RinkWise podcast: Bobby Jay gives his take on showcases

Bobby Jay is the guest on the latest episode of the RinkWise podcast. (Paul Gilham/Getty Images)

Bobby Jay saw time in the NHL and professional hockey. But it wasn’t always such a sure thing.

Growing up, he wasn’t asked to try out for the Burlington (Mass.) High School varsity hockey team until his junior year. A few years later, he walked onto Merrimack’s team, and within his four years, he became a captain. He followed that up with 10 years of professional hockey.

He had a career most would love to have. It never came easy.

That’s why Jay, now the boys head coach at Middlesex, is such an interesting listen on the latest RinkWise podcast. In an age when parents are shifting their kids around for greener pastures, Jay offers up great advice. He also dives into showcases and the pros and cons associated with them.

On late bloomers

Jay: “I think it’s a mistake to write them off because we don’t know how it’s going play out. To focus all that energy at such a young age then maybe getting into it for your child for the wrong reasons because the reality is, what — 98 percent of them aren’t going to play college hockey or Division 1?

“It’s all those other things that we want to help develop in our kids and see them exercise, be teammates, have success, failure — all of it. If you focus on that and the enjoyment, the rest will work itself out.”

On parents supporting their kids

Jay: “I think as a parent, we don’t want to disappoint our kids. We’re so worried about their sense of self and ego and I’m not a psychologist but we have way more stuff to hear about that and read about. We want to make sure we’re helping them with their confidence. But again, that doesn’t help ego in the long term. Maybe they think they’re better than they are or they’re entitled to more ice, what line they’re on, what team they make.

“As a parent, we have to have tough conversations sometimes and be a parent and say ‘Well OK, you didn’t make that team you wanted to and you’re on a lower team. That’s OK. You can be the leader on that team, you’re going to make new friends. You can work hard this summer and show you’ll be ready the following year.'”

The RinkWise podcast can be streamed here and on major platforms, such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify.