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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1974-10-10, Page 19s.. 'f Crossroads 60 wish* boom imysior LWed Illoutoor, Witigkest Advaa r►- Tiptoe *Pi MoogF demi* h reed for ALSO peep la the .h.ortiotod ' Illdwoiteire Ontario. (N Md ea 33 revilersle est 14.3411 of .) • Publishood v The LIstow Bannori iho WinghomAdv or,st Co nfe0Pr . by 'Wooster *: Unlit •4imes Bu influence of the National Hockey League has emerged as - the most significant factor con- ° tributing to amateur hockey o101ence in an. Ontario Govern - Meat report. In addition, the report finds faults among coaches, referees, parents, players, the Ontario Hockey Assoclation (OHO,) and recommends establishment of an Ontario Hockey Council" .' The report argues that ama- teur teenkey isr following trends that would make sport useless in the development of youth and its .11 recoMmendationa :are aimed atdivorcing amateur hockey fro the influence of professional e. Y The report was .written by 7 William R. McMurtry, a Toronto lawyer,+, who was commissioned by Rene 'Brunelle, minister for community and social services, "t0 hold an investigation into cir- cumstances surrounding violence in the Bramalea-Hamilton Junior B game o April 16 (and also tot explore any implications for amateur hockey that these inci- a dents might have." Besides interviewing Brame - lea and Hamilton °facials and players, Mr. McMurtry says he made references to eight govern- mental and private reports on s. hockey, 17 briefs, consulted 12 ex- • pert," in : social studies and in science and interviewed 37 indi- viduals associated with amateur and professional hockey. Violent Game The events at and after the Bramalea-HamiltonS ame are known in amateur hockey circles. Fighting during theame and the g a death of a. young player led to they decision by Braenalea team not to appear in, the nextgame in the .series that was to -take place in Hamilton. - As a result, Biramalea team found itself in violation of OHA regulations which prohibit a team from defaulting a game after 72 hours prior to the scheduled time. Consequently, the Bramalea team was suspend- ed, from the series. While happy with the settle- mentthat reinstated 3r malea team, trainer and coach, Mr. McMurtry, says blame by the media was inappropriate. The game, The report says, was only "symptomatic of a trendpreva- lent in amateur hockey" — vio- lence. .0n . causes of violence, the reportstarts by noting that social. scientists basically agree that examples available and conduct MI try rep encouraged or rewarded are main determinants for Most be- haviour. It * not surprising, then, the report says, that every boy playing hockey IS profoundly in- fluenced by the examples por- trayed in NHL, This is so because itis only natural for any person• to lgok up to what is said to be the best, McMurtry argues, While there are other hockey leagues, Mr. McMurtry says, that NHL has in recent years been the paramount one and at the moment is considered the best. There are; the report says, two unfortunate aspects of ,NHL example :. emphasis on winning as the criterion for success and use of violence as a tactical weapon for victory. Box Office Factor Because of NHL's showman- ship, and particularly its desire, to sell the game . to a U.S. audi- ence which understands brawling better than the finesse .of' the game, Mr. McMurtry concludes that there has been glorification of brawlers, physical intimida- tors and "policemen" in the NHL. * Historically, the report notes, amateur hockey has been influ- enced and to a' certain extent 0 • 4 SOME CHANGES --There will be some changes in the playing style for hockey teams in Mount Forest -as a result of the report on violence In hockey this season. Recreation • H 7 rt say financed by professional hockey, This; he says, has eliminated mot y identify for amateur . hockey to the extent that it seeMs like ;. training ground for professionale —a very unfortue thing since less than one per cent of young' sters will ever play in the profes- sional leagues: Mr. McMurtry notes that the OHA had problems drafting its rules and regulations without fol- lowing the NHL model. But worse still, the report notes, is that no- where in OHA constitution by-laws,• rules and regulations are objectives and purpose of amateur hockey defined. What's happening in amateur hockey, the report says, is that the structure of rules makes it impossible for a player to avoid a fight even if he wants to. The