My daughter is learning how to ice skate and play hockey much earlier than I did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a young fan growing up on the South Side of Chicago, playing hockey was an option not accessible to me until later on in life. I actually didn\u2019t even start to play the game until I was in my late thirties. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I exposed my daughter to the game in any way I could by watching hockey on TV, having a goal and sticks at home, and bringing her to my games. She was in attendance when I scored my first goal but probably doesn\u2019t remember that since she was so young. Introducing her to hockey is truly one of the honors of my life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thanks to my experiences, connections, and advocacy, my daughter\u2019s hockey experiences are happening sooner than later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I consider that a parenting win. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a parent, you want to give your children every opportunity to excel and succeed.\u00a0Fortunately, as a child, I was exposed to a lot of things that some of my peers never experienced. I want the same for my daughter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But as she spends more time in hockey spaces, the need to find a way to talk about race is at the front of my mind.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I need to get in front of this before someone else does. <\/p>