Sports News
Youth hockey organizations said they were looking into the incident. The host Hershey Bears expressed disapproval of “conduct that puts participants at risk.”
Youth hockey organizations said they are looking into a brawl involving an 8-and-under squad from Pennsylvania that was playing an intrasquad scrimmage Saturday between periods of an American Hockey League game.
The competition was presented as a “Mites on Ice” segment at the home arena of the Hershey Bears, the top minor league affiliate of the NHL’s Washington Capitals. Video of the episode showed youngsters – clad in skates, helmets and other hockey gear – throwing punches at one another and spilling onto the ice.
For at least a minute, per video that was shared on social media, the kids continued fighting with no apparent intervention by coaches, referees or other officials. In one clip, people in the stands at Giant Center could be heard cheering, particularly when a goalie delivered a hard hit to an opponent who was tussling with one of the goalie’s teammates.
The Bears said in a statement that what happened “did not reflect the values of the sport or the standards we expect when young athletes are on the ice.”
“Hockey must always be played within the rules, with safety as the top priority,” added the team, which that evening was playing the Cleveland Monsters, an affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets. “The Hershey Bears are proud to provide opportunities for young players to experience the game in a professional environment. At the same time, we cannot support or allow conduct that puts participants at risk.”
Describing the fracas as staged, the Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association said in a statement that the incident was under review.
“Affiliate, league and club officials are investigating the matter and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against those players and team officials involved with the staged fight,” said the AAHA, which noted that it did not sanction the exhibition, nor did USA Hockey.
A pair of coaches listed for the 8-and-under team could not be reached for comment Monday. The team’s Lancaster-based parent organization, Central Penn Panthers Youth Ice Hockey Club, said in a statement that it was “gathering information from all relevant parties and assessing the situation thoroughly and responsibly.”
“The safety, well-being, and positive experience of all participants – especially our young players – are of the utmost importance,” the club said. “We are currently conducting an internal review to fully understand the circumstances surrounding the incident. … At this time, we believe it is important to allow this process to take place before drawing conclusions.”
Per its website, the club organizes teams with players ranging in age from 6 to 18. The club says it adheres to the American Development Model, a USA Hockey initiative that aims to help players “realize their athletic potential and utilize sport as a path toward an active and healthy lifestyle.” The ADM lists 10 guiding principles for young hockey players, including several that highlight their health and well-being.
An official with USA Hockey emphasized that fighting is against the rules at every level of the sport and added that the ADM does not instruct young players to engage in any prohibited behavior, including other acts such as tripping and crosschecking that draw penalties in games.
“We don’t condone, in any way shape or form, what happened,” said the official, Dave Fischer, who described the brawl as an unusual event. “The safety and well-being of kids and players, and their families, is the top priority for us.”
Other than providing a venue, the Bears said they “do not have a role” in the youth games, which are said to be under the supervision of the coaches of the teams involved. A similar brawl erupted during a “Mites on Ice” competition hosted by Hershey last month.
“We love hockey,” the Bears said in their statement, “and we take great pride in supporting youth hockey as the foundation of its future. … We are reviewing this matter and will work closely with participating teams and partners to ensure clear safeguards, supervision, and expectations are in place for any future youth activities held during our games. Our focus remains on protecting young players and upholding the integrity of the sport.”
Sports,Hockey,Sports News#viral #hockey #brawl #among #8yearolds #investigations #underway1768335254