report raises arguments to prove that fighting does not'in any way affect the skill of the players or the excitement of the game. If anything, it encourages players, and particularly the young ones, to put emphasis on violence at the expense of skill;; Violence, the report asserts, is a part of the game "if you make it a part of the game." And the report notes that there is no other con- tact game where violence is tolerated as it is in hockey. ti Director Elmer Wick and Minor Hockey Association Presi- dent Harry Verburg talk over some of its implications. (Mbltiru Photo) 1 Keep w tator�win ,at- The spec Model of professional sports, the report concludes in discussing NHL influence, is "neither an appropriate . nor a healthy morel for . amateur hockey." . Officials Slack Turning to referees, who are in short supply and are often made scapegoats for.all evil in a game, the report says there is no doubt that the calibre of refereeing has u strong influence on the charac- ter of the game. • ` Many gamesatthe moment suffer because the existing rules. are, not enforced; the rulings are not•consistent and there is lack of • respect for offiicial>s... ay Mi. McMurtry writes that in talking to players and, coaches, their experience indicated that a badly refereed game causes frus- tration, anger and a desire to re- taliate among the players. He 00tes that it ia. significant that milt witnessesto the Bramalea- : falitsi genie heireyed that fa il- :ure to call' some obvious' fouls early in the game definitely con- .tributed to the Increase of vio- lence in that gamey There is a rule in the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) and the NHL which calls for a ( ten-minute misconduct penalty for any :player who deli- berately incites or provokes another player physically or ver- bally. The reason for it not being enforced, the : report says, is 'probably due to the NHL **Ole [More mak' an ether 1 eke*:" 7y� "r 611 P 1 it ! referees, lacking o er model or philosophy;\ will be influenced by the top professionals, "particu- larly where they are using the same rules." Place of coach Probably no one particular in- dividual in any sport is as. impor- m QA a tent as the coaeh, The report +fin, cedes this and spells out : the .e co*ch'equalities as ability to mo- tivate, cominunicate and eatab' fish a system and the necessary discipline to implement it, Itis obvious, the report says, to assume that a coach who possesses these qualities "should be in a better position to control his players and establish the de- sired standard of Conduct" But itis an incredible thing, ac- cording to McMurtry,` that so lit- tle attention is paid to the quali- fication ual - e fi ado n of an amateur hockey coach." - The majority of coaches now involved ' in amateur hockey, notwithstanding their good inten- tions, "have really noconcept of coaching ether than. the 'image portrayed by p the professionals." Coaches do put pressure on the players that makes it impossible for them not Wend up, in a fight The report quoted one coach ad- mitting that he tells his players that if there'sgoing to be a fight, the boy bad better -get his blow in first. This pressure from coaches is in addition to, pressure from parents. The report does not elaborate on the nature of the pressure from parents. It notes, though, that hardly any of the successful hockey players inter- viewed attributed their love for the game or learnisig the skills from organized structures or from _ parents, Over -zealous coaches and parents are, there- fore,, anotherbad lnfluetuie. amatt1It io t The report then recommends that the objectives and philoso- phy of i amateur hockey be de- fined saying that "once and for all, it must be established that there is a purpose to amateur hockey beyond that of training professionals:" While it is a legi- timate ambition for any young - iter to rant to play professional he +an shed • hockey, `tom amateur hockey s lA vicars. of . liar 1 tem =Suet be deOgOod ter** and CAHA .haeme made •r group, ; steps m�upfor . "Fun, recreation, healthy ally • certification of def letes and the • develoPment , skills must take precedence over `' :p wjarting games and peon Itis esieatial, the Pekai MIP# and balld1WPrOfesSlocal. that the standard,* roktOolaft careers," •states the McMurtry be upgraded opium tenet r. epo . the=s et the same, , are • Rules s res,cot consistent ' • r ,. . • �i�u�fi have theasp et with thi s� pbilo t must tae es~ > players,es and . ; ad• tabli�, .b ause. they are the: ; eiso �•� � fk�1��4'�' most-; pertapt mss of great- teivards a ule m envira�►ent . � where ,ham` VI ! e r d! Ski -ai Clive ' a ... reinforced °over, the negative•as 4 et cls such .aa the taetical; u •.all t�,, ° aali as�d ph►,y. force. p' • asas�'aaotl ra nom` nom; a. education. ���i�c� a A s case t for Have r �• �er° .