Hockey is an expensive sport. Equipment and ice time are expensive.

[Democrats_win]

Of course Alaska is different, they don't have much of a choice but to play indoors. Lucky they have the U.S. taxpayer to pay for their bridges while they stuff their pockets with oil money.

[napi21]

1. No kidding! A LONG time ago (30+ yrs) my son wanted to play

hockey. I found a local youth league and contacted them to find out how he could join. I choked when they told me the equipment was $275, and the membership fees were $70/mo. We were able to pay all our bills and all, but sure didn't have THAT KIND OF EXTRA $$!!! I wonder how much it costs TODAY???

[sailor65]

4. I have about $1100.00

Invested in my equipment, and I pay about $500.00/year for ice time, pluse referee fees and such.

Fortunately, my son was more interested in Football :-)

[Forkboy]

9. Definitely not a low income sport.

It's even worse if you're a goalie. The equipment is a fortune, even used. And most kids grow so fast that their equipment needs to be upgraded often.

It's too bad it's so expensive because it's an awesome sport and it would be cool to see more kids able to play. I know some leagues accept donated/used equipment to try to help out, but it's still a costly sport (factor in long drives to games as well).

Being a hockey mom isn't my complaint here with Palin. Being a hockey mom to the point where you build a friggin arena with taxpayer money is a bit much though. :crazy:

Palin is an insult to all the cool hockey moms...and dads...out there. :)

[ben_meyers]

2. When I lived in Minnesota those little beggars

were constantly coming around selling crap for fund raising! Now my relatives up there say it's twice as bad because of the explosion of girls hockey. Bunch of f'ing elitists!

[SOS]

3. In Wasilla

She put up a $14.7 million dollar hockey arena.
The town is $20 million in debt and she raised the sales tax.
A serious hockey mom to be sure.

[ben_meyers]

5. It's one of the reasons I left Mn

in 1990 Blaine put up a $20 million hockey complex that they are still paying for on their property taxes. I can't even guess what neighboring Roseville paid for the John Rose Ice Oval. All this so those "tough" hockey moms wouldn't freeze their fat butts!

[napi21]

6. I thought AK didn't have a sales tax? Is that a City thing there? n/t

[SOS]

7. She introduced the first one to fund her kids hockey arena

"Voters in Wasilla bucked tradition Tuesday and, by a slim margin, approved plans to start the city's first-ever sales tax. "

[napi21]

8. OOPS! No new taxes person, huh! n/t

[Ryano42]

10. Loaner equipment and shared expense

is the only way youth hockey in most places.

[dembotoz]

11. please don't hate youth hockey

expensive yes, but the kid loves it so i put up with paying.
Will admit to perhaps being the poorest member of the club.
why couldn't her kids play soccer?????