What was he thinking?



Kayla Watkins - Ousted from her team by a another parent

Today I read an article in the Toronto Star about a 12 year old girl who was ostensibly forced to leave her single A boy's hockey team due to an irate parent of one of the boys on the team.  www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/article/910773--controversy-pushes-girl-off-coed-hockey-team  The article explains that a12 year old girl, Kayla Watkins, was extremely embarrassed by the actions and more so the words of George Atis, the parent of another player on the Single A Toronto Ice Dogs Pee Wee Club.

George Atis, a lawyer, and not part of the coaching staff, called a meeting to address what he considered weakness in Kayla's hockey abilities.  He also said that he was voicing the concerns of some of the boys on the team who were squeamish about changing in a co-ed environment.  His agenda stated that Kayla lacked the necessary skills to play with the team and that a more appropriate spot should be found for her.

What must be put into consideration is this is a 10th place, Single A team in Toronto - This is not the pipeline to the NHL.  To play in Single A, players have to try out and obviously Kayla had the skills to make the team.  If anybody should have voiced concerns with regards to her level of play, it should have been her coach, Paul Macchia.  Yet Macchia contends that he wanted Kayla to remain on the team, and he points out that the team has remained in 10th place even after Kayla's departure.  Obviously her skills or lack thereof were not part of the problem, more likely it was interfering parents who can't be bothered to volunteer their time to coach, but feel that a hockey team is some sort of democracy that requires their self important input.

Kayla chose to leave the team after accidently view the email in which Atis coldly enumerates what he perceives as Kayla's faults. 

I do understand the issues of change room and as kids enter puberty, it can be fraught with awkwardness.  I never thought twice about changing with my male teammates, though we had reached the age where seeing anybody's "bits" had completely lost its thrill.  We worked it out easily and I'm sure Kayla's team had the issue well in hand.  Even on an all male team, boys enter into puberty at different ages and thus there will be an element of awkwardness present.  With wisdom and guidance on the part of parents, it could have been dealt with.

I also understand that we're dealing with double standards.  Girls want to be allowed to play in boy's leagues, but conversely, boys are not allowed to play in girl's leagues.  I know the argument, if a girl is good enough to play with the boys, she should be allowed to play, but what if a boy isn't good enough to play with the boys, should he then be allowed to play with a girl's team?  There aren't any clear cut answers, though inevitably, top male athletes will out muscle females, though I don't think that was an issue for the 12 year olds in question.

At the end of the day, George Atis had no excuse for doing what he did.  If he had a concern, he should have dealt with the coach and if he didn't find resolution, he could have taken his son to play for another team next season.  He had absolutely no right to target a 12 year old girl, who was simply playing the game she loved.