Minor hockey trainer, referee fight after Stittsville game

The trainer of a west Ottawa minor hockey team has been suspended after he fought a 19-year-old referee following a game on Wednesday night.

Ottawa police said they were called to the Johnny Leroux Stittsville Community Arena on Warner Colpitts Lane to break up a fight.

Nobody was arrested or charged in the altercation, which began during the post-game handshakes that followed a minor bantam playoff game between the Stittsville Rams and Leitrim Hawks. The game involved players who are 13 years old and younger.

Tim Sheehan, president of the Stittsville Minor Hockey Association, says opposing players began to scuffle in the handshake line. Those players were then given post-hoc game misconducts.

Ref suffered scrapes, cut eye, broken glasses

After that broke up, Sheehan said a trainer with the Rams approached the 19-year-old referee to discuss some calls made during the game, and things got heated.

"My understanding is there was some pushing and shoving," he said, "They ended up putting each other in some sort of head lock."

Dozens of parents surrounded the two and soon broke up the fight, Sheehan added.

The referee did suffer some "scrapes on his face" and a cut on his eye. His glasses were also broken in the fight, Sheehan said.

The trainer received a seven-day suspension pending further investigation, while the referee will not face any discipline.

Have your say

• Click here to vote in our poll.