Two things: 1. The Yanks at SEC schools is very much a big thing (especially in Ohio), because the scholarship opportunities are better than a lot of in-state schools, 2. The only other parents that give hockey parents a run for their money are swimming parents. Pool time, like ice time, is extremely hard to come by. So many 4:30-5 AM swim practices before school and so many far-away meets.
Even 18 years ago at USC, there was probably a 1:1 ratio between in-state kids in my classes and imports from Ohio, Maryland, and NJ
I starkly remember one game that illustrated the kind of gulf of football expectations that exists between regions: I was in the Gamecock student section and a player missed some kind of important downfield opportunity (it's fuzzy, but let's say a dropped pass or pick). I was bummed that one of our guys dropped the ball, that it hurt our chances of winning, having bragging rights, etc.
Then, over the general din of the student section comes a booming declaration that "You're never gonna make it to The League with those hands".
I was just confused as to how that mattered at all compared to the immediacy of the game actually at hand and also learned that, huh, some people care so much about the NFL that it's the *only* "League". I had never before recalled- in a decade of attending home games- anyone give two shakes about a pro scouting report over the outcome of a game.
I played hockey as a kid, age 5 to age 15, and never once had an early morning practice. Of course, I live in MN, where every town has at least one ice rink, so it's not really an issue. Unlike Nashville, we also used to have outdoor practices once in a while, all our parks have boards for ice rinks.
My mother attempted to get the stink out of my hockey gloves by putting baking soda in them. Shook them out and then I tried to practice with them. Destroyed my hands and I needed new gloves. No one with a sense of smell dries their equipment in the living room.
Also I had a coach who realized that no one cared if you started on the ice at 5:30am or 6am, didn’t cost more to do so. So practice started at 5:30am
Similar to Alex, a reason I may be a night owl is because hockey practices for years through junior high, high school, and college (club similar to what you guys were talking about but not SEC) were at 9pm or later. Have to play when you have the ice!
Can confirm Yankee infiltration of the SEC. I was a scheduling conflict away from traveling to Baton Rouge for Bama/LSU with my dad and his friend whose son is a freshman at LSU. Every person in this story was born and raised in Pennsylvania.
Two things: 1. The Yanks at SEC schools is very much a big thing (especially in Ohio), because the scholarship opportunities are better than a lot of in-state schools, 2. The only other parents that give hockey parents a run for their money are swimming parents. Pool time, like ice time, is extremely hard to come by. So many 4:30-5 AM swim practices before school and so many far-away meets.
Even 18 years ago at USC, there was probably a 1:1 ratio between in-state kids in my classes and imports from Ohio, Maryland, and NJ
I starkly remember one game that illustrated the kind of gulf of football expectations that exists between regions: I was in the Gamecock student section and a player missed some kind of important downfield opportunity (it's fuzzy, but let's say a dropped pass or pick). I was bummed that one of our guys dropped the ball, that it hurt our chances of winning, having bragging rights, etc.
Then, over the general din of the student section comes a booming declaration that "You're never gonna make it to The League with those hands".
I was just confused as to how that mattered at all compared to the immediacy of the game actually at hand and also learned that, huh, some people care so much about the NFL that it's the *only* "League". I had never before recalled- in a decade of attending home games- anyone give two shakes about a pro scouting report over the outcome of a game.
I played hockey as a kid, age 5 to age 15, and never once had an early morning practice. Of course, I live in MN, where every town has at least one ice rink, so it's not really an issue. Unlike Nashville, we also used to have outdoor practices once in a while, all our parks have boards for ice rinks.
My mother attempted to get the stink out of my hockey gloves by putting baking soda in them. Shook them out and then I tried to practice with them. Destroyed my hands and I needed new gloves. No one with a sense of smell dries their equipment in the living room.
Also I had a coach who realized that no one cared if you started on the ice at 5:30am or 6am, didn’t cost more to do so. So practice started at 5:30am
Similar to Alex, a reason I may be a night owl is because hockey practices for years through junior high, high school, and college (club similar to what you guys were talking about but not SEC) were at 9pm or later. Have to play when you have the ice!
Can confirm Yankee infiltration of the SEC. I was a scheduling conflict away from traveling to Baton Rouge for Bama/LSU with my dad and his friend whose son is a freshman at LSU. Every person in this story was born and raised in Pennsylvania.
thanks Nick!