A thirteen-year-old boy cowers in the men’s washroom after a Minor Hockey tournament, not hiding from a schoolyard bully, but hiding from an adult. This same boy, so terrified, waited long enough to ensure he would not be confronted by a parent of a seven-year-old minor hockey player. This actually took place in Leduc on February 7, at a Leduc Minor Hockey game between a Leduc team and a Wetaskiwin team. The boy was a 13-year-old referee. His offense, not making the calls a hockey parent wanted to see in what was supposed to be an amateur kids hockey game.
The real sad issue here is that this sort of primitive behaviour by some parents is nothing new. It is not even isolated to the hockey culture or a specific gender. Parents vicariously living out their glory through the shin pads of their seven year old has become what one Leduc Minor Hockey Official has described as, “standard procedure in the game of hockey.”
These parents don’t stop to consider how they are being perceived by their own child. As a father begins to spit insults and threats on another youth while banging on the Plexiglas shield of the rink. His anger flares up in his face and the pupils of his eyes grow dark. This primitive behaviour has no place in society, the hockey rink, soccer field or baseball pit.
One could even imagine this father, mentor and role model loading his child’s gear in the car while he begins to regale his boy on the finer points of the game such as sportsmanship, fair play and healthy competitive spirit. As he drives his son home he looks over to see his child looking down at the floor mats in shame. He reaches over, rubs his son’s head and says, ‘Ya did good boy!’ At the same time he pulls off the arena lot, a 13-year-old boy peers his head out of the men’s washroom to see if the ‘coast’ is clear. Shame on you!
Just how serious is this problem? A survey in 2001 revealed that 55 percent of parents witnessed other parents engaging in verbal abuse at youth sporting events. Twenty one percent say they’ve witnessed a physical altercation between two parents at a youth sporting event. Nearly 73 percent polled indicated abusive parents should be banned from games and practices.
Eight years has passed and no affirmative action has taken place. The only indication that the problem has been identified is Hockey Canada’s ‘Speak Out’ program established in 1997. The program is designed to educate players about harassment and bullying. In light of the ongoing problem it appears programs and talk is not enough to deal with it.
Our recent Leduc Minor Hockey incident is only one of many. In Timmins, Ont., an angry hockey parent threw a metal garbage can on the rink in an attempt to hit the referee. In Hamilton, Ont., a Minor Hockey league coach was charged with ‘Uttering threats of death’ at a teenage referee following an outburst over a two-minute penalty. In January of 2002, an adult hockey player named Scott Leduc, (yes that’s his last name) threw a punch, breaking a referee’s nose during a recreational game in Montreal. In Brampton, Ont., a basketball coach named Paul Lewen head- butted a referee resulting in a broken nose and two hours of surgery.
In light of these samples of similar behaviour, do we not get a sense that our 13-year-old Leduc referee was thinking on his feet when he hid in the men’s washroom for protection?
This type of behaviour in amateur youth sports tends to transfer onto the ice as young impressionable players get the idea that what they see in the stands should transfer into the game. Kids are forced to play adult versions of games to satisfy an ‘adult’ thirst for experiencing what they watch on television. It could be argued that when parents are more focused on what they see on the scoreboard, they lose focus on why they put their child into sports in the first place. A sport designed to build character and self-esteem with a sense of purpose.
In the meantime, while 13-year-old referees cower in the ‘head’, hockey associations are talking about educating the children and parents on good behaviour and fair play. Lip service at the risk of real injuries. This is an old problem, round table discussions have not worked. Calling a time out and stuffing a parent’s nose in the corner is not the answer.
The odd thing here is Canada has laws designed to deal with these immature adults. The Criminal Code protects society from disturbances in or near public places such as hockey rinks. Section 175(1)C.C. identifies a disturbance in part as, fighting, screaming, swearing, using insulting or obscene language. Surely, the incident in Leduc would merit a summary charge under the Criminal Code. Other sections of the Criminal Code make uttering a threat a criminal offence. Could it be that this parent committed a criminal offence on public property? As a matter of fact, it’s not too late to charge him for terrifying this 13- year-old boy.
Perhaps, the police should follow the ‘Community Policing Model’ and make a point of attending a few of these games. You know, ‘Keep the peace and all that.’
The real sad issue here is that this sort of primitive behaviour by some parents is nothing new. It is not even isolated to the hockey culture or a specific gender. Parents vicariously living out their glory through the shin pads of their seven year old has become what one Leduc Minor Hockey Official has described as, “standard procedure in the game of hockey.”
These parents don’t stop to consider how they are being perceived by their own child. As a father begins to spit insults and threats on another youth while banging on the Plexiglas shield of the rink. His anger flares up in his face and the pupils of his eyes grow dark. This primitive behaviour has no place in society, the hockey rink, soccer field or baseball pit.
One could even imagine this father, mentor and role model loading his child’s gear in the car while he begins to regale his boy on the finer points of the game such as sportsmanship, fair play and healthy competitive spirit. As he drives his son home he looks over to see his child looking down at the floor mats in shame. He reaches over, rubs his son’s head and says, ‘Ya did good boy!’ At the same time he pulls off the arena lot, a 13-year-old boy peers his head out of the men’s washroom to see if the ‘coast’ is clear. Shame on you!
