Photo credit: Contributed

By Regan Bartel

JoAnne Kykkanen shares her sons story

Being a mom of a hockey goalie is hard on the heart

Mar 26, 2024 | 8:00 AM

She admits it is hard to watch.

The interest is great, and the intensity is unmeasured, but that out-of-control feeling is nothing short of uncomfortable.

Welcome to the world of JoAnne Kykkanen, the mother of Kelowna Rockets goaltender Jari Kykkanen.

“It is not fun for me,” she told RocketFAN with a chuckle. “I tend to save every shot from my seat.  I think that is what we goalie moms do. You don’t sit close to us because you might get hit by a leg or arm. I take the pressure on, and I do more worrying.”

In an honest interview, Kykkanen tells it like it is, protecting her firstborn as you would expect.

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“I have seen how the opposition players attack the net. I’ve seen the shots and where they hit him [Jari],” she said. “He does so well under pressure. I smile a lot in the stands, but I am sweating underneath all that.”

Ask any goalie mom, and Kykkanen’s reaction when watching her son play the most crucial position on the ice is normal.

“When they start their Timbit Hockey, it is fun and cute, and then it gets serious really quick,” she added. “Now they are bigger, the shots are harder and there is a little bit of attitude [trash talk from an opponent], but it blows your mind the speed, the pressure….it is a lot to digest.”

Being Jari’s greatest cheerleader, Kykkanen just wants her son to enjoy the game of hockey, like he did when he first laced up skates while growing up in Lloydminster, Alberta.

“Hockey is a big thing in our community,” she said. “It is a big family network. A lot of his friends were playing. It is a good way to be active in the community. His father [Chris] would coach him, and it kept him involved in doing something with the kids.”

Starting as a defenseman, Jari quickly gravitated to being a goalie despite being one of the bigger players on the ice.

“He got the idea that if he was a goalie, he wouldn’t have to skate as hard,” she said with a laugh. “You just need to stand in the net. But being a goalie where we live is hard, so we had to get him proper coaching which meant two-hour trips to St. Albert to refine his game.

“We don’t have the facilities or the trainers here,” she continued. “Jari would give up his Saturdays and Sundays when he wasn’t playing, and he would train there. He progressed because the first hour of his sessions would be power skating, with the second hour would be the technical side of playing the position.”

Drafted in the sixth round of the 2019 WHL Prospects Draft, Jari had his mind set on playing NCAA hockey, until a respected mentor of his had a heart-to-heart conversation on the best avenue to take his game to the next level.

“Eli Wilson [Rockets goalie coach] reached out to Jari and had a great conversation with him on why the WHL is an amazing route to take,” she recalled. “He explained to Jari that players still get to go to school if they choose that, but it is just in a different sequence.

“Jari has a lot of respect for Eli. He thinks Eli is amazing on the ice and off it. Once he spoke to him, Jari said he was coming to Kelowna. He knew that if he joined the Rockets, he would be playing amazing hockey; it’s the best level and he still gets to work with Eli daily, so that was a big driver in him choosing the WHL.”

Joining the team in January of 2022 after starting the season in the AJHL, Jari Kykkanen was an understudy to starter Talyn Boyko.

“Thank goodness for Talyn, who was an amazing mentor for Jari,” she said with relief in her voice. “It allowed him to spread his wings and make the mistakes he needed to make. He was in a safe zone; he was able to get his feet wet.

“As starting goaltender now, there is a lot more pressure. He will carry the weight of the team on his shoulders if he has to. That is just how he is. He is very team orientated. He likes to play the harder teams. He likes the challenge and being busier in the net. He is always more focused when he is busier.”

Being the last line of defense has its drawbacks. Goalies are often blamed when the puck goes by them, with negative social media comments from fans, so a thick skin is a must.

“We have seen the pressure get to him. When you are winning every game, it’s amazing. But when you are losing there is a lot of ugly thoughts that will come into your head. As a parent, you really have to support them.

“When I read positive comments, it warms my heart on how many people love on him and support him. For the negative people, I wish you had the opportunity to get to know him and his teammates. If you did, you would like them. They are truly amazing kids.”

When asked what advice she would give her son, Kykkanen says the answer is simple.

“Remember why you started playing this game, it was for the fun of it. Remember why you started this journey. We are humbled by everything,” she added.

“We have met so many amazing people. We are truly blessed to be where we are today.”