MJHL bans coaches, vows to educate players about hazing

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/01/2012 (5196 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The former head coach and assistant coach of the Neepawa Natives junior hockey team have been banned from coaching across Canada after an independent investigation into a hazing complaint.

And the Manitoba Junior Hockey League will look into setting up procedures to educate players about hazing.

The MJHL made the announcement on Wednesday after reviewing the report produced by retired Winnipeg police detective Ron Bell after an investigation.

Head coach Bryant Perrier, who had resigned earlier this season, is suspended to April 1, while assistant coach Brad Biggers’ suspension has been increased to July 1. The MJHL said the suspensions are effective for all teams governed by Hockey Canada.

“The MJHL finds hazing totally unacceptable and it is clear that the suspensions are an indication of the strong view the league has on this type of behaviour,” MJHL commissioner Kim Davis said.

“Going forward we want to do tangible things to provide education to players and coaches. All teams themselves will be accountable for getting the message to the players.

“In our view, the matter is now complete and closed and we are moving forward.”

Last September, a complaint was made after five players were hazed. After the MJHL looked into the complaint, it issued its harshest punishment in more than a decade, fining the team $5,000 and suspending 16 players, the head coach and general manager and the assistant head coach. But, after continued community pressure, an independent investigation was ordered.

The investigation found veteran players initiated the hazing of rookie players and there were at least four separate hazing incidents that resulted in one complaint.

The mother of a 15-year-old Neepawa Natives player who was hazed and humiliated in the locker-room said she’s glad to see more action has been taken against the coaches, but is still concerned about the lack of discipline for the other players involved.

“I think it’s wonderful that they went and reopened the case,” she said Wednesday evening. “My only concern was that no further action was taken on the players. There’s some level of disappointment with not addressing the players’ involvement, especially the veterans.

“They just got (suspended for) a couple of games. I think there needs to be more accountability. These players are veterans and have been around for a while. If this is something that has become the norm then it needs to be broken.”

The MJHL will send a number of recommendations to the league’s board of governors, including creating procedures to educate players about hazing, making member clubs fully accountable for hazing incidents, making anti-hazing posters mandatory in team dressing rooms, and giving annual presentations to all coaches and players on the implications of hazing.