BC Hockey sat down with author Allyson Tufts to talk about her book, the partnership with BC Hockey and the upcoming parent program video series that will be released this fall. The series will be launched as the second phase of the Sportsmanship Starts in the Stands program.

BC HOCKEY: Tell us about your book and why you wrote it.

ALLYSON: My book started out as a form of therapy for me. I always enjoyed watching my son play hockey but I have to say, I also found it stressful. If he got cut from a team or benched by his coach, it used to upset me. My husband would remind me that it's all part of the experience, and while I understood that, it never made me feel any better; so I used to go home after games and I'd journal rather than drive him crazy. It seemed smarter to write down my thoughts than to act on them.

The book basically goes through our hockey experience with our son from when he was seven (7) years old playing house league right through to the night of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) draft. At the end of each chapter there is a reflection and lesson to help guide parents along going through the same things. I wrote it because I wanted people to learn from our experiences.

BC HOCKEY: Why do you think it's an important message?

ALLYSON: I think it's an important message because in so many cases parents are losing sight of why we put our kids into sports, and I have to say, I was one of them. I think by telling my story people might recognize some of their own behaviours in the arena, the impact of those behaviours on their child and hopefully change them for the better so both parent and child can enjoy their experiences at the rink.

BC HOCKEY: We understand you've sold quite a few copies; what has been the feedback been from other hockey parents?

ALLYSON: The feedback has been incredible. When I launched the book in April 2015, my publisher told me I would never sell 500 copies in the first six (6) months, but by May 2015 I was ordering 500 more! I've had a lot of people say that they've laughed, they've cried and that they couldn't put it down once they started reading it. The ultimate compliment was when a lady told me that she kept the book in her purse during tryouts and it helped her immensely.

BC HOCKEY: Do you think parent behaviour in the rink is just an issue in hockey?

ALLYSON: No I don't think it's just an hockey issue; I think it happens in every sport. I wrote it from a hockey perspective because that was my experience. I think it's a parent issue, not just a hockey issue. I think as parents we have the best intentions. We commit so much time and money to our kids and as a result sometimes our passion from them gets out of hand.

BC HOCKEY: We understand you've done a bit of a self-made book tour; tell us about that.

ALLYSON: Yes, it's been an amazing year. The book launched in April 2015 and in June I was invited to Hockey Canada's Sponsorship Summit to participate on a panel representing the hockey mom. Following that, I traveled to Hockey Canada's head office in Calgary to speak to their senior staff. That's where I met BC Hockey Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Barry Petrachenko and Chair of the Board, Randy Henderson. Since then, I have been to Thunder Bay, Ontario to present to Hockey Northwestern Ontario (HNO) President's meeting and flew out to Vancouver to film the video series. It has been an incredible experience so far and the response has far exceeded my expectations.

BC HOCKEY: How did your involvement with our organization start?

ALLYSON: As mentioned, I met Barry and Randy in September 2015. Barry approached me and asked if we could talk. We met after the meeting and continued to correspond after my return to Ontario. I was so impressed with Barry and Randy; you can tell they care about the organization a great deal and are always looking to improve. I presented some ideas to them and they really like the video concept and here we are!

BC HOCKEY: Can you tell us a bit more about the video series?

ALLYSON: I can say this: it will be different than anything anyone has ever seen before. It's a series of interviews from people at the grassroots level in hockey. We hear from parents, players, coaches, referees and other Association members. People were really honest in these interviews. I think it's going to be a great way to provide parent education through story telling. I'd better stop or I'm going to say more than I should! I'm just going to say that I cannot wait until it launches; it's going to be amazing!

BC HOCKEY: We heard a rumour that there may be some familiar faces in these videos, perhaps some former National Hockey League (NHL) players?

ALLYSON: I'm going to keep that one a secret but I will confirm that yes we have some very recognizable faces in the videos. Once this project got going, it was incredible to see how many people came on board to be a part of it. Along with all the others I mentioned, we also had representatives from Hockey Canada, BC Hockey and the NHL take part.

BC HOCKEY: What's next for you with your book and message?

ALLYSON: I will be attending the BC Hockey AGM in June as a guest speaker to present a teaser for the video series. The project launches in September which will create awareness in BC and the Yukon. From there, the goal is to speak to as any Minor Hockey Associations (MHA) in as many provinces as I can. My dream is to get this message to every hockey parent in Canada.

BC HOCKEY: Thanks Allyson and we look forward to the launch at the AGM next month!

