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Dear America: Your kids won’t like hockey

Kids hockey

So apparently tomorrow is “Try Hockey For Free Day” across the United States.

According to NHL.com, “430 local ice rinks across 47 states are expected to conduct a free one-hour clinic to introduce nearly 10,000 kids to the sport.”

The idea is to build on the already-impressive growth of youth hockey in the U.S., where more than 100,000 children eight years and under registered to play last season.

But should kids from the United States really be playing hockey when there are so many other sports to choose from?

As a Canadian, I say no. Hockey isn’t even that fun for kids to play. Which is why enrolment in Canada is falling. We finally figured it out. And you should too, America.

I’m not just saying this because the United States has 10 times Canada’s population and if every American kid starts playing hockey Canada could eventually lose its perch atop the hockey world.

All I’m saying is that American kids should be playing superior sports, like football, baseball, basketball and jai-alai. Canadians would love the opportunity to play those sports, we just don’t know how.

Again, I can’t stress this enough: DO NOT put your kids in hockey, America. They won’t like it. And frankly, it’s dangerous.