A “sport for the rich”: hockey associations react to Pierre Lavoie’s comments

Tennis, alpine skiing and hockey are “rich people’s sports,” said Grand Défi founder Pierre Lavoie in a recent article published in The Press. The Hockey Québec association denounces these comments which, according to it, “stigmatize” the sport.

While Pierre Lavoie believes that physical activity must be more valued in Quebec, he calls on the provincial government to invest massively in all inclusion sports, sports that even the poor can practice. At the same time, he invites forget what he considers to be sports of the rich.

Pierre Lavoie’s commentary presents hockey like a sport reserved for a financial eliteresponded Hockey Quebec in a press release published Tuesday.

The general director of the Saguenay Minor Hockey Association (AHMS), Dany Chouinard, agrees. He believes that hockey is more of a mainstream sport.

Either the words of Pierre Lavoie were taken out of context or else he has no idea of ​​the costs associated with hockeysays Mr. Chouinard at the microphone of the show It’s never the sameWednesday.

You need to know at what level he was discussingsupports the general director. Indeed, the costs linked to playing hockey vary depending on the level of play, he specifies.

When we talk about elite hockey […] it is certain that there, we are exploding the costs.

In double letter, the arbitration cost is more expensive, the league fees are more expensive, so there are more costs related to that. There are 175 dollars added to the 375 [dollars] initialsmentions the hockey specialist.

Choosing less expensive equipment helps reduce financial expenses related to sport, according to him. For example, even if several hockey sticks are sold for hundreds of dollars, it is possible to buy one for 150 or even 100 dollars.

In addition, team budgets influence the costs necessary for practicing sport, adds Dany Chouinard. If the team decides to dress the youngster from head to toe, to have four tournaments, two away and two in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, the costs will definitely increase.

Follow the wave

For young people, it is easy to be influenced by others and therefore want high-end equipment, believes Dany Chouinard. There is a movement. Young people judge each other, they get annoyed at schoolexplained the general manager.

However, he believes this is true in all sports.

Despite the temptation of elite equipment, an affordable stick still allows you to perform well on the ice, he says.

Reduce the financial cost

According to the hockey specialist, it is possible to obtain sponsors to reduce registration costs. Several young people in the region use this method to reduce their costs, he reports.

In addition, several organizations, such as Canadian TireHockey Canada and Hockey Québec have financial assistance programs that players can benefit from, underlines Mr. Chouinard.

Pierre Lavoie, yes, he said that, but what did he have in mind? Did he have AAA in mind? Because AAA, we’re talking about a completely different matternuance l’expert.

With information from Frédéric Tremblay