November 27, 2007

8-year-olds suspended after hockey brawl : in Guelph, Ontario. Criminal charges may be pending against one of the coaches involved.

read story | posted by smithers to Hockey at 7:41 AM CDT (8 comments total)

However this shakes out, there can't be a good excuse for what happened.

Comment icon posted by kcfan4life at 9:25 AM CDT on November 27

I heard the Niagara Falls coach this morning on local radio and he said the entire incident amounted to the two teams congregating in the middle of the ice and shoving and pushing. He also said there were a couple punches thrown, but because there was such a mass of kids, they might have been punching their own teammates. There's apparently a videotape, and I'll be interested to see if it gets posted.

The ugliest note was a report that one of the Niagara coaches spit in the fact of an opposing coach.

An aside -- when the media uses the word "brawl", people immediately envision a stick-swinging free-for-all. I don't think you'd use that word to describe a shoving match at a grade school, and I think the copy desk editor might also be in line for a suspension.

Comment icon posted by wfrazerjr at 9:28 AM CDT on November 27

It doesn't matter the degree of the 'brawl', it's the coaches/parents responsibility to make sure things like this don't happen. If it turns out that any coaches participated in anything other that to break it up, they should be suspended for life.

Comment icon posted by drose92264 at 9:44 AM CDT on November 27

This is just another example of the media blowing up a story that wasnt even that bad. This wasnt a fight or a brawl. Some 8 years olds pushed each other a few times. No worse then what I see in the halls of the school I work in all day. Whoever wrote this article needs to spend some time in an elementary school.


People were not swinging sticks or helmets and throwing punched. Two kids were mad at each other and everyone was standing around watching. Stories like this make me realize that the thing that is slowly destroying our world and country is the media.

Comment icon posted by Debo270 at 1:09 PM CDT on November 27

Any time a coach spits in another coaches face it IS that bad, but it's especially bad at the mite level. (8 to 10 year olds) As an ice hockey ref, you wouldn't believe some of the crap coming out of mite level coaches directed not only at their young players, but also at young referees who also use this level for learning. The mite level is suppose to help develop the love of the game for young players. A screaming adult behind the bench can only be a negative for children who at that age don't even know where to line up on face offs. The organizations that handle policing hockey in North America need to set a zero tolerance policy at this level. One incident and your done in coaching for good.

Comment icon posted by MGDADDYO at 3:12 PM CDT on November 27

Coached hockey for many years and there is guilt at all party levels, coaches , players, parents and referees and management. I agree on the filtering of the coaches and strict punishment(permanent suspension) should result. This should also carry over to the referees/management of a facilty. Seen a group of referees in combination with management ruin hockey for many players, parents and coaches alike. They have controlled games and their outcome, calling phantom penalties and choosing to ignore others. Hits from behind should bring an immediate suspension to the 18 and under groups. I have seen many intent to injure incidents net 2 minutes and other blatant acts go unpunished.
The saddest part is that the kids want to play but the volunteer parents of the past don't want to deal with the refs/management so there is no coach and the rules say they must have one. We need a good system, please.

Comment icon posted by lpaulson at 3:36 PM CDT on November 27

That's old time hockey. Put your fucking stick in 'em. Let 'em know you're there.

I read about this. No one hurt? Well, cancel my run to the bomb shelter... For now.

Comment icon posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 7:07 PM CDT on November 27

I worked at an ice hockey facility for about two years. I'll bet I had to "ask" a parent to "please" leave the building 2 times a week or more. Or twice a day during tourneys.
I agree with frazer, the word "brawl" was misleading as it applies to this article.
And to echo MGDADDYO:
I think the coaches set the tone for the teams, regardless of age, and if the coach can keep his cool, then his players will probably follow suit. If the coach flips out, then, guess what the players might do.

Comment icon posted by BoKnows at 8:31 PM CDT on November 27

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