Problem is that you look at it as an investment. It is a youth sport and nothing more to 99% of these kids. A small percentage will play in college and a fraction of a percent of those kids will play beyond college. Let go of the dream and just enjoy the ride.
Will my hockey investment lead to Beer League for my kid?
I just dropped 100k over the past 12 months to get my little bendy to the Q.
Your investment will definitely result in a beer leaguer at some point. It will also result in higher grades, higher confidence, higher pay, larger network of people to leverage, etc... It could help to pay some of their education, and it could end up resulting in "the house/car of your dreams".
I think the material returns are less valuable than the life skills your child will learn.