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sum .§=E Get off the panic button, eh - hockey’s only a game istening to the critics and the skeptics. you'd think we had a real-life nation- al crisis on our hands. As if we were lament- ing the Third World state of some of our First Nations communities or the pox that is youth unemploy- ment in Canada. , But we're talking hockey. Hey.l'lovemegame.lgn~wup """"'I' on a park that was ice half the . with [im Mason Was on the board ofthe 111A irit for 11 yam I'm all over the Olym- pic games today and tomonow. ‘ Bu‘_d00§ i‘ “93W mime? if fewer Been to about lONHLrinks (anade Wamplamdwganw? A? pastime. Fantasy. Off‘lheTop That ith No. 3 in youth spon registra- tion numbers in the land? That we m I lose our supposed grip on dominationo hockey? Hey. 1972 called. It wants its near-national catastrophe back. [ix-NI {Let turned éommentator Brad May was on a panel on Sports- net that discussed solutions to the pmblgm this week.“ \ . When “May Day” was an elemen- tary school kid kneehigh to Don Cherry and growing up in Stouflville. mlswasanualvillage. ltwasalsoa different era You split your sporting year between hockey and softball. if you were a boy. (lirls hockey and soccer came later. Now. soccer registratbn outnum- bers or at least n'vals hockey hem. just as It does across the country. Blame it on hockey-like pro dteams if you want. but many other sports are also offering year-round experiences and expectqtions ‘ StoufMlle kids can play the likes of baseball. soccer. golf. badminton. basketball and tennis indoors within a half-hour of their homes in most cam Stouffville has its own martial ans. fine arts and dance studiox And then there is the gaming and computer crowd that stole so many hockey players Stouffville may be the migning fastest growing small burgh in the land. But have you seen a flaw pho- tograph or the line-up at a school has stop lately? 1 {0w about a census? Many of you weren‘t bum here. You might not know hockey'fmm curl- ing. Nothing wmng with that. “Chances; an: ybu grew up with soccer or cricket. You'll pass that on to your kids. the way many fourthgenemtiun Canadian moms and dads do hockey. We know hockey's more expen- sive than most sports. But munici- palities and private operators aren't likely to drop the price of ice rentals. Same for the companies making and pants It's reality. Canada. And it's just a game. Jim Mason IS editor of The Sun-Tribune sticks. glovesf helmets. pads