•tile Pethis�' f'rtr� • .making .co ipleteely,, different Mockery Council preParesi rules togoverngames for`� , .. meat �q ��/��y� M .•.•f e ^t w!w�r`nt o the ;lCil TT under 14. s, r.e iy. else �y'which willdelivered ment t tars, notes "s , " a .., t: #ice parents of ail gistr red boys, shoidd cone tr alga, on the era. 'skills > and should : not have to : be ,Additional releases concerned or pcpiied „,nwith re-ocuth �suc�h:taagies as ati defending themselves even. from , I . legal checks. coachi� ��,� �id+t+�" coMpetiticmon youn :shod The report commends the Off , .. for. itsprogram in recent years to en mit from time to time ta;par • en establish coaches' clinics. This ' , onrpro m is•fundameatalyinpor- haveeffehtslight td ni.tbe taut and .is one area where ileal amateur hockey Hist progress can be Made, ideally, aliould be luswerable.. for there should be mandatory certi game or match fication for all coaches in : lltY amateur hockey. There: will, of against any players. : course, be various levels of :certi- second occurrence, the: fiction but it 15 important that: ' he houltlha t explanation int even the house leaguecoach at' i the l :eat 401060* a:,, Qf third ` course i? lYsii' of amateur h ey.. At present OHA does not have sufficient funds even to publicise properly the available , clinics. Some hockey associations in On- tario have already ode certifi- cation mandatory: With the proper assistance, there is no reason why all coaches should not WOAA SECRETARY -MANAGER Alf Lockridge (seated) and Wingham Recreation Director Jim Ward discuss the recently released McMurtry Report on hockey violence. Mr. Lockridge says he isn't as concerned about violence in hockey as he is about the curs- ing and swearing that has become more prevalent among the players. Mr. Lockridge says you must expect body contact in a sport like hockey because that is simply the type of game itis. (Photo by Jackson) ! ! ,t fore the apprOpnit tribunal." Place of Government The report rec *mends, gov- ernment involvement an • two levels: establishment of;Ontario Hockey Count and linanelal support. The proposed council should 00 composed of "responsible 'per- sons with a solid representative background in hockey, coaching, physical education, sports, psy- etiology, health and recreation," and should have representation from the various associations but be separate from them, It would be answerable directly to the Ministry of Community and Social Services. The emphasis of this council's representation should be on the overall sport, the report says, and it is this group that should have the initial responsibility of defining the purposes and the ob- jectives of amateur hockey. It would also analyze and structure the rules in a way which would be consistent with the aims. It would also supervise the curriculum of the coaches' and referees' clinics and would act as a resource centre for information for amateur hockey in the prov- ince. A final quorum, the report notes, but one that's not too large, would also be available to sit as a final appeal tribunal for decisions made by the various associa- tions. Such a tribunal would avoid the present system where individuals or teams either feel they are ap- pealing to an organization from a decision made by the same asso- ciation or attempt to bring the matter to court at great expense, only to find that the courts often do not want to hear the case or are too concerned with the issues. Arguing that amateur hockey has an enormous educational and social impact on the entire com- munity, the report says, "It is not only desirable for Government to assist in supporting positive pro- grams which could improve the environment in amateur hockey, but it would be most unfortunate if it did not become more in- volved." Consequently, Government will Nave to be financially involved in the education and certification of coaches, instruction and certifi- cation of referees, education of the public, particularly parents, and support of research. Some consideration should be given to more administrative grimts to the actual associations regulating the various teams. At °resent the OHA receives about (Continued on page 2) e' ti