USPHC by Peter Pawlowski
Growing up in cold state of Minnesota, Ice-skating was nothing short of a right of passage for a kid. I cut my teeth in sub-zero temps, learned how to skate on the Lake’s of Minneapolis, park board rinks, the backyard rink my brother and I made, or the occasional indoor appearance at Parade Stadium. I wore hand-me down equipment, knee guards held up with stick tape. My skates looking like they came off the set of It’s a Wonderful Life, and I didn’t figure out I was left handed until I was at least 8. I may not be a Mike Modano, or rose in a “hockey family”. But simply put…I was, and always will be.. .a Rink Rat! Some 30 years later I’m just an older version of my youth I guess.
In wake of the 13th Annual U.S. Pond Hockey Championships, and my annual Greenwoods Weekend (a guy’s hockey get-away). I’m sitting at my computer amazed by the recent footage captured during both of these recent events. The videos you’ll see give me such a overwhelming sense of pride and solidarity with my immediate community and the larger community, my State of Minnesota. For me hockey is something more then a game. I imagine there are sports enthusiasts (spectator or player) who can say the same for any sport. But lately — since the late 80's — I feel something is missing in sporting games. I think America has glaring sports identity crises on its hands. Wouldn’t you say so? As communities across the United States and the world are subject to the merciless zeal of profit driven organizations, I believe America has one and I believe The U.S. Pond Hockey Championships should be an inspiration to everyone how embracing they’re local cultural identity can strengthen this weakened cultural pillar.
It is my belief that sports are part of a fragile social ecosystem. And as a member of this society, I gravitate towards events, organizations, and sometime individuals that I identify with… culturally. And sports make up a big part of my culture. When Sport Ngin acquired the tournament from it’s founder Fred Haberman 10 years ago, the company had many creative options for the advancing the event. But the choice to capture the essence of sensible sportsmanship in an athletic event promoting authentic and traditional pond hockey should be applauded more then people may think.
America’s sporting culture is in serious need of new role models who listen to a communities and embrace they’re unique way of practicing sport. Take Sport Ngin with the game of hockey. Co-commissioner Carson Kipfer says in the New York Time article “We’re celebrating the hockey of our youth”. What better model should organizations adopt for a sustainable event then pulling from emotions we had during the days of our youth? If I was to read into what the organizers are going for it sounds that they are connecting with a local identity and promoting its importance within guidelines that reflect a healthy and stable company moral compass. What feeling does the NFL bring to your mind? And how does this make you feel to know that they are one of the forefront mentors of American sport culture?
The U.S. Pond Hockey Championship gathered over 20,000 spectators, 6 divisions and some times will host 250 teams; all participating for the chance to have they’re name etched in an oversized shovel, and not a dollar payout to the winning teams. Yet teams from all over the country come. Is this a sign that people are hungry for a sporting culture change? One that exhibits a game played, promoted, and celebrated for a greater good? Can an organization still make profitable gains by not rewriting the cultural DNA within a community for it’s own interest?
video by USPHC
I’m a big advocate of cultivating old traditions as well as refining them. But educating community members about local identity -today- is tough work. The choices people have are so numerous with today’s advertising and technology; so much it can split a community into a million directions. What emotions came to you when you watched the above montage of the U.S. Pond Hockey Championships? Athlete or spectator I think it clearly depicted a spirit, a nature, and an identity that people rally around. The sense of unity and solidarity is becoming an uphill battle but I see people grabbing on to something anything to make them feel connected to something bigger then themselves. Sports I believe are and have been looked upon as a corner stone in the social ecosystem throughout human existence. And as a community, we need to take responsibility to make sure that these sacred pastimes aren’t contaminated by personal agendas as we are seeing in large market sport organizations. Unfortunately America (as a nation) has an awful track record in community empowering; which leads to a strong identity complex. You needn’t look much further then the names of professional sports facilities to see something isn’t right.
But, movements begin small and there are organizations like Sport Ngin and the U.S. Pond Hockey National Championships held in Eagle River who may represent the new comers to help turn the tide for communities around America. They’re message match they’re actions which is difficult for many Professional teams to claim. It begins with a defining what sportsmanship is trickling it down to the seeds of the next generation. Like this concept…is it necessary to have a supreme best team? Pat Weber in the NYT article gives his thoughts about creating a tournament that declares a true National winner…
“Then it almost comes down to putting us in a position to compete with the others (tournaments),” he said. “I don’t want to do that. You might want to throw caution to the wind and try to outdo each other. There are people who come here every year for the camaraderie. They’ve developed pretty good friendships with teams in their divisions. Hockey takes second for the people who want to be here.”
I get that sports can make an individual money. And everyone has the right to pursue that career goal. And I get that money/business will play a factor in all aspects of sports. But outside the Packers and a select few others, American sports enthusiasts need to take a better look at organizations like Sport Ngin and recognize the subtle differences how to enhance their business identifying the local culture and reinforcing it’s identity.
Check out this montage put together by Carson Kipfer of our recent guys trip to Wisconsin! It’s a testament to my parents (and similar thinking parents)! Because even though hockey was almost folklore in their native countries, they valued integrating sports into my life, which helped, build solid relationships.
I cannot say enough how thankful I am my folks choose to embrace the snow and ice. But even Minnesotans need constant reminders…like… The U.S. Pond Hockey Championships…to synchronize with your community, develop social skills, and celebrate our way of playing sport… the healthy way!