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There鈥檚 still something pure and beautiful about minor hockey.

While it might be hard for some to remember the first time putting on a jersey and lacing up the skates for a minor hockey team, those who have gone through minor hockey systems in Canada have many fond memories of the sport.

It might be from winning a tournament, a house league title or a provincial championship. But it鈥檚 more likely that the best memories are of games that were fun to play in, goals that were scored, friendships that were made and life lessons that were learned.

Maybe the kids didn鈥檛 realize at the time that they were learning lessons that they would carry for the rest of their lives, but they were.

Minor hockey is supposed to be fun. Yes, it鈥檚 more fun when you win, and it can suck when you lose, but the top priority at the end of the season shouldn鈥檛 be the win-loss record. It should be about developing players, getting them ready for the next level, building friendships, loving the game, even for those who are on age representative teams.

It should be about teaching skills, not systems, and giving all kids a chance to play, regardless of whether it鈥檚 at the initiation or midge levels.

The Estevan Minor Hockey Association, and other minor hockey groups in the southeast region, do a pretty good job of keeping the fun in hockey. They recognize that kids need to enjoy playing the game, or they aren鈥檛 going to stick with the game. They鈥檙e going to find something else to do.

And, of course, local minor hockey associations have a collection of volunteers who dedicate many hours to coaching and making sure their teams are ready to play.

Without the volunteers, there wouldn鈥檛 be a minor hockey association, just like there wouldn鈥檛 be a minor hockey association without the players or the officials.

Hockey parents sometimes get a bad reputation because of a few bad apples, but most parents you encounter here are very supportive and encouraging of their children, and treat opponents and officials with respect.聽

This week鈥檚 edition of Lifestyles includes our salute to Estevan Minor Hockey. You鈥檒l find photos of the teams, with players and coaches. Businesses, many of whom sponsor local teams, have ads saluting minor hockey.

It鈥檚 a reminder of how many people are needed to make minor hockey happen in a community.

Thankfully, kids in Estevan and other southeast communities are able to have fun playing the game they love, thanks to their coaches and other volunteers, as well as their parents. The results might not always be what they desire, but when kids and hockey are concerned, winning isn鈥檛 the most important end result.聽