This story is about minor hockey. Specifically, about illegal actions and turning a blind eye in minor hockey. It’s a true story…from 38 years this month.
Our elder son was 12. He was playing peewee hockey. It was house league. His team reached the house league final. The only hope these kids had of reaching the Stanley Cup was seeing it on display in a shopping mall.
During the final’s third period, a man sitting next to the coach’s wife left, returning a few minutes later with what looked like a bottle of champagne. The team won. I intercepted our son on the way to the dressing room, told him there would probably be champagne and that under no circumstances was he to drink it.
Sure enough, the champagne was there. So was I. An assistant coach popped the cork, took a swig and passed it to another assistant coach, who did the same thing.
“Aw, can’t we have any?” one of the kids asked.
“Too many parents watching,” replied the coach, then adding, “Okay, guys, just one swig each.”
The bottle was passed from player to player, each downing a mouthful, emulating players who won the Stanley Cup. When it reached our son, he passed it from the teammate on his left to the teammate on his right. Either he was afraid of his parents, or he believed in doing the right thing. We choose to think it was the latter.
We were appalled that peer pressure forced him make a choice. I phoned the coach, who was not in the dressing room. He said: “I don’t think it was that drastic. I wasn’t there, but I wouldn’t have stopped it.”
I complained to the local minor hockey association, in writing, because that’s what writers do. It was dismissed, in writing, with a promise this won’t happen again. I wanted to know what the penalty would be, and if parents would be advised of this policy. I was invited to raise it at the AGM, which I did. I was told there would be no minimum penalty because “coaches are not to give alcohol to any of their players” also that parents would be advised by attending this meeting. Sixteen parents were there, including me.
One said: “My good man, I give my son alcohol in his dessert at home. You need to get with the times.”
I contacted the provincial amateur hockey association, in writing because that’s what writers do, and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association, requesting a firm policy and parental advisement. The response was coaches who do this “should be reported to the executive of that association.”
Hmmm…
I wrote to the Prime Minister (Brian Mulroney), the local MP (Mary Collins), and the Minister of Sport (Otto Jelinek). Mulroney and Collins punted to Jelinek, who wrote: “Fitness and Amateur Sport has no authority whatsoever…I can only suggest you continue to lobby the [provincial hockey association].”
Then I wrote letters to the editors of four newspapers…and gave up.
So when hockey organizations deflect or dismiss illegal acts like serving alcohol to minors, or actions far worse — such as sexual assault — nobody should be too shocked.
There is a history.
