The NHL lockout boils down to the players believing they are not being paid enough money to play the sport they have given blood, sweat, and tears. I understand the countless hours they have put on the ice, the financial setbacks that their parents most have faced to ensure they would be the best, there is no doubt in mind hockey is an elitist sport and it costs a lot of money to be the best on the ice.
My children look-up to these players they are inspired by Hull and cheer on Eberle. But at the same time for a family of four to watch their heroes on the ice it costs over two hundred dollars in tickets for one game to sit in the nosebleeds. You keep your fingers-crossed that they will play a winning game!
It is after the hockey games are over the next day my children return to school and are welcomed by a tremendous support staff. The administrative workers that help to coordinate field trips, hot lunches, bus times, and calls home to let you know your child is sick. The Teacher Assistants who spend hours in the classroom working with the children that need that extra help and supporting the teacher who has their handful with large classroom sizes. It is this support staff without their efforts which the school would be ill-equipped to run.
As the front line of Alberta’s Catholic schools remain on strike requesting the province to increase their salaries. It is a startling contrast that the average income of a teacher assistant is 17.69 per hour and the average income of an NHL hockey player is 2.45 million.
The support staff at my children`s school are the people they see each day and know that makes their school great. So when you ask about a hockey lockout do I feel sorry for the hockey player that an average of 2.45 million that my children watch play once a year. Not a chance!
The Oilers might be my children’s heroes but they do nothing for their education at the end of the day. The true heroes are the school administrators, the TA’s, and Teachers that put in the time to give my children the best education. It is these people who are caught in the politics of being everything to everyone and not getting paid an extra cent for it.
Well said! I have a hard time feeling compassion for sports players, hockey, football or otherwise, when they shout and rail against making only $5 million when surely they are worth $7 million. I just have to roll my eyes and shake my head. In my mind, I would rather see artists make more money than players of sport. Don’t get me wrong – I love sports, but I like amateur sports and I like to play sports – but I learned just as much about being part of a team when I sat in the orchestra pit.
So much money and emphasis is placed on sports even in Universities where a football scholarship is its weight in gold in contrast to the A+ student who volunteers their time to the community. I scratch my head an wonder why have we placed so much value on hockey, football, and baseball? Is it worth the entertainment when a large portion could be dedicated to the arts.
Agreed on the unsung heroes. Those who work our schools, they fulfil such a vital role in society.
They provide a huge role to our society and yet they are paid nothing for it. They are expected to be all things to everyone…It`s too bad they couldn’t benefit from a corporate endorsement.
Well said. I agree with you. How did things ever get this way? It’s unbalanced… on so many levels.
It really is! The problem is most of these roles are provided by women and must of the time they are biggest contributors to our community.
I don’t think you will find many that disagree with you. There are many professions that are more important than athletes but are paid poorly.
I can never understand why professional sports tickets are priced so outrageously for kids (maybe to help pay for the fabulous salaries?). If you add a hot dog and soda, it’s really out of the park.
It really is out of the park! I know there is nothing more exciting than paying a fortune for a stale bucket of popcorn.
Well said! It is hard to feel sorry for millionaires who want more money. I’ve never understood how priorities could become so skewed. The people who teach us and protect us make almost nothing and are berated if they ask for a raise, yet people who entertain us make piles of money.
Something is wrong with that picture – somehow our view has become skewed on the values of society. I could careless about billionaires squabbling with millionaires over wanting the bigger piece of the hockey pie. I would like to see is the support staff and educators in our school system being paid what they are deserved for the tremendous amount of work they put into our children`s education .
“The true heroes are the school administrators, the TA’s, and Teachers ” Hear, hear, well said! I, too, cannot feel sorry for these athletes. Are you kidding me! Grrr!! Don’t get me started.
But I am very glad you wrote about this, Darcie. It needed to be expressed. Thank you, Amiga!
~Virginia
Thank you, Virginia! At the end of the day I could careless how much a hockey player will or will not make…What do I care about are my kids and the education they receive from the educators who make a difference in their lives.
well said.. you so nailed who are the true heros… It is sad how we admire the wrong people..
It really is sad how our perspective has been skewed to what is great and good. So many people each day give their hundred percent to the community and get barely anything in return.