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WHY YOUR $3 AT AWARDS WEEKS IS

THE BEST BARGAIN YOU'LL GET THIS YEAR

(Originally posted Feb 21, 2007)

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About five weeks from now the MOHA will be thick in the throes of the Hockey MOMS Awards week -- almost three dozen championship games over seven days and nights at Twin Rinks. It really is an electric experience.

The orchestration and co-ordination behind this event is staggering. Through Laura and others I've seen up close the amount of planning and attention to detail that goes into making the week THE highlight of the house league hockey calendar.

All the kids are made to feel special. Those lucky enough to get to a championship game get an experience beyond anything most rep players experience. Last year, my Christopher got to play in a championship game and by the time the matter was settled in double overtime, more than 1,000 people were crammed into the rink watching. I can assure you that rarely happens in rep.

The vast majority of people in hockey in Oakville "get it." They understand what the moms bring to the event. In fact, without the moms, there would be no event. Most everyone appreciates the enormous volunteer commitment put forward for the kids.

For sure, they get support from MOHA in terms of some logistics and influence. But the moms do everything from arrange game sheets, dressing room assignments, and organize on-ice award presentations to simply helping make sure the rink and dressing rooms are clean between games.

The moms order the trophies and medals. They look after the engraving. The write the speeches for the presentations. They put the trophies back in the cases at the rinks around town.

In short, they volunteer at the speed of light.

And, they pay for it all.

They pay for the trophies. They pay for the engraving. They pay for all of the ice time. They -- NOT registration fees -- pay for it ALL. The costs are north of $20,000 for the week. Gate fees account for slightly more than half that.

Nothing that happens during awards week is paid for by hockey registrations. Nada. Zip. Nil.

Which is why the moms charge a gate fee of $3 a head (excluding ALL MOHA players, coaches, bench staff, team MOMS and conveners). That money offsets their costs. They budget to break even. So, if a volunteer politely asks you if you paid, smile and say yes, and show your stamp on your hand. They're just looking out for the kids. Thank them for volunteering.

Like I said, the VAST majority of people in Oakville "get it." The MOMS also pay for all those rep championship banners you see in rinks around town. They are not cheap.

But it's only February and I've heard of isolated grumbling already from some about the $3 gate fee.

Frankly, the self-absorbed "woe-is-me" wailing scorches my pads.

It's not a cash grab -- it's cost recovery. For more than two decades the moms have footed the bill for awards week FOR YOUR KIDS.

And yet, you can bet that during awards week, some deadbeat will park his $70,000 SUV in the parking lot, lurk up the stairs to the restaurant at Twins Rinks and try to sneak into a game through a side door to avoid paying $3. And that same guy will smile when his kid gets a medal.

If you see that guy, ask to see his stamped hand, showing he paid. Embarrass him. Ask him what he volunteered for lately.

Rather than worry about his $3, that guy should hand the MOMS a $5 bill and tell them to keep the change.

He won't. But awards week isn't for him anyway. It's for his kid.

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