For more information on Allyson Tufts, Lessons From Behind the Glass and to get your copy, please visit www.lessonsfrombehindtheglass.com. 

c/o Nelson Daily

Nelson Minor Hockey scored big, winning one (1) of the Esso Medals and Certificates of Achievement in the Esso Medals Score Big contest.

Nelson was one (1) of six (6) associations chosen from over 15,000 entries and will be presented with $5,000 as well as an additional $1,000 donation will be presented to the Pee Wee Leafs.

"Our association will purchase some new jerseys with the prize money," said league representative Lisa Upper. "We have been working on getting new jerseys for all our teams and this will help finish our goal."

Each year, minor hockey teams (aged 6 - 18) from across Canada are invited to register to receive three (3) Esso Medals of Achievement - most dedicated, most improved and most sportsmanlike - and 18 certificates for their team.

Established in 1981, the Esso Medals and Certificates of Achievement Program recognizes players who contribute to the game of hockey and has since become part of the fabric of Canadian community hockey. By acknowledging players' dedication, effort and fair play, the program hopes to go beyond hockey to build champions in life.

Under this free program, three (3) Medals of Achievement are available to every hockey team registered with Hockey Canada. In addition, each team can receive certificates of participation the recognize the efforts of every player on the team.

To date, nearly two (2) million Esso Medals of Achievement and over 30 million Certificates of Participation have been awarded to young boys and girls across Canada.  For more information, please visit www.essomedals.com. 

Meet Angelique Dechaine.  She just turned seven (7) years old in May and finished her first season of hockey in Pre Novice II in Fort St. John, BC.  Angel, as she is often referred to, is special little girl who requires a bit more attention from her coaches and help from her teammates.

She developed hearing loss at the age of two (2) and a half, suffering through many obstacles including not being able to play organized team sports and participate in extracurricular activities like her peers. She tried t-ball, but got frustrated at not being able to hear the coach when he was more than a few feet away and feeling very self conscious that she was not following instruction properly. So Angel sat on the sideline watching her three (3) siblings, content with her book and quiet hobbies. Until last year.........

At that time, the family was introduced to a new technology that might help Angel and get her playing sports. It was called iSense and worked as a microphone worn by the teacher directly into a hearing aid the Angel could wear. It was amazing! However, it was only allowed to be used at school.  So her family fundraised very hard to raise $5,000 for Angel to have a iSense that she could use outside of the classroom.  Last summer, Angel's parents purchased them for her.

"I remember so clearly asking her what she wanted to do now that she could participate in any activity she wanted," said Angel's mom Christina. "I expected her to pick gymnastics or dance - she was such a quiet, sweet thing. But she looked up at me with determination and said 'I want to play hockey!' I was shocked."

None of Angel's three (3) siblings or her parents play hockey - they don't even watch it on TV, so they questioned her choice. "Where did this come from?" Christina added.

Angel was determined to play hockey, so Christina borrowed some hockey gear from a friend and signed her daughter up for a all girls Lace Up event at their local arena.

Angel used her iSense and one (1) person skated beside her with the microphone, relaying the information.

Receiving a trophy or award is a highlight for any young athlete. Whether it's a participation ribbon or most valuable player award, kids feel part of a team, a sense of accomplishment and something that they will remember forever.

The Princeton Minor Posse handed out their team's annual awards at the end of the season. Rex Rhyno put an extra touch on the night. When Rex realized there were a few players on his team who weren't receiving special trophies at the banquet, he took the money he had been saving for a new hockey stick and purchased four (4) "unsung hero" trophies for his teammates.

Penticton Vees' forward Tyson Jost (Kelowna) and defenceman Dante Fabbro (West Vancouver) were major award winners as the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) announced its national award recipients.

Jost was named both the CJHL Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Top Forward and Fabbro was named the CJHL's Top Defenceman.

Jost was named the BC Hockey League (BCHL) MVP this season after compiling 42 goals and 104 points in just 48 regular season games. The Vees' graduating captain led the league in assists (62) and points-per-game average (2.17) and he had an impressive 19-game point streak during the regular season, amassing 42 points during that stretch. He added another six (6) goals and 14 points in 11 playoff games.

At the World U18 Hockey Championship, Jost set a new Canadian scoring record at the tournament, picking up 15 points in seven (7) games, breaking Connor McDavid's record set in 2013. He led the tournament in scoring and was named Top Forward of the event. He also won gold at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge (WJAC).

Fabbro led all BCHL rear-guards in points with 67, despite only playing in 45 games, as he missed a chunk of games in December, winning a gold medal with his teammate Jost at the WJAC. Fabbro finished second in goals (14) and assists (49) but had the best points per-game average (1.47) amongst blue-liners.