys fell out of love with the sport.
SA国际影视传媒淚 always tell them if itSA国际影视传媒檚 too stressful ... itSA国际影视传媒檚 just a game, you donSA国际影视传媒檛 have to do it. But they love it,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
For Craig, seeing her kids enjoy hockey while having fun on the ice makes every penny and minute spent in the rink and on the road worth it.
Across the city in Old Town, few parents are in sight as a group of 20-something sluggers swing for the fences at Fritz Theil Memorial Park. But the enduring impact of parental support on young adult athletes isn't hard to find.
Before picking up a glove to join the Yellowknife Slo Pitch Association, 21-year-old.
Before Kaitlin Chambers, 21, picked up a softball and joined the Yellowknife Slo Pitch Association, she played a laundry list of organized sports in town, including hockey coached by her SA国际影视传媒渆xtremely involvedSA国际影视传媒� father.
Kaitlin Chambers played organized hockey SA国际影视传媒� and a laundry list of other sports SA国际影视传媒� under the watchful eye of her father, who coached her on-ice squad.
SA国际影视传媒淔or me and my sister, my dad coached us in hockey like every year,SA国际影视传媒� said Chambers. SA国际影视传媒淪o (he) was extremely involved.SA国际影视传媒�
Chambers said her dad would always book tournaments and provide gear, even if she didnSA国际影视传媒檛 always understand or appreciate the commitments he made.
SA国际影视传媒淚t builds their confidence, it builds their self-esteem. Just the friends (Gavin and Dawson) make and the people theySA国际影视传媒檝e become,SA国际影视传媒� added Crystal Craig.
She said sports help young athletes SA国际影视传媒渄evelop tough skin, people skills, learn how to regulate the highs and the lows of a win or a loss; seeing yourself as a group rather than individuals.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淎nd if theySA国际影视传媒檙e loving it and enjoying it, I think itSA国际影视传媒檚 definitely worth the investment,SA国际影视传媒� Craig said. As for goaltender Gavin Craig, he has one piece of advice for would-be athletes wading into the world of organized sports in Yellowknife.
SA国际影视传媒淛ust try your best.SA国际影视传媒�
