To: All in Vancouver Island District

From: Joe McDonald, District Director, BC Hockey
Date: Tuesday, December 18, 2007 8:56 PM

Re: Lack of Discipline Issues

Hi to all,

This email is intended to be informative and to act as a reminder to everyone in regards to the following:

  - Team First contracts and Fair Play codes for:
    (a) Team Officials,
    (b) Administrators,
    (c) Players,
    (d) On Ice Officials,
    (e) Parents.
  - BC Hockey Policy: Expectations of Coaches / Team Officials (BC Handbook pg. 143),
  - BC Hockey Policy: Expectations of Referees (BC Handbook pg. 145),
  - VIAHA Mission statement: To promote minor hockey in partnership with member associations and leagues stressing fun, respect, sportsmanship, fair competition, development and safety for minor hockey players of all skill levels.

In recent weeks I have been hearing and witnessing events within both carded and recreational levels in regards to respct and safety as the main issues. There are complaints about poor officiating, poor or lack of control of players by team officials, and players just going off on their own looking to make that hit that hurts.

The number of major penalties in the past month seem to be escalating and if this trend continues, the Island District will easily surpass the levels of the past two seasons. We on the island as whole, have made great strides to reduce the number of penalties including the majors of which I applaud you all. However, I have heard of more players getting hurt in the past month and a half than all of last year. My point is simple: what are we doing differently or perhaps what is it that we are not doing enough of, to stem these rash of incidents.

We as game officials, team officials and administrators have a responsibility to teach, monitor, control and curb unacceptable actions both on and off the ice. We cannot continue to condone actions that lead to injuries and or an understanding of just being acceptable ( I got away with it, so it must be acceptable attitude). We need to make that call. We need to reprimand those undesirable actions. We need to address those things that are not acceptable in our game.

Once again, I respectfully ask each and every one of you to take this message back down to the grass roots and give this message the widest possible circulation to see if we can't get back on track again. Lets get Respect and Safety back in our game.

Thank you.

Yours in hockey,

Joe McDonald
V.I. District Director
** Hockey Ph# (250) 527 - 0014
** Hockey Fax# (866) 674 - 5739
** Home Ph# (250) 956 - 3345
email: jmcdonald@bchockey.net
mailing - PO Box 803
Port McNeill, BC
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