Brandon Matott Violence in Hockey High school is a time filled with drastic change and many choices to be made. During this time, many students will choose to play a high school sport, a very popular one being ice hockey. It’s no secret that hockey is a physical sport, and this is why many teenage boys are attracted to it. Typically though, a student who chooses to play ice hockey at the high school level is not new to the game. In most cases they began the game at an age of any where from 5 to 9, and soon after started participating in travel leagues that compete in as many as 100 games per season (Burge). As a direct result of the intense lifestyle players are forced to adapt to at such a young age, one of two things will happen; either a ‘burnout’ occurs and a total loss of interest for the sport takes over, or an intense life-long love for it develops (Burge); this love is often shared with parents and fans as well. As a player matures and begins to play in more high-caliber leagues, the physicality and hectic atmosphere of the games increase. This, like any physical sport does often present the scenario of fisticuffs and other unnecessary violence, but it has been confirmed that hockey does have the most fights out of any major sport (SingerNet). While teams frequently are involved in violence on the ice, it is not completely unheard of to hear of fans participating in violence in the stands as well; especially in non professional levels of hockey where a large majority of the fan base is structured by parents of the athletes; although it is considered rare. With violence seeming to be considered ‘normal’ in hockey, this raises the following question: Does the violence that occurs in high-school hockey cause players and fans to act violent outside of arena?
Composing the Atmosphere at a Hockey Game According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, ‘ice hockey’ is defined as a “game played on an ice rink by two teams of six players on skates whose object is to drive a puck into the opponents' goal with a hockey stick” (Webster); Pertaining to the theoretical strategy of the game, this does hold true, but according to Matt Hunter, a bleacherreport.com correspondent, the game is much more than a bland definition. Hunter actually states that “hockey is the most exciting sport” (Hunter). There are three major groups that contribute to the excitement of a hockey game. The most important group consists of the players. Hunter says that the players make the game exciting by the non-stop action they provide, plus the moves and goals. Additionally Hunter goes on to thoroughly, and emphatically describe the ‘hits’ section of his article and says :“Nothing gets you going like a teammate giving another teammate a buddy pass in the middle of the neutral zone, and a defenseman catching him clean in the chin with his shoulder”. The second major group are the fans. Hunter ends his article by saying “hockey is the most exciting sport in all of sports...think that your sport is?...Well sorry but you’re wrong.” As a comparison, the players could be referred to as a spark. Actions of the players, violent or non-violent, have the ability to create chaos, the only thing missing is a fuel source; this is where the fans come in. The fans that attend hockey games, are very passionate about the game, which is evident in Hunters article. If passion for the game isn't enough to cause a hectic atmosphere the parents that have student-athletes playing most definitely are. Almost every game, you can here multiple parents complaining about their child getting treated unfair by the opposing team. It is very rare, but sometimes parents do even get violent in the stands. According to the Toronto Sun, in March of 2013, a local hockey club found out that it only takes one parent to ‘ignite’ and complete chaos could occur when parents from two different hockey teams ended up brawling. While all the energy inside the rink is building it is the referee’s job to make sure athletes play fair, to assess penalties, to call goals, and to generally maintain order. With such hype surrounding a high school hockey game it seems as though this may affect the student athletes mind set.
Social Status Many students beginning high school realize very shortly that it is far different from middle school. Decision making becomes much more independent, causing some individuals to stand out, thus leading to the formation of cliques. A “social hierarchy” soon ensues (Liz Abrams), ranking the cliques by social status. Sports are a guarantee to get you into the popular section of the hierarchy, though the cliques that attain popularity through sports seem to be the most dominant sections in the hierarchy. Liz Abrams begins to explain that some athletes “get away with murder during the season”, and then later adds that “even after the season has ended they still seem to walk on water compared to others”. Abrams eventually begins to wonder why these athletes “walk the halls like they own them” (Liz Abrams). The answer to this question is found, believe it or not, in a flyer published by USA Hockey- the largest national hockey organization in the United States- targeting parents of young children. The flyer explains that if parents enroll their child in a local youth hockey program the sport of hockey “will provide the following both on and off the ice: pride, confidence, exhilaration, strength, thrills, adventure, friends, teamwork, and laughter...” (“Why Youth Hockey” 1). When comparing the benefits of playing hockey to the research done by B. Bradford Brown and Mary Jane Lohr stating what characteristics ‘popular’ high school students have there is minimal variance (“Pressures and Emotions” 1). Therefore, it is conclusive that hockey players, from a young age, are on a path to social hierarchy. The social status that majority of these hockey players achieve throughout high school allows for a broad range of students to know who they are, including students and athletes from surrounding high schools. However, with the social prowess does come the heightened risk of under age drinking, drug use, and partying (Lench), in which it is not uncommon in the least bit to run into players from opposing teams while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Due to the very active and adventurous lifestyle many of these student athletes live, many prioritize school work and grades last, or not at all, this also is a direct result of being put on a pedestal due to their social status not only among peers, but instructors as well. (Lench)
Pre /Mid/Post Game Violence As stated previously, these student athletes have more able time to focus on the game, which can without a doubt benefit the intensity of the game, but also pose threat for increased physicality and unnecessary roughness. The heightened risk for this comes when high school hockey players get an increase in testosterone levels when focusing on the game in depth, which many do (“Pre-competition hormonal...” 396). “Physicality in the form of body checking, and a little pushing and shoving happens all the time, but fights happen less frequently in High school puck (hockey),” Reidy explained. “Usually when a fight does happen at this level its the result of high tension between two rival teams that both want to win badly...”. Reidy additionally explained that “anything can happen”, and fights also happen when one team is dominating the other and “a cheap shot is dished out.” However, when asked about how officials control the chaos of two student athletes in an altercation and restore order while preventing an outbreak of an all-out-brawl, Reidy said “I don't know the specific techniques or protocols they (officials) follow, and I don't really care. As long as my boys get out of there before they do something that they don't mean to do, and no one gets hurt.” Reidy was asked to elaborate on what he meant by ‘before they do something they don't mean to do”. Reidy described that through his many years of experience as both a professional athlete and a coach, that the so called “violence” that happens on the ice between players cant be considered violence, unless physical injury occurs. “The beauty of this game is that when you lace those skates up every problem, every worry, and every negative aspect of your life disappears. It is a different world where nothing matters but just playin’ some good ole’ fashioned hockey....and 99% of the time the fights that occur on ice are dropped the moment every player leaves the ice.” Additionally, one more fact was gathered from Reidy’s experiences- the most he’s ever seen between players and fans off the ice, but still inside the rink is a few shoves and curse words. “Outside of the rink, these boys are the most well-rounded, well-behaved young men I’ve ever met.”
Violence in high school Hockey does not cause players and fans to act violent outside of the game The game of hockey at the high school level has been physical ever since it has been around, which is well known without doing extensive research. However, once we research the characteristics of the student athletes involved in the sport, we then can determine what they may be thinking when violence does occur, and with research and Mr. Reidy’s personal experiences to confirm the research, we know that most players see hockey as a different reality, to take away problems, all while having fun. The violence that occurs on the ice most generally should not be considered “violence” as no one is injured, and mental culpability is not to actually harm one another (in most cases). Even if the “violence” is considered real, the violence does not seam to set violent habits out of the rink