Luke's 15 and a heck of a hockey player. He has good size, loves to hit and glides effortlessly over the ice. The scouts have been watching his development over the past few years and love what they see. But this season Luke isn't playing. He's caught in a trap by a hockey executive who's forgotten that kids are more than pawns in his game of hockey power.

There's nothing original about Luke's situation. Each year kids who play in leagues affiliated with the Canadian Hockey Association sign a registration card that officially commits the player to a particular hockey organization. Until the player is 18 years old, a parent or guardian must also sign. It's like a contract. For the younger players it's a one-year contract, but for older kids, like Luke, it's a two-year commitment.

Last season, in the first year of his contract, Luke was delighted to play for the Rangers. The team was good, his teammates were his buddies and the coach was demanding, but fair. When they played poorly the kids got less ice time, but they also got plenty of compliments when they worked hard.

Everything fell apart when the genial general manager of the Rangers decided to sell. The buyer wanted to do things his way and got rid of Luke's coach, replacing him with a guy who pushed a lot harder. The kids thought he was mean.

The new general manager also took a harder line with the parents; registration fees went up and deadlines for payments were strictly enforced. But what bothered the parents most was his unwillingness to listen to them. The old owner used to let them air their complaints; he didn't necessarily change things, but he listened. The new guy told them it was his organization and he'd run it the way he thought was best.

Luke showed up for the summer practices and was shocked by the new way of doing things. The coach was gruff and abrasive. He worked the players hard as they did simple drills time after time after time. He made them skate until they dropped. It was routine for kids to vomit from exhaustion some time during the practice.

The first exhibition game was a disaster. The team could do nothing right and the coach got more angry after every shift. In the first period Luke missed a check and that led to a goal; he was benched for the rest of the game. By the time it was over there were four players doing nothing except getting cold, their punishment for making mistakes.

The next day at practice was even worse. The team was put through a gruelling series of drills. Then they stood and watched as the four players who'd been benched were forced to do five minutes of "starts and stops." When it was over they were on the verge of collapse. That's when Luke decided he'd had enough.

His parents told him to give it another try. Luke's dad phoned the coach to talk about Luke's reluctance to continue. The coach didn't return the call. Luke went back to practice and nothing was said.

A few days later he got ready for the second exhibition game. He played his first shift as usual, then the coach told him to stay on the bench. Luke got on the ice once more in the second period. He sat out the whole third period.

Luke walked out of the dressing room as quickly as he could get changed He certainly didn't wait for the coach's post-game comments. He told his parents he was quitting.

The next day Luke's dad, Phil, called both the coach and the general manager. No response. Then he called the league office but the league wouldn't intervene. His only way out was to work with the coach or to get a "release" from the general manager, the same guy who wouldn't return phone calls. If he got the release Luke could play for another team.

The word quickly spread that one of the best players in the league wasn't playing. Coaches aren't allowed to talk with players from other teams but parents can. The phone at Luke's house kept ringing. Parents from other teams wanted to know what was going on and they all had the same message: if Luke could get a release he was guaranteed a spot on their team.

The Rangers' GM still wouldn't return calls, so Phil took an afternoon off work, drove to the guy's office and posted himself outside the door. This time there was no avoiding the conversation.

Phil tried to be pleasant as he explained that he was there to talk about getting a release for Luke. He explained that he understood the importance of the card he'd signed, but conditions had changed radically since they'd signed up a year ago. Phil was definite: if Luke couldn't get a release, he wouldn't play hockey this year.

The GM barely looked up from the papers that covered every bit of his desk. "Luke's a good hockey player. He should be out there, but there's no way he's going to play against my team. The coach is there for the season and Luke plays for him or he doesn't play at all. Your choice."

Phil tried to go on but the GM dismissed him by picking up the phone to make a call. The meeting was over and, for the moment, so is Luke's hockey career. Instead of playing the game he loves he sits at home and watches.

LETTERS   [Email Ken here]