Hockey related rant

[GSHL99 0]

I help coach a midget team that's part of a "high school" hockey program. I put high school in quotes because the schools that are represented have nothing to do with any of the programs or the league. Since well before I even lived in the state this league has been trying to get at least club status with the goal of making hockey a varsity sport. I think it's a great goal and only fair that hockey players should be able to letter in hockey. My hockey letters are something I'll value till the day I die. The WIAA has once again refused to sanction ice hockey at the beheast of the school districts on the grounds it's "dangerous." This decision comes in the wake of a football season in which a player suffered serious spinal injury resulting in being parlyized below the waist as the result of a legal tackle. Every year when this is debated we consistantly show that both football and wrestling yield injury rates that classify them as dangerous sports among insurance providers and that hockey is actually safer than football. I know the league doesn't want to get lawyers involved, but I'm starting to think that's the only way this is ever going to get resolved. I'm sick to death of idiots that think just because they didn't grow up with a sport it means it's not worthy of varisty status.

/rant.

[xMenace 0]

CYA emntality at it's finest.

[Jason Harris 31]

Hockey was pulled away from the high schools in Colorado after a large brawl in the stands, although it's slowly been creeping back. It's possible the school administrators have heard of similar incidents and are factoring them into their decisions.

[hockeymom 2]

That's a really great point Jason, and one that wouldn't have occured to me to consider.

GSHL99 - is there any way you can ask the WIAA for more information - politely of course. If they can give you a more detailed breakdown of their concerns and the elements they consider dangerous it will be helpful for your future applications (or possible appeal of this decision).

You first need to go on a massive fact-finding mission. This could come formally by asking the WIAA for additional information. As well as informally, by having a conversation with each member of the WIAA who is involved in the decision. You'll also want to see if they have other concerns - there may be a budget concern kicking around in there, a gender equality concern or a resources or insurance concern.

At this stage it is important to remember not to be argumentative with them... that will just get their backs up and they won't be as revealing with you. You want to discover as much about their resistance and thinking as you possibly can. You want to learn how they think and what they fear.

Once you know that... the next stage is to research. To find information, facts that wll counter or inform each point or area of their resistance. You may want to collect experiences and reports from other HS AA's across the country who have approved hockey. Injury stats. Wherever their resistance takes you, you want to get factual counter-points to address them.

Then make it into a compelling report and go back to them. This is a lot of work. It may be something you'll want to have the student council help with, or the players. In some cases it may be possible to have this be an assingment in one of their classes... because there certainly is a lot of life learning in this undertaking.

Good luck - it certainly is worth the effort!

[ambro 0]

By WIAA are you referring to Washington or Wisconsin? Or some other W-state?

[moose77 0]

By WIAA are you referring to Washington or Wisconsin? Or some other W-state?

I can say with 99.9% certainty he's referring to the Washington Interscholastic Athletics Association.

I got this based on his screen name, "GSHL99". GSHL stands for the Greater Seattle Hockey League, the best run of the adult rec leagues I officiate in.

Had a chance to line a few games in the high school league he speaks of last spring and had a great time doing it.

[Chadd 916]

None of the teams or leagues that I know of are sanctioned by the schools or PIAA. In my area it's the schools that really want nothing to do with hockey. Once they decide to sanction the sport they will have to fund it at some level and most schools are having some degree of financial problems.

[GSHL99 0]

Hockey was pulled away from the high schools in Colorado after a large brawl in the stands, although it's slowly been creeping back. It's possible the school administrators have heard of similar incidents and are factoring them into their decisions.

And I could see that as a factor, save for the fact that the huge south end rival match between Puyallup High School and J.R. Rogers High School has also resulted in melees. Both of these schools are in Puyallup, which is hardly the ghetto. In fact it's pretty middle to upper middle class.

That's a really great point Jason, and one that wouldn't have occured to me to consider.

GSHL99 - is there any way you can ask the WIAA for more information - politely of course. If they can give you a more detailed breakdown of their concerns and the elements they consider dangerous it will be helpful for your future applications (or possible appeal of this decision).

You first need to go on a massive fact-finding mission. This could come formally by asking the WIAA for additional information. As well as informally, by having a conversation with each member of the WIAA who is involved in the decision. You'll also want to see if they have other concerns - there may be a budget concern kicking around in there, a gender equality concern or a resources or insurance concern.

At this stage it is important to remember not to be argumentative with them... that will just get their backs up and they won't be as revealing with you. You want to discover as much about their resistance and thinking as you possibly can. You want to learn how they think and what they fear.

Once you know that... the next stage is to research. To find information, facts that wll counter or inform each point or area of their resistance. You may want to collect experiences and reports from other HS AA's across the country who have approved hockey. Injury stats. Wherever their resistance takes you, you want to get factual counter-points to address them.

