Yesterday, I wrote a piece on Nathan Hewitt, the head coach of the Elliot Lake Wildcats. It seems from emails, phone calls and other information that the fans of Elliot Lake are upset with the piece. Because some may be upset, I hope to clarify a few facts herein.
First of all, everything in yesterdays piece was factual. We do not publish quotes from text messages that are not true.
The NOJHL is one of my favorite leagues in North America. Over the years I have placed, or recommended players sign and play for every team in the league. This season alone, I personally placed or recommended nearly thirty players on six of the nine teams.
I have never complained to a coach, owner or general manager of any team for not playing a player. I have never complained about discipline dispensed by any other those persons in a position of authority when discipline was required.
This season, I have had some of those same players, disciplined, released, traded, and sat in the stands at times for any number of reasons. Readers do not read about those things here on TJHN because they are part of the normal operation of any team.
Over the years, I have had disagreements with coaches and other team staff in many situations. Again, you don’t read about them here. These same people I have had disagreements with in the past, I still talk to today because disagreements are part of the business as well.
What is not a part of the business is what was written about yesterday.
The team, and league were notified well in advance that I would write the story and given an opportunity to find a resolution to the situation. They were given the day and time that the story would be published in advance.
While I certainly appreciate the information may upset some people, imagine if you will, that your son were in that situation. Imagine that in his last year of junior hockey a coach would do those things to your son. Now imagine that he had no voice and no one to shed light on the situation and advocate on his behalf.
If you read that clearly, and you grasp the context of this letter, you will see that yesterdays story was about an individual player and how he has been treated by an individual coach.
The coaches ability was never questioned. In fact I still believe Nathan Hewitt can train players very competently on the ice. I never questioned his ability to assemble line combinations, systems, or anything else that had to do with hockey. Have I always agreed with what he has done on the ice? No, but that is just part of the game. I don’t always agree with what Mike Babcock does with the Red Wings either.
If there is ever a legitimate reason for a player to be in the stands, it will never be questioned. This issue however does not meet any level of legitimacy though.
Also keep in mind that the emails and phone calls we have received have supported the story. Those people, some of them current Elliot Lake player parents, know what has happened.
While writing the piece yesterday will likely cost TJHN thousands of dollars in lost advertising revenue, the truth is more important than money.
Ask yourself this question if you are an Elliot Lake fan;
If there was a discipline issue with this player, why wasn’t he disciplined before his concussion? He played in every game before the concussion. If there were a discipline issue with the player it would have been addressed long before a concussion and playing in every game.
The sign of maturity and growth as a person, is to own your mistakes. I have owned my mistakes as many of you have owned yours. We all have to learn that lesson some time.
Joseph Kolodziej – Publisher
