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State’s governing body acts on recommendation to make stronger penalties for game DQs
Acting on the recommendation of the state’s Hockey Committee, the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s 19-member representative council adopted stiffer penalties for poor sportsmanship effective this season at their annual spring meeting.
"Sportsmanship continues to be one of the things that separates educational athletics from other levels and it requires constant attention so that programming can be developed or changed as circumstances arise," said John E. "Jack" Roberts, executive director of the MHSAA in a statement. "The ice hockey community feels that the most flagrant forms of poor sportsmanship deserve even stronger penalties."
As a result, starting with this season, the penalties for player and coach game disqualifications will be double the minimum listed in the National Federation of State High School Association’s Ice Hockey Rules Book.
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Northville girl’s team head coach Bill Holden directs his Mustangs players at their first practice of the new season. |
The MHSAA noted that the national body allows state associations to hike the number of games that an individual has to sit out after getting a game disqualification. The MHSAA added that the base rule says the player or coach has to sit out the remainder of that game along with the next game once they get a game disqualification. Games are added progressively with subsequent game disqualifications.
Fighting makes ‘no sense’
As a result, an individual in a Michigan high school game who gets a game disqualification has to sit out the next two games. When he gets a second-game disqualification in the same season, he sits out four more games. The third game disqualification means the player is done for the season.
"We've worked hard to try to educate our kids against poor sportsmanship and being poor role models for younger kids,” said former East Kentwood coach Ron Baum, who retired this year after 35 seasons with the Falcons. “Fighting is also such a senseless thing considering you have a facemask on. This isn't the NHL. Fighting makes no sense at all."
The MHSAA already has rules that a coach can't be with his team during the post-season after he's gotten his second ejection in a season for unsportsmanlike behavior. Three disqualifications banishes a player from the playoffs.
"One of the biggest differences in high school and amateur athletics is the rules against fighting. They're stiffer in high school," Baum said. "I know some parents and fans say let the kids play and that fighting is a part of it. But I've never been a proponent of that.
"Randy Allen (MHSAA assistant director) has done a great job in picking up the ball on this. He's so involved with our programs and association. He has an understanding of what can happen."
Baum said making sure players avoid unsportsmanlike conduct is key towards having a valuable high school experience. His successor at East Kentwood, Todd Bell, agrees with Baum.
"As an adult, we're responsible for our own actions," Bell said. "I look at it that high school players are supposed to be responsible for their actions."
An emotional game
But Bell agrees with coaches who argue that officials have to cut players some slack before issuing a game disqualification.
"If they make a mistake, should they miss the whole year?" he said. "In the heat of the moment, they might make a bad decision. They need to get a chance to learn from it."
Pat Fallon has been the hockey coach at Saginaw Nouvel for eight seasons and said the new MHSAA rules have some merit.
"It depends on the player," he said. "Some of them are hotheads. Sometimes, rules like this are the only way you control a player.
"But sometimes, you can run into an official who has something against someone. Tempers flare. It's an emotional game. I'd like to see the referee warn someone and say 'this is how I'm calling a game.' It can be a tough call at times."
Court Benson, who retired a year ago as long-time coach at Flint Powers, said discipline usually hasn't been a problem in his area, where the Big 9 Conference went above the Federation guidelines.
"At least locally, it was not tolerated at all," he said. " It's pretty rare in our area to see a fight. We went beyond the rulebook. The first fight you miss a game. The second fight, you miss five games. After the third fight, you're done.”
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Consistency is key
Matt Krusniak coaches Fenton High School, which plays in the Flint Metro League.
"We were already strict as far as penalties go," he said. "As far as I'm concerned, if penalties are called consistently, that's OK. But if they're called one way or another, that will hurt some kids. It depends on how officials handle it.”
Krusniak said he sees no problems in having stricter rules.
"The issue I have is if it's called against a kid who isn't intentionally breaking the rules," he said. "I don't think it will affect our team that much.
"Last year was the first year we had the stricter rules. It's a matter of getting to know the rules."
Krusniak remains concerned that one player could be called for unsportsmanslike conduct by an official while another official would wave off a similar action.
"As long as they let the kids play by the rules, it should not be a problem," Krusniak said. "If they call mostly against being aggressive, that's a problem. Anything after that shouldn't be tolerated."
Doug Towler of Davison has been coaching in the Flint area for several years and said his team has already been accustomed to abiding by strict rules.
"I just hope officials don't take it as a free reign for penalizing kids just for the sake of getting them," he said. "We had some problems in Flint years ago when we had some teams that were out of control. I really believe high school hockey is a darn good product. (Most players) are disciplined and have a sense of representing their community and representing their school.
"I don't know if stricter rule enforcement is warranted. Kids obviously can't disrespect an official. If you keep your mouth shut, you'll be all right."
Towler also echoed the thoughts of other coaches that officials need to discipline players on a consistent basis.
"The judgment of one official might be different than another," Towler said. "I think it will work its way out. But again, I don't think we have a major discipline problem with high school hockey."
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