Then make it into a compelling report and go back to them. This is a lot of work. It may be something you'll want to have the student council help with, or the players. In some cases it may be possible to have this be an assingment in one of their classes... because there certainly is a lot of life learning in this undertaking.

Good luck - it certainly is worth the effort!

Every year they issue us a very long detailed report of why hockey is dangerous. We don't disagree that hockey is a dangerous sport. Professional research has been conducted, it's added to every year. Right now it's about 10,500 pages worth or material. Everything that could be obtained from insurance companies, hockey associations, various international hockey governing bodies, and the list goes on and on. Hockey is safer than football, so if they'd drop football I'd accept their decision. The problem I have is that they sanction football despite the huge risk of injuries. I could even understand the decision if we were asking for school funding to pay for ice, gear, travel, or insurance. But we're not asking for that, just a sanction and a set of official rules so that the guys can get letters.

By WIAA are you referring to Washington or Wisconsin? Or some other W-state?

Sorry, I didn't think about that, Washington Interscholastic Athletics Association is the official body for interschoalstic competion here.

[GSHL99 0]

None of the teams or leagues that I know of are sanctioned by the schools or PIAA. In my area it's the schools that really want nothing to do with hockey. Once they decide to sanction the sport they will have to fund it at some level and most schools are having some degree of financial problems.

That concern was expressed but answered quite well. The WIAA doesn't fund anything in and of itself, the school districts do. We've always been upfront that the league will continue to pay all related costs of operation. Everyone understands that it doesn't mean free gear or ice time, just asking the WIAA to write up a set of rules and the school districts to admit the teams exist so the players can get letters for their sport like everyone else. The "danger" issue is really just a front for the fact some don't like the idea of a sport where under the normal playing time standards it's likely that every player on a team will letter.

[Chadd 916]

None of the teams or leagues that I know of are sanctioned by the schools or PIAA. In my area it's the schools that really want nothing to do with hockey. Once they decide to sanction the sport they will have to fund it at some level and most schools are having some degree of financial problems.

That concern was expressed but answered quite well. The WIAA doesn't fund anything in and of itself, the school districts do. We've always been upfront that the league will continue to pay all related costs of operation. Everyone understands that it doesn't mean free gear or ice time, just asking the WIAA to write up a set of rules and the school districts to admit the teams exist so the players can get letters for their sport like everyone else. The "danger" issue is really just a front for the fact some don't like the idea of a sport where under the normal playing time standards it's likely that every player on a team will letter.

It's not as easy as you would like to think. If the WIAA is anything like our state governing body they would have to certify hockey officials the same way they do for other sports. That involves meetings, tests, training, etc.. Coaches are another similar problem. It's also unlikely that they would be willing to just lend their name and let the leagues continue to operate as they are now. In fact, they would be very dumb to do so. By sanctioning the sport and various leagues they accept some level of liability and they would need to monitor the league to ensure all of their directives are followed.

It's incredibly unlikely that someone doesn't want to recognize the sport because everyone will get a letter. In fact, that argument is laughable at best.

[reaper07 0]

same problem,

my school wont support us because they say its too dangerous and are afraid of liability.

every school in the district has a team and plays at the main rink for the area (Rollin' Ice for those who know it)

it sucks

but we are fighting for it

[QandA 0]

For the most part high school hockey in New Brunwick, Canada, is fairly big, not as good as midget aaa, but it once was better. High school hockey has it's own independant insurance thingy. The refs are minor hockey refs, who just don't wear the logo when they ref and follow the same rules as minor hockey unless otherwise altered, which only applies with fighting and 10 minute misconducts. (Fighting is 3 games first fight, 6 second fight, and so on, and 5 10 minutes gets you a game, and every 10 thereafter.) A league president is assigned, and school marks must be followed. Most programmes take a lot of pride. It's always been a playoff format, untill this year it's like a Memorial Cup type set up. The leagues are well set up, as their is a "AA" division and "AAA" division, separately determeined by school populations. Schools do not have to fund, but can if they wish. Sponsorship plays a big part. Sorry if this has nothing to do with the post, I'm just trying to give some people an idea that if you want it to work, it can work.

[reaper07 0]

to have that you need popularity in the sport first...

[rwclifto 0]

to have that you need popularity in the sport first...

Yep. I'm lucky to be able to play pick up roller hockey where I live.

[The Stranger 0]

Is there anywhere online where they post stats/records for the high school hockey? I didn't know it even existed until last year when I meet some of the kids that play it.

[moose77 0]

Is there anywhere online where they post stats/records for the high school hockey? I didn't know it even existed until last year when I meet some of the kids that play it.

Yes indeed!

http://www.esportsdesk.com/leagues/notice_...p;leagueID=1931