The NOJHL has long taken a stance against drinking, drugs and tobacco use by players in the league. Many have said that the NOJHL has lead the charge nation wide to eliminate behaviors that are not in line with elite athletes.
After a league investigation, Powassan Voodoos Head Coach Beau Moyer, was suspended by the NOJHL for 15 games. Shortly after receiving that suspension Moyer was terminated from his position with the Voodoos.
At issue? Drinking with players as described by Moyer’s father to the local press.
According to the North Bay Nugget Moyer’s father said;
“Following the game we went to the hotel to check in. Once everyone was booked into their rooms around 10:45 p.m. Beau, myself and an assistant coach went down to the bar, which was attached to the hotel for a beer,” Moyer told The Nugget Monday.
“Twenty-minutes later four players, all of whom were of legal drinking age, showed up. Two were 19-years-old and the other two were 20-years-old. They asked to join us,” he said.
“I’m 61-years-old and thought nothing of it. We had a couple of beer and were in our rooms by midnight.”
While the players may have been of legal age to consume alcohol in Canada, it is still completely inappropriate for team staff to allow, let alone drink with, its players.
The excuse of “its a Canadian thing to do”, or “its junior hockey”, is insulting to the intelligence of any experienced hockey person.
Elite level athletes, at any level, do not drink with staff. Staff, at the junior hockey level who allow player drinking in their presence deserve to be fired.
The NOJHL and the team got it right.
Joseph Kolodziej – Publisher
