Rage at the Rink

Abstract

This article examines the problem of parental aggression in minor hockey in the Canadian province of Quebec. Findings of the study are based on 30 semi-structured, qualitative interviews with minor hockey stakeholders in Quebec, including parents, coaches, referees and league executives. Interviews were conducted in both French and English. All 30 study participants observed parental violence and harassment while watching, coaching, and/or refereeing minor hockey and shared their perspectives on why parental aggression occurs in Quebec minor hockey. Drawing on Spaaij’s (2014) social-ecological model, we introduce a social-ecological model specific to the Canadian minor hockey context, which includes structural, social environmental, situational, interpersonal and individual. Moving from the structural to the individual, these factors include 1) levels of racism, xenophobia, and identity-based antagonisms in society, 2) high parental expectations related to their children’s performance, team success, and development, the high cost of hockey, hockey’s cultural significance as Canada’s game, and the lack of leverage leagues and arenas to punish spectator misbehaviour, 3) the layout of arenas and the rules around alcohol at particular arenas, perceived ‘bad’ refereeing, illegal play, or unfair ice time allotments, higher levels of on-ice violence and injuries, and rivalries, 4) spectators trying to coach from the stands and/or yelling at referees and coaches, and 5) the behaviour and demeanour of spectators, coaches, referees, and even the players on the ice.