Volunteers of the Month - August 2008

What hockey program do you volunteer with? Southeastern CT Youth Hockey & CHC

Do you have any kids that play in the program? Yes, two boys. We have a first year Midget and a first year Pee Wee.

Why did you originally become a hockey volunteer? Once we saw what this sport did for our two boys, we wanted to get involved and give something back. I started assisting Mike Meakem with the SECYH website and when our youngest son was a Mite, they needed to fill the role of team Manager which Sue gladly accepted. The rest is history...

What is your current role as a volunteer? I am the current President of SECYH. Sue is the SECYH Registrar as well as the CT Associate Registrar.

How long have you been a volunteer? We're relatively new volunteers. This is our fourth year.

Why have you continued to volunteer over time? The love of the sport and it's a great feeling to give back to the sport that your children love so much ... not to mention that you get a chance to meet a lot of great people and make new friendships.

What capacities have you served as a hockey volunteer over time? I've been involved as a coach as well as a Board member. On the Board, I was the Marketing/PR Rep the first year. My second year, I was the VP and this is my second year as President. I've been the Website manager for the past four years as well. Sue has been Team manager of various teams and Registrar.

What are your goals as a volunteer? My goals are pretty basic. I want to do what needs to be done so that other kids can enjoy the game of hockey the way my kids have ... keep it fun and engaged.

Why do you like being a volunteer? We get a great feeling of satisfaction when young kids (and parents) discover this great sport. At the same time, we hope we are setting a good example on how to get involved and make a difference.

Would you recommend other parents also volunteer and why? Absolutely. Any volunteer organization needs people to step up and serve. One of things I tell people is that if they have an issue, get involved and help resolve it. The feeling you get from helping others, especially kids, is like no other. Why wouldn't you want to be involved in your child's activities.

What is the most extreme thing you have done as a volunteer? To me, the most extreme thing I've done as a volunteer is the unfortunate task of having to ask a parent to leave the rink. There are so many GREAT people, including parents, involved in this game it's the exception to the rule when something like this happens. As we know, when our kids are involved, we can get very emotional and sometimes that gets the best of us. We all need to keep perspective in that it's for the kids ... not the adults.

What is your most memorable moment being a hockey volunteer? For me, there's one situation that really stands out. The situation involved a player that had a fairly unfortunate childhood and found the game of hockey. During one of his seasons, there was a significant on-ice situation that could have resulted in him being removed from the team and our organization. The matter came to the Board and we ultimately decided to allow the player to continue after serving the punishment (that the Board agreed upon but there was very mixed opinions on what the punishment should have been). Hockey was a bright spot in this player's life and to prevent him playing could have had a detrimental impact. After the player's subsequent reinstatement that season and following seasons, he's been a model citizen. It's definitely a case where hockey made a difference.