Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1481923
STILL FONDLY REMEM- BER the early morning prac- tices and skating on outdoor rinks in the winter with my friends until well past midnight. The sight of a crisp, freshly resurfaced sheet of ice and the screeching sound of a skate stone striking carbon steel will never cease to make me smile. Hockey is an incredible sport, but I think it could be even more incredible. In Minnesota, hockey is more than just a game, it's a lifestyle. But for some people of color, participating in this amazing sport can be a lonely and isolating experience. I played hockey in Minnesota my entire life. I even had the privilege of playing for a boys' AA high school state championship team. Yet, I expe- rienced racism on the ice too many times to count. "Walsh, go eat a banana." It was as if someone had hit the mute button on an already quiet rink. The referee blew his whistle, and the player on the opposing team's bench served 2 minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct. That wasn't the last time I would hear things like that and it was some- thing I never got used to. I wrote a children's book "Hockey is for Everybody" in hopes of assuring BIPOC players that they are not alone in their experiences, and to also chal- lenge non-BIPOC players to stand up for their BIPOC teammates. As a children's book, it is a great icebreaker for the tough conversations about race that I hope every parent is having with their child. Although neither of my parents played hockey, the church got my family into the game. When I was a toddler, my family attended Park Avenue United Methodist in Minneapolis. Being a multiracial family, my parents loved that the mission of Park Avenue was, "racial reconciliation through the gospel." One day, my older brother saw the DinoMights, a hockey program whose mission is to help urban youth become self-assured and competent adults, receiving an award. It was then that my brother asked to play hockey, and subsequently because I wanted to do anything that my brother was doing, I began skating. I was 3 ½ years old, and from then on, hockey largely consumed my thoughts. I attribute a vast majority of the suc- cess I have had in life to my time as a hockey player. The skills, values, and lessons that I learned as I progressed through the levels have translated into real life results. Punctuality, empathy, teamwork, hard work, adaptability, con- sistency, and trust are just an example of the many qualities that were instilled in me through this game, and that have allowed me to excel in my post-playing years. When the right environment is fos- tered, hockey provides young people with a purpose and a community. The best part about playing hockey is that you get to give back. My greatest experiences involving hockey have been my involvement with teaching the next generation about the joys of the game and growing it into a more belonging space so that the demographics of hockey can match the growing demographic changes of society. State champion and author Anthony Walsh wants to make hockey more inclusive Sound Off by Anthony Walsh N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 2 | M H J ON L I N E . C O M 13 I Icebreaker Photo / Strive Publishing Buy "Hockey is for Everybody" by Anthony Walsh on Amazon and Strive Publishing at strivepublishing.com/books-by- strive/hockey-is-for-everybody.