Before Penticton Minor Hockey Association (PMHA) players are able to step on the ice next season, one of their parents/guardians will have to complete the Respect in Sport course.
PMHA vice-president Val Fulton announced this during their annual general meeting Wednesday night at the Days Inn.
“I think that by parents taking the course and seeing some of the questions and there are some videos they have to watch, I think by actually seeing it makes them think,” said Fulton following the meeting. “When parents go to the arena, it’s an emotional game. I think sometimes the emotion gets the best of them.”
PMHA is following suit of the Kamloops Minor Hockey Association and Alberta Hockey. This stems from recent incidents on Vancouver Island and in Salmon Arm, which involved a Penticton parent. In January, PMHA and Salmon Arm’s association investigated a fight between parents in the stands and RCMP were involved.
Fulton added by taking the online course, she hopes it will help parents see things from a different side. The association spoke with Kamloops minor hockey members about it and that association noticed fewer incidents.
“Parents know they are being held accountable in the arena,” said Fulton. “It will make people a little more aware and accountable and just educate them a little bit. It was a big topic last year on the Island. We just decided to be a little bit proactive. Take the initiative now versus two or three years down the road.”
Parents can be tracked to see if they have completed it through the Hockey Canada registry.