House League Game Incident Update
Hockey parents are ruining the game many children love, depicted here in Hockey Canada’s “Relax, It’s Just A Game” ads.
Editors Note: With an ongoing investigation into an incident involving multiple coaches and parents from a recent house league hockey game in Chatham-Kent, we feel it is necessary at this time to allow the local hockey organization to complete their investigation, and for a decision to be made on the matter before continuing this conversation on CKSN.
While everyone can understand and agree that parents and coaches need to act responsibly in the presence of youth, we felt that some of the comments being submitted by readers were not adding to the conversation, and rather, were against the idea of adults acting appropriately in the roles of parents, coaches, volunteers, and fans; and allowing kids to have fun playing the game of hockey, without distraction.
While all sides involved admit that a confrontation occurred and many people at the game were at fault, we would like to allow the local organization to complete their process.
CKSN will update this story later this week after the local hockey organization has completed their hearing and made a formal decision in regards to parents, coaches, and volunteers involved in this incident.
First of all props Mr. Kennedy for the responsible journalism as the coaches involved are actually in the midst of multiple KMHA investigations and do not need anything media backlash to worry about when in reality this was just a stupid case of immaturity at between adults at a childrens sporting event and the specific details and opinions of the incident should remain confined to the arena and wherever the KMHA and KRHA choose to discuss this issue. However we can still talk about the greater issues and lessons should still be discussed as as a former player, an official on and off the ice and a fan of hockey and sport in general I have got to say unsportsmanlike conduct, not so much among players but among the adults around them is reaching an epidemic level. The Vancouver Island Amateur Hockey Association threatened to hold a weekend free of spectators at any of its games. Have things really gotten that bad? Perhaps its time to take a step back and reevaluate how important this GAME really is. Or perhaps as always the referee has no idea what he’s talking about. That’s Just my opinion and hopefully things settle down in the coming weeks.
I have banned all comments from this article and have turned down a few today. I let this comment through because I do believe a discussion about adult behaviour – spectator, coach, ref, parent, scorekeepers, etc – at minor hockey events is important to have, and should be something we talk about and solve. That’s why it’s important to identify when codes of conduct and respect in sport expectations aren’t met, and to deal with them, and inform the public about issues.
If anyone wishes to discuss the overall greater issue of parent and coach behaviour at minor hockey games in Canada, the discussion board here is open, however all comments will be held in moderation, so they may not appear immediately.
It sad to realize the only ones who gets hurt is not the parents coaches. It’s the kids. Everyone had to do an on line course for respect in sport parent program. Maybe they should have to show the card before entering the games. Just to give a reminder of why they had to complete the on line course. SO SAD