Family Vs. Family Hockey

Step 2 Recruit Teams

We do a few weeks of email campaigns around our hockey community to get it rolling. The trash talking that ensues is priceless, perhaps the best part of the whole event.

Team rules are as follows:

Each team must be comprised of two parents, and at least two kids. We have had a lot of families with one child wish to participate, but have not found a way yet to work them in fairly.

Many families are different these days--we let in all sorts. In some cases we have two divorced parents playing together, in other cases a mom brings the guy she is dating. Some cases it takes step-siblings, or even kids of the woman dad is dating, to make up a team of four. We judge none and accept all. The only real rule is that there is some real connection between the family members--either they are related by blood, or they are really, actively dating one another. That's about all you can ask.

We also do not accept three kids and one parent as a team. 9 times out of 10, the weaknesses are the parents, and parents spend all season in the stands. Mom and dad not only both have to skate, they both have to be on the ice at all times. There have been plenty of complaints to this rule, but we are sticking with it.