Just how serious is this problem? A survey in 2001 revealed that 55 percent of parents witnessed other parents engaging in verbal abuse at youth sporting events. Twenty one percent say they’ve witnessed a physical altercation between two parents at a youth sporting event. Nearly 73 percent polled indicated abusive parents should be banned from games and practices.
Eight years has passed and no affirmative action has taken place. The only indication that the problem has been identified is Hockey Canada’s ‘Speak Out’ program established in 1997. The program is designed to educate players about harassment and bullying. In light of the ongoing problem it appears programs and talk is not enough to deal with it.
Our recent Leduc Minor Hockey incident is only one of many. In Timmins, Ont., an angry hockey parent threw a metal garbage can on the rink in an attempt to hit the referee. In Hamilton, Ont., a Minor Hockey league coach was charged with ‘Uttering threats of death’ at a teenage referee following an outburst over a two-minute penalty. In January of 2002, an adult hockey player named Scott Leduc, (yes that’s his last name) threw a punch, breaking a referee’s nose during a recreational game in Montreal. In Brampton, Ont., a basketball coach named Paul Lewen head- butted a referee resulting in a broken nose and two hours of surgery.
In light of these samples of similar behaviour, do we not get a sense that our 13-year-old Leduc referee was thinking on his feet when he hid in the men’s washroom for protection?
This type of behaviour in amateur youth sports tends to transfer onto the ice as young impressionable players get the idea that what they see in the stands should transfer into the game. Kids are forced to play adult versions of games to satisfy an ‘adult’ thirst for experiencing what they watch on television. It could be argued that when parents are more focused on what they see on the scoreboard, they lose focus on why they put their child into sports in the first place. A sport designed to build character and self-esteem with a sense of purpose.
In the meantime, while 13-year-old referees cower in the ‘head’, hockey associations are talking about educating the children and parents on good behaviour and fair play. Lip service at the risk of real injuries. This is an old problem, round table discussions have not worked. Calling a time out and stuffing a parent’s nose in the corner is not the answer.
The odd thing here is Canada has laws designed to deal with these immature adults. The Criminal Code protects society from disturbances in or near public places such as hockey rinks. Section 175(1)C.C. identifies a disturbance in part as, fighting, screaming, swearing, using insulting or obscene language. Surely, the incident in Leduc would merit a summary charge under the Criminal Code. Other sections of the Criminal Code make uttering a threat a criminal offence. Could it be that this parent committed a criminal offence on public property? As a matter of fact, it’s not too late to charge him for terrifying this 13- year-old boy.
Perhaps, the police should follow the ‘Community Policing Model’ and make a point of attending a few of these games. You know, ‘Keep the peace and all that.’
4 comments:
For one I think your lack of knowledge on what really happened is as neglegent as the Edmonton Sun and Global TV.I attended this particular game as I have attended all my son's novice games and this story is very grossly exagerated.For one this 13 year old referee didn't hide in the bathroom as you reported.I do agree that some parents do get carried away at some games but this was not the story at this game.I have a question to all media where is the story of the fans that actually attended the game for both Wetaskiwin and Leduc how come through out this whole ordeal nobody that was actually at the game has been interviewed?How about the other referee how come he hasn't said a word?How about the off ice officials how come nothing said?I will tell you why nothing has been said cause nothing happened at this hockey game except a terrible job by the media once again.For you to bring up something up about criminal charges is absolute garbage in this instance maybe the charge of deflemation of character charges should be brought up by all the parents that have had there names drug through this .When the media has been contacted and asked to get the other side of the story it has been turned down why?The 13 year old referee and his mom and dad which neither attended the game got there say why not anybody else does the media not like the truth or is the fear there they might actually have made a mistake.
I read this comment and I must say that it appears that this is an opinion piece. The only names mentioned are not from the Leduc game but examples from Ontario. I read the account in the Edmonton Sun and they mention the kids name and it appeared that they interviewed the kid. Whether the kid actually hid in the bathroom or not does not make any difference. I think the real issue is that the kid got scared of an adult. So what caused the fear? Why did the kid avoid the parent? I think this blogger made his point. The previous commenter missed it.
This blogger never made his point at all.To come out and print stories and not know the facts is misleading to the public.I think what point the commenter was making was that this story was blown out of prportion and there are two sides to every story and only one side has been told in all the media articles and interviews pertaining to this issue.Nobody is condemning going after a young official but the media neglected to find out facts and the truth as no one that was actually at the game got there say so I guess we will never find out what really happened we only find out what the media thinks happened .Which of course the media will never admit a mistake????
Did you mean condemning or condoning? Because your comment indicates that you actually condone going after young officials.
As far as admitting making a mistake. If those commenters opposing to the "Opinion Editorial" which is very much different than a "News story" do not stand behind what they are writing by using their real names, how can they actually say it did not happen?
Also please note that no names were used in the opinion peice so as the first comment indicates, no 'deflemation' took place. The word is actually "defamation"
The first comment here says they attended the game, which makes them a witness, but they sign it "Anonymous". Please stand behind your words and sign your comments. Thanks for the input.
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