We are incredibly fortunate to have so many 3-sport athletes at B-B-E

Check out the following comments posted with an article in the West Central Tribune that talk about their youth hockey numbers (which are way down from years past even though overall K-12 school enrollment is higher than it was then)...

Cards, I too remember the days of higher numbers and strong teams, however back then things were much different. There were far more 3 sport athletes and far less specializing in one sport like today. Sport seasons were pretty well set, in the Fall we played Football or Cross Country if you were a boy, but now there is the addition of a quality Soccer program. In the Winter it was Hockey/Basketball/Wrestling/Swimming and now you add to that Cross Country Skiing. In the Spring it wqs Baseball/Track/Tennis/Golf. More offerings with fewer students to be involved will mean smaller participation.
We played and focused on the sports for each season and we didn’t have traveling sports for Winter season taking place in the Fall, Spring and Summer like we have today. Seriously how long is a J.O. Volleyball Season?!!
We didn’t have so many parent led “special teams” that excludes young athletes if they are not some how connected to the right person or if they lack the money to pay for the additional costs to travel to extra tournaments. Young athletes are getting shafted today because too many people think they are the next great coach of the year!
What I really see happening is that there are fewer “pick-up games” happening in our parks and outdoor rinks. Man I can remember playing ball until it got so dark we couldn’t see the ball coming at us! Or playing Hockey on an outdoor rink for so long that our feet hurt from being so cold! Young athletes today are being so conditioned to focus on one sport that they don’t get to enjoy sports!