Hockey is for Everyone?

Today is Hockey Day in America and among all of the great stories is the repeated mantra "hockey is for everyone".

This got me to thinking about how during Hockey Day in Canada the network did a great story on women who play the sport. Great piece similar to one ran today about women who play the game because they love it. Then the network lost me by following the story with chatter and camera shots of the Ice Girls.

Nice transition guys, not.

I won't be popular for my opinion on this, and that's ok because it's just that; my opinion.

Hockey is a sport I love, passionately. It is a game that I am able to sit with my son, who at 14 spends less and less time with his parents, and enjoy our conversations, debates over players, and all the cheers and tears that come along with being a fan.

One of the other things I love about this sport is the focus on the game, players, and the fans. A sport who doesn't spend every commercial lead-in with camera shots of the cheerleaders. Finally a sport that feels like it belongs to everyone in the family and not one that focuses on the sexual draw for men and toleration of female fans.

There are several teams who now have Ice Girls who along with their skimpy outfits and giant shovels skate onto the ice between periods.

My boss was all giddy to tell me about the email he had sent with all the pictures of the girls declaring they were the reason the Blackhawks had won the Cup. Of course all of the guys think the Caps have it wrong because we don't have them here.

First of all, really? I know it's a man thing but come on guys. Do we really have to take everything that is enjoyable and turn it into an opportunity for men to look at half dressed women? Is it not possible for us to have and keep one sport for the entire family to enjoy?

I am happy for the women who are so pretty they are chosen for their opportunity. I'm sad for all the parents who raise their daughters to believe they can be anything they want and to not focus on their body image.

I recently read a commentary by William Browning that made me smile. It is refreshing to see a man who has the interest of his children and wife in the front of his mind. He is certainly a minority, but I would say that men who show that type of respect are much more respected themselves. Putting energy into looking at and appreciating your own woman who is sitting right there with you at the game and less time looking at those in the email, magazine or on the ice is a very attractive quality.

During a recent business discussion a collegue commented that if you market to women the men will come. Pretty true if you think about it. If guys can get their wives and girlfriends, daughters and moms interested in the sport, how many more games do you think they will attend?

In my house? A lot. I love this sport and because of that I am constantly looking for ways to say involved in all things hockey: I started my blog about the sport, look for tickets to the games, read pupblished media, watch interviews, you get the idea. I've discussed with my husband my hopes of one day being a writer covering the sport either professionally or for fun and said husband scored major points at Christmas by shopping at the NHL store.

At the same time, I live in a house of all boys. So I also hear quite a bit about all of these women, it's tiring, and I like the idea of having a neutral zone.

I don't consider this a battle and if it were I wouldn't win, that is clear. Rather I would just like to thank the teams, my Caps included, who in my mind have it right and market to all of their fans not just the male ones.

It is those teams who do indeed believe hockey is for everyone, and I for one appreciate it.