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By HARRY THOMPSON COMMUNICATE WITH COACHES The Hockey Season A Parent's Guide To Surviving If it were only that simple. A hockey mom is so much more, from chauffeur to cheerleader, confidant to counselor. (And that's just at the rink.) What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick. Remember that line from elections past? There is no shortage of attributes used to describe the indispensible and invaluable contributions that moms make to the hockey world. If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a small army hockey moms (and dads) to raise a hockey player. Along the way, they all start at the same place, as a rank beginner full of apprehension and uncertainty, unaware of the difference between a Mite and Midget, and a greenhorn when it comes to which piece of gear goes on what body part. And just about the time they have the hang of it all, their child's youth hockey days are over, a distant memory packed with mental snapshots of past teams and holiday tournaments, fundraisers and awards banquets. As we dive head first into another hockey season, we've enlisted the help of a few veteran hockey parents to share a few pointers for saving time, money and most importantly sanity over the course of the year. , You're All In This Together REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME you walked into the rink, or stepped foot in the local pro shop? It can be pretty intimi- dating. For those who have been around the rink a time or two, it's important to help new parents feel welcome and to encourage them to ask any question, even the one where they ask where the athletic support goes. 14 "My husband Dave and I had no prior hockey experience before my son started play- ing. All I knew about hockey was my friends were never home during hockey season and when they were home they all talked about how early their games were," recalls Annemarie McLaughlin, whose son Ryan plays for the Lysander Lightning in Baldwinsville, N.Y. "I am not a typical hockey mom: I hate being cold and getting up early on the weekends. Truth be told, after seeing how much my son enjoyed the sport I had no choice but to embrace it. "My advice to new par- ents coming into the sport, stay warm and get ready to make some life- long friends and memories." Most youth hockey coaches employ a pre- season meeting to discuss what they expect from their players and parents over the course of the season. This is also your time to ask your coach about his or her philosophy and make sure it matches your expectations for your child. "We have had coaches over the years that didn't speak much about goal setting," says Amy Colclough, a hockey mom from Phoenix, N.Y. "We have always tried to have our sons set goals for themselves on things they feel they need to work on … and to achieve those goals, regardless of whether the team and/or coaching staff is doing this. This can help them be the best they can be and feel good about it." Communication is a two-way street, and the best way to get the season off to a good start. OCTOBER.2012 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM PHOTO BY Tom Kimmell TANK OF GAS AT A TIME ONE