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Concussions, growing costs front of mind for Hockey Canada

Hockey Canada's top brass were in St. John's Wednesday to kick off their annual spring congress — and tackle the issue of affordability. They met with reporters to discuss the financial issues facing the sport.

The growing costs of playing hockey — and the potential that has to keep kids off the ice — is a top priority for the organization. Hockey Canada's own Initiation Program was designed to help develop young people's skills and involvement in the sport.

Scott Smith, Hockey Canada's chief operating officer, says the sport still packs some bang for its buck.

"We need to recognize that 75 per cent of registered hockey that we have in the country is recreational," said Smith.

"If you really compare that for the cost and the number of experiences that kids have, I think it's a pretty fair value for the money."

Player burnout?

But for hockey parents, the worries are more than just financial. Children who play recreational hockey are often multi-sport players, and player burnout is a growing concern for Hockey Canada.

President Tom Renney said having a varied sports background is beneficial, as long as the focus in on keeping players engaged.

"Technology has forced a very sedentary lifestyle for children," said Renney. "So let's not condemn hockey for being something they might choose to play more than they should. We have to make sure we're playing for the right reasons. It's about the love of sport."

Safety in sport

Sidney Crosby's return to the ice earlier this month reignited debate on the seriousness of concussions — and the long term impact of head traumas on players.

For its part, Hockey Canada said safety is paramount for both professional and recreational players. Renney added that it's all about increasing player awareness and knowledge.

"Safety is absolutely vital to what we do. We lead the country in the education of our constituents … on how best to deal with those concussions."

Get your tickets, here!

The problems of ticket scalping and group purchases continue to plague the league. According to Smith, there are challenges in staying ahead of the curve in dealing with ticket brokerage but its something they are working hard to understand.

Despite challenges facing the organization, Hockey Canada is optimistic about its future.

With word of coming changes to the executive this summer, the organization said it will stay true to promoting the importance of the sport.

"I'm excited about the future of the game of hockey," said Renney, "This is not about how many games you play. It's not how many wins or losses a coach has. It's, "Did I evolve a great person out of this?'"

"I'll put hockey up against [any] activity out there in terms of developing citizens for our country."