LETTER

A few words about hockey in Aylmer

 

For those parents who do not realize that if they have a complaint and they do not receive a satisfactory response from the coaching staff, they have the right to send a request to the discipline committee whose responsibility it is to consider all facts from both sides, giving an impartial decision made on the facts, and without making parents feel they need a lawyer to defend their child. They are the discipline committee, not God, and must not act as though they are -- and not tell players that the coaches are God. Coaches and managers are human also. When a player has problems with the system, coaches, or managers, and things get out of hand (as they can) then the committee members must not act as though they have the authority to crush the  spirit of any child. This is not a court, and they should not act like it is.

As adults, they are dealing with children who love to play hockey mostly for fun and some more competitively. They try hard.  Coaches and managers sign a code of conduct and must follow it.  It is horrible to witness coaches who display the very behaviour that the young player gets penalized for. If they have players who have autism, ADHD, epilepsy or a heart condition, are slow learners, mentally challenged or have other medical issues which are not visible, they must show tolerance and promote development regardless.    If the child is in a house league, not competitive, they must work with this child. The parents are paying for them to play, have fun, and make new friends. 

Players also sign a code of conduct and must follow it; many do and many don’t. The coaching staff and parents must help them understand what they have signed.

I have been involved in hockey for several years.  All parents, committee members, and others in sports (hockey, baseball, soccer) must make sure our young players do not lose their spirit or the benefits of team-building. This is what we want for our children.

Monique Andrée Dupuis
Aylmer