Hockey families willing to pay price

Equipment like that worn by Jacobs goalie Buzzy Amann costs more than $2,500. (Catalin Abagiu - cabagiu@nwherald.com)

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Hockey dad Rick Ulreich has myriad memories of his three sons’ favorite sport.

Like the many Thanksgivings when the Cary family was out of town, sometimes split in different cities for two tournaments. Like leaving on 5 a.m. the day after Christmas each year to drive somewhere in the Midwest, or maybe Canada, to another tournament. Like shelling out $10,000 during any particular year for equipment, club fees, gas, hotels and food. Like the late hours in chilly rinks, the God-awful stench permeating from the equipment bag in the car trunk and trips to the emergency room that number in double digits.

“To give your kids the opportunity to do something they love is a great thing to do,” Rick says. “It’s something the family does together.”

In another year, when Rick and Sally Ulreich’s youngest son, Danny, is done playing, they may go into hockey withdrawals. The Blackhawks’ season tickets will help, but it won’t be the same as watching Wally, Eddie and Danny.

“We just love it so much,” Rick said.

Hockey families are a slightly different breed. It’s an expensive sport – just to play on most local high school club teams runs $2,250 and up – and rarely is there a payoff on the other end in the form of a scholarship. Athletes in sports such as volleyball, baseball, softball and basketball often earn scholarships to the next level. Most aspiring hockey players must go play juniors for a year or two before colleges will offer such financial support.

The local high school season is winding down, with three teams – Crystal Lake South, Prairie Ridge and Jacobs – alive in their respective AHAI Blackhawk Cup state tournaments. South and Prairie Ridge are playing in the Red Division, which has the top teams, while Jacobs is competing in the White Division.

Prairie Ridge hockey coach Casey Van Damme, who also is the executive director of Fire Wagon Hockey Inc. and the Yellow Jackets Club, says there are three rules of hockey parenting: Sacrifice, sacrifice, sacrifice.

“It is a dedicated life, surrendering at least to something ice-related every day of the week,” Van Damme said. “There are often two practices or games during the week, and almost always one or two games or practices every Saturday and Sunday, starting in September and ending in March. Many days start at 6 with early-morning travel to games and practices, and end at 10 with team events.”

So why do they do it?

“You have to be really dedicated to the sport,” Crystal Lake South junior left wing Scottie Stalo said. “I started really young and got it from my brother [R.J.]. I used to go to all the games, even the 10 o’clock games in Niles.”

Jacobs junior goalie Buzzy Amann is another who grew up watching his big brother play hockey, just like his third-grade brother, Jake, now watches him.

“It’s a great sport to play,” Amann said. “It has everything, it’s intense, fast-paced and there’s a lot of things going on.”

Hockey may be the most expensive youth sport with the cost of equipment and ice time. To equip a position player is almost $1,000; for a goalie, it runs more than $2,500. Ice time for teams runs around $250 an hour with teams usually taking two-hour slots. Much of the club fees assessed to parents are to cover ice time, but there also are costs for equipment, uniforms and on road trips.

“We only did one out-of-town tournament this year, but usually teams do two or three,” Jacobs coach Chip Anderson said. “There are hotels and meals, and if you count all the other fast food because you’re running all over, it could be another $1,500 [for the year]. It all quickly, quickly, quickly adds up.”

With so many youth teams in the area, players know the score when it comes to when exactly that ice time may fall.

“The older you get, the later the ice slots get,” Huntley senior defenseman Cameron Marzejon said. “That’s the way the cookie crumbles. You just have to work through it.”

That means players must plan accordingly when they have a game starting after 9 p.m. on a week day.

“I may get home at 1 o’clock and have to get up for school,” Stalo said. “On those late starts I come home and get my homework done first, and maybe get a nap in before getting on the bus.”

Others, like Amann, can relate.

“Our No. 1 rule is homework is first, then hockey,” Amann said. “No matter what, when I have hockey, I have to get my homework first. Over the weekend you catch up on a lot of sleep.”

Still, hockey people love their sport, despite its quirks.

“It’s just a passion for the sport,” Marzejon said. “When you’re brought into it, that’s what you do.”

Although Marzejon doesn’t plan on playing in college, he has other ideas for hockey not that his high school playing days are over.

“Men’s leagues are a lot less expensive,” Marzejon said. “You can play into your 40s or 50s. I’m going to start playing with my dad [Jerry].”

High cost of hockey

Here’s a look at about what it costs to equip a hockey player (these are estimates from local players).

Item    Skater    Goalie
Helmet    $150    $250
Leg pads    $60    $1,000
Upper body    $80    $500
Gloves    $80    $500*
Pants     $100    $100
Skates    $250    $250
Stick    $200    $120
Elbow     $40    $40
Totals    $960    $2,760
*For goalie glove and blocker