Hockey Quebec is seriously considering introducing mandatory savoir vivre training for parents next season to end excesses in the stands.
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“We are currently thinking about making the Respect and Sport training compulsory, it has not yet been decided for 2023-24, but it is one of the very good options that we have on the table,” confirms Jean-François Leblond , Program and Training Director for Hockey Quebec.
“If it were me, it would have been mandatory a long time ago. [la formation aux parents]”, says ex-hockey player Bruno Gervais.
The latter works with Hockey Quebec as the director of customer relations for Respect Group, a company founded by former NHLer Sheldon Kennedy that provides anti-abuse and anti-timidation training.
“Too many times I’ve seen young people scared of performance, falling or wanting to quit the sport because of what was happening in the stands,” he admits.
For some already mandatory
Since 2018, this behavioral training has been mandatory for coaches and managers of all smaller ice hockey teams in Quebec.
It was also accessible for free for parents who wanted to watch it online, and everything was recorded in the player’s file.
However, what makes Hockey Quebec reluctant to go further is the application of these new regulations.
“Do I want to prevent a player from playing because his parents don’t want to train?” asks Jean-François Leblond, who admits he faces a dilemma.
While he believes that the vast majority of parents are well behaved when attending their children’s games, the speakers regret that some are transformed, as they were in the days of gladiator fights in the Colosseum in Rome.
Over the years, Bruno Gervais has heard all sorts of derogatory comments from parents who allow themselves to do so. “I was a coach, it was a cold shower, I quit after a year,” he says. People were like, sorry, I’m an intense guy.”
FILE PHOTO, QMI AGENCY (TOMA ICZKOVITS)
Bruno Gervais
The intimidated coach’s wife
Among the unfortunate incidents denounced on social media last season, a mother from Abitibi went through hell.
The mother of an 11-year-old hockey player and wife of the pee-wee club coach has decided to stop going to her son’s games because she was tired of hearing the insults directed at the two people who she loves.
“The parents were really unhealthy. First they yelled at my friend and then they criticized my son. Well, the more it went, the more I would sit alone and at some point only the looks and the heaviness, I said to myself: No, I won’t go there anymore,” says Annick Coulombe, touched again.
What she finds even more unfortunate is that the players had great team chemistry and the youngsters enjoyed their favorite sport, but all the bickering from the adults ruined the season.
“Next year my spouse said he couldn’t train, for my son, I don’t know, we’ll see,” concludes the mother.
What they said about defections in the stands
“I, my little one, come to me and say: I want to be a referee’s dad, I say: No, we’ll find you a job in the mini market.”
– Bruno Gervais
“The player who sees his father screaming with his arms raised immediately absorbs his emotions and influences his behavior. The child is a sponge.
– Bruno Gervais
“It ended up exploding between parents and coaches in front of everyone, the little boys saw it and then it cried in the bedroom. That’s when I decided not to go to the arena anymore.
– Annick Coulombe
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