LETTER

Girls’ hockey: Aren’t girls allowed to be good?

 

I am writing concerning the misinformation published in a Letter to the Editor (“On Kids Sports” by Mme Belisle, 14Feb18). I am sending you the proof that our team of girls is in fact a Novice B team, both in Ontario and Quebec (despite the claim of Mme Belisle). Within these links, you will notice that we are Novice B and that we were actually re-classified from Novice C at the beginning of the season.

Furthermore, there is no such thing as a Novice A team in Hockey Quebec when it comes to girls’ hockey; it only applies to boys’ hockey.

It is sad that our girls, who put in the work, week in and week out, by practising and playing 6-8 hours of hockey per week, are accused of cheating. These girls range between 7-9 years old. Furthermore, the letter insinuates that the coaches, parents, our association, and the tournament organizers all connived to allow the girls to cheat, which is an affront to our integrity and the legitimacy of these organizations.

I've found that Mme Belisle's son played for one of the Aylmer teams during the tournament, and I can appreciate that it is hard for her to comprehend how an all-girl team could beat her son's team 7-0, but such is life; our girls are good and they worked hard and deserve the win. I wonder if we had been a boys’ team, would she have reacted the same way? Likely not.

Instead of trying to denigrate our girls' accomplishment, people should recognize it and congratulate them. Isn't this 2018? Aren't girls allowed to compete and to be good at what they are doing? Can they not relish their victory without their results being questioned?

I praise the Bulletin for hereby correcting the misinformation printed last week. I am saddened that a women would attack a team of girls, but I will not apologize for our team being good. By this email, I invite her son to join the ranks of our teams in the AHFVG; she could then see first-hand the amount of effort that goes in to winning tournaments.

Cedric Grenon
Aylmer