Guest wrote: ↑Wed May 21, 2025 12:13 pm
I’m writing this letter as a concerned parent and member of the 2010 A community who is passionate about the game of hockey and the positive impact it should have on all our children. Over the past seasons, a recurring concern has surfaced among families, players, and even some quiet coaches: the problematic dynamic when parent-coaches consistently place their own children in favorable positions regardless of performance, often to the detriment of team morale and development.
Let’s be blunt—many of these situations involve children who, by most observable standards, struggle to keep up with the pace or skill level of their peers. And yet, they are often given prime ice time, protected from criticism, or even exempt from the accountability expected of others. This creates an unfair playing field, fosters resentment, and sends a damaging message to the rest of the team: merit and effort matter less than personal relationships.
We all understand that hockey is a volunteer-driven sport, and we appreciate the time, energy, and commitment that parent-coaches provide. But with that responsibility comes the need for transparency, fairness, and putting the team’s development first—above individual bias. The goal should always be to nurture all players equally, based on effort, attitude, and skill—not proximity to the coach.
The optics of this issue are hard to ignore, and they undermine the integrity of our sport. We’re not asking for perfection—just fairness. If a player is struggling, let’s coach them up with the same energy we give to any other struggling kid. But let’s also acknowledge when favoritism is affecting the growth of the team and the enjoyment of the game for others.
We respectfully ask the division to consider the following:
Implement anonymous feedback systems where parents and players can safely share concerns about coaching dynamics.
Provide training or guidelines for parent-coaches on how to manage the dual role of coach and parent equitably.
Create oversight or peer-review mechanisms to ensure ice time, positions, and discipline are applied fairly.
Let’s ensure that hockey continues to be a place where hard work, teamwork, and growth are what matter most—and where every player, regardless of whose child they are, has a fair chance to succeed