It's a tradition. Each winter, thousands of Canadian children lace up their skates and join minor hockey leagues, some almost from the time they learn to walk. Good sportsmanship and teamwork are meant to be the main lessons, but lately they have been overshadowed by the drive to win at any cost. These days, angry parents, sometimes filmed and posted online, scream at their children to "hit harder" while quarrelling among themselves in the stands. Parents trade insults, shoves, and threats. Only a small share of parents behave this way, yet their conduct carries broad consequences, including costly lawsuits, wasted resources, and damage to the reputation of a time-honoured sport. To protect young players' enthusiasm, minor hockey bodies in most provinces now require parents to pass a "respect in sport" course before their children take the ice.

At a recent community awareness evening hosted by ActiveKids in Saskatoon, most parents interviewed lamented the current state of minor hockey, insisting that the actions of a few were spoiling things for everyone. Saskatoon parent Janelle Friesen said both her sons started playing at age five, burned out after repeated injuries, and now, to her dismay, avoid all team sports. She blames her sons' injuries on "hockey parents who pushed their kids to push mine." Former hockey parent Tara Beaulieu felt her daughter had an easier time with bullies but faced a fair bit of peer pressure. "She switched to swimming in the end," Beaulieu recalled.