Hockey fight in stands
Osoyoos, in southern B.C., holds an annual tournament but not an annual parent-in-the-stands fight. It erupted on Saturday in the stands at the Sunbowl Arena between the parents while their 10-year-old kids were in the dressing room after the game had ended.
Just like Donald Trump blames Ted Cruz for starting the dispute that lead to Trump posting an unflattering photo of Cruz’ wife, Heidi, on social media, one team blames the other for starting the Osoyoos brawl. A male parent on one of the teams is alleged to have begun it all by punching a female parent, breaking her nose and giving her a concussion.
RCMP were called and Constable Jason Bayda said drinking may have been involved. “It was basically just insults being slurred from parents of one team to parents of the other team,” Bayda said. “To the point where it escalated.”
One of the teams was from Langley and called the New Western Bruins, while the other was made up from kids from Vernon, the Kelowna area, Penticton and Summerland.
Black mark on hockey
The CBC News in B.C. spoke to the head coach of the B.C. Interior Stars, a team that was on the ice warming up for the next game when the fight broke out. Shea Sanche said he and his coaching staff went and helped break up the fight after a parent asked for their assistance. One of his staff was hit while intervening.
“These are 10-year-olds and frankly, there’s no excuse for this,” Sanche told Radio West host Audrey McKinnon. “It was very irresponsible and those responsible should be embarrassed.” Sanche said it was a “black mark on hockey” but could be used as a teaching tool for the kids.
He said it could have been avoided if everyone simply “walked away.”
It has not yet been determined if charges will be laid in the aftermath of the melee. Brawls between parents, and misbehavior by coaches, are being clamped downed on by the Pacific Coast Amateur Hockey Assoc. (PCAHA) but Spring tournaments such as this one are unsanctioned and there is no governing body to discipline the teams.
Or parents.
