Whenever anyone thinks about sports in Canada it always seems to be hockey that comes to mind. There is no doubt about its popularity and most will say it is the most popular Canadian sport.
Participation
For the kids, it is one of the first sports that they want to play in. Right from the age of two Canadian kids are seen wearing skates and are out on the ice rinks with their family. Then as soon as they are old enough many of them enter into the sport of hockey. There are many teams that they can join in their respective areas, starting with the peewees. Some will continue throughout their youth going through different divisions. Many who do this have the aspiration of making it to the NHL. Then there are other kids who after playing a few seasons will move onto another sport. At the same time, they still enjoy watching the game of hockey.
Bush Leagues
The game is so popular that a lot of adults want to play it as an amateur sport. They don’t want to join formal leagues so they form what is called bush leagues. This is where a group of guys or girls will get together and form a small team of their own. Then they will play against other teams in their communities.
Spectators
When the NHL teams play they rely on the support of their spectators. The Toronto Maple Leafs, for example, has a huge fan following. Many of the fans will follow this team wherever they are playing their games. Trying to get tickets for home games is very expensive.
All of this is because of the popularity of this sport. One of the reasons it has become so popular is because Canada has the perfect environment for it. With the cold winters there was a need to find outdoor activities that people could enjoy.