In the last few weeks the Barrhead Leader has run opinion pieces concerning the conduct of a few of the more exuberant hockey fans who attend the Steelers, Renegades and other minor hockey games at the Agrena.
And it seems we are not the only ones.
On Jan. 22, Barrhead Minor Hockey Association (BMHA) president, Michael Botros, posted a letter via their website saying the 1660 Hockey League has seen an increasing amount of complaints about abusive behavior from coaches, parents and spectators, towards the players, other coaches, parents, and spectators as well as off ice officials.
Like many leagues, 1660 has a no tolerance policy regarding abuse.
To help coaches adhere to this policy 1660 requires all coaches to take a course called Respect in Sport.
The program, among other things, teaches coaches and other youth leaders to recognize, understand and respond to issues of bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination. Botros wrote it seems many coaches in the league may need to take a refresher and as a result, the number of suspensions the league has handed to coaches are on the rise.
Unfortunately, the league doesn’t have the same power when it comes to addressing who they believe is an increasing number of people in the stands, league wide, who are abusive not only to the players and officials, but to others around them.
However, although they may not have a lot of tools to fine, suspend, or even ban problem fans, as public buildings that falls under the jurisdiction of the municipalities and organizations renting the buildings, i.e. the BMHA, they do have other methods they hope will help curve problem behaviour.
In order to enforce their no tolerance policy, the league has stated they will remove teams who have abusive fans.
That’s right. The entire team will be orphaned without a league to play in.
All because of what one person or a small group of individuals believe is their right to heckle, harass, abuse players, game officials or behave in a manner which is just disrespectful.
When a fan goes to a hockey game, whether it be in the NHL or watching the kids down at the Agrena, a person has the right to expect to be able to watch the game and go home knowing they have helped the players and the other fans be part of a positive experience, regardless of what happened in the game.
In recent weeks it looks like the small group of fans who were causing the problem may have gotten the message. And let’s hope they continue to do so, because if they don’t, 1660 league officials may be forced to eject a team. And if they do, the biggest losers will be the kids.
