Just seeing the name Ryan, as in Archbishop Ryan I assume, makes me sit up and take notice when associated with the word brawl. My experience with their JV team a couple years ago at a tournament ended up with the same problem.
Posts: 56 | Location: West Chester PA | Registered: 25 March 2007
Yes Zambonihugger, that game was at Aston. It was the Phantom's Cup Tournament. Ryan had been kocked out of championship play and they played without any sportsmanship. Tried to start a fight that didn't work too well but players got suspended. I don't think too highly of their play, or coaching staff for allowing that to happen.
Posts: 56 | Location: West Chester PA | Registered: 25 March 2007
The kids from Ryan have a different mindset. If they can't beat you on the scoreboard, then they are going to beat you physically. It doesn't make it right, though, but that is the mentality of many kids from the city. They think kids from the suburbs are wealthy spoiled kids and they often times resent them.
Originally posted by Zambonihugger: Anybody know anything about what happened at Hatfield last night
A friend had a men's league game after the JV game. He said that the benches cleared and there were players all over the ice. He said there was fighting in the stands too. There was lots of police. His game started 1/2 hour late (so they had to drink some of the after-game beverages before the game...). He didn't know what started it.
Flyers Fan... you have to be kidding me! What an ignorant statement! My boy is a city boy, never threw a punch in his life. Never was on a team that liked to brawl because i would never allow it. He plays 18u AAA and varsity AAA you know what that means? It means he respects the game. This incident is simply jv players with no aspirations to get better that don't give a hoot and their parents are the same way! Suburban kids are no different! I coached the high school level for 4 years and there language and trash talk is equal if not worse than many city kids. The flip side to your comment is that many suburban kids see city boys as trash and want to fight them. Come on man city or suburban makes no difference!
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Matt Sacks,
Reality101, I coached and played the game too. Our perception was that the suburban kids were looking down their noses at us. We played a clean game but would knock your block off every chance we had with a good hit. I can't tell you how many times rude comments were made to us. I remember being involved in an altercation with Tennent. They played a chippy game and the refs couldn't control it. Then all hell broke loose in the stands, on the ice and even in the locker room with the police escorting us out of the arena. Does it make it right? No. All I can tell you is during my time at Ryan, there were fist fights every single day. Sometimes there were multiple fights in a given period, but that was how the city kids solved their problems... with their fists. Then it was over and done with. Obviously, it has been some time since I went to Ryan and maybe the place has changed. Ignorant? I don't think so. . . maybe misinformed. I can tell you that I teach in the suburbs and that 95% of the kids have never even been in a fight. So you do the math. As for respecting the game, I respect it also. But no one was going to sucker punch me, give me a cheap shot or a line mate and get away with it. That my friend is called defending your teammate. Isn't that part of hockey too?
Flyers Fan...first i wasn,t calling you ignorant... we all say things we might want to take back. I graduated in 78 philly public school...many fights but times are so different more violent today and kids are dying on the street. As far as being part of the game no not at the youth level, the pros yes. I've always taught my kid a good hockey player takes the punch,smiles skates off and trys to win the game. That is a life lesson that all kids need in todays world. My kid and many others will never play pro so this is a learning experience in many ways.
No apology necessary. I don't agree with fighting at the youth level, either. When I coached I told kids that if they fought they would face the consequences of their actions. I stood by that and still do.
As for life lessons, I believe that kids need to learn how to work out their differences in sports, school or work. I feel adults interfere too often and kids never learn to resolve or work out their problems. Just my humble opinion.
Today you see more and more disputes settled with violent weapons. From guns, knives to bats kids are not using their fists anymore especially on the ice. Fights are a part of hockey. Sticks are becoming more and more dangerous. A kid that doesn't have a true understanding of the game will do anything when they are frustrated. I remember in '04 the semi-final JV LBCSHL game between Ryan and Holy Ghost erupted into an all out fight when Holy Ghost was winning with a few minutes to go. Parents were fighting, coaches were going at it and kids were all over the ice. I've seen it beofre. When some teams get out played by skill they take their bodies and use them as a force.
I graduated from Ryan and played ice hockey for them over 25 years ago and that was the same thing that happened back then.
