In the life of a minor hockey player, few things could be as devastating.
The Princeton Atom Minor Posse capped an undefeated season on the weekend with a single loss – in the final game of the playoffs.
“It was heartbreaking,” said Jaclyn Smith Whitecotton, a volunteer with the local hockey association whose son plays for the team. “Our kids were pretty down on themselves.”
Compounding the hurt feelings was the behaviour of the playoff gold medalists.
Five seconds after the final buzzer players from West Kelowna Two “skated by our bench yelling ‘You suck,'” said Whitecotton.
Atoms are nine and 10 years old.
Whitecotton said she was sure the opposing team’s coach heard the comments, but did not appear to respond.
“Our coach just said ‘very sportsmanlike’ to them.”
The three day tournament was a round robin, with Princeton winning all four games before the final. Earlier in the playoffs they beat West Kelowna 5-2, but settled for a 5-3 loss in the championship.
Princeton beat West Kelowna four times during the regular season.
“They’ve been our rivals so they fought hard…When you are on top you are a target, right? But it doesn’t excuse the behaviour.”
In two weeks the atoms have a shot at reclaiming their dominance when Princeton hosts the district championships.
Four league championship teams will meet here, and Princeton gets a pass into the competition as the host.
“These kids have decided to the use this loss to motivate them to win the district. It’s given them that extra push,” she said. “It’s pretty awesome for 13 little guys and gals to have such a positive attitude.”
Whitecotton said she has not witnessed any of the players from her son’s team act in an unsportsmanlike way.
“I’ve never had to be faced with our kids ever being like that. And I guess if I did, as a parent I would sit my kid. If you are going to behave this way you are not going to play another game. But I am harsh like that.”
The district tournament is the weekend of March 17 and it will be hockey with all the trimmings, including an official opening ceremony. Watch The Spotlight for program details.
