"Some People Have To Be Protected Against Themselves": Hockey League Pleads With Players To Stop Boozing During Games

Today's overwrought rec league email carries a tinge of desperation. Coming to us from an adult hockey league in the Chicago suburbs, it's a cry in the dark from an overworked, under-appreciated league director, who wonders why a bunch of grown men can't get together to play hockey without drinking to excess. Our poor league director has clearly never played men's hockey.

This email was sent on Friday to every team manager in the league.

From: [Redacted] To: [Like, 35 people] Sent: Friday, May 25, 2012 12:13:57 PM Subject: URGENT!!!

Team managers,

I know that it was brought up and reviewed at the managers' meeting on May 7th, 2012, but several occurrences have happened in just the past week that are completely unacceptable. On more than one occasion we have had players bring cases of beer into a facility and upon being told that they can not bring beer into the facility, the response of "What's the big deal?" is disrespectful and unwarranted. Let alone against every rule that every Park Districts have in place. Taking beers onto the player bench and consuming them during the game is completely unacceptable. And when being told that the player can not have alcohol on the bench, either, the response that "I just came from work" holds absolutely no validity. A player who is obviously inebriated will not be allowed to play. No one wants to see anyone get hurt. I know that we are all over 18 years old, but some people have to be protected against themselves.

If you are going to use "a tough day at work" as an excuse to drink, I should be chugging half gallons of grain alcohol after the reeming that I have had this week from the above listed actions plus the rest of them that I have heard in just the past two weeks. Hoffman Estates and Park Ridge have been kind enough to extend their staff and facility so that we can continue to have our Adult Hockey League play competitive games and not lose many teams because of the facilities that we are fortunate enough to play at. These actions, and yes I know that I am speaking to the vast minority of you, are not what the RMAHL is going to be known for. All supervisors and scorekeepers have been instructed to call the police if this occurs again. If they are not comfortable in doing so, they have been told to contact me and I will do so. The reputation of this league has been cleaned up to the extent that many teams want to come here. I will not allow a handful of inconsiderate teams to effect all of our hard work.

If the teams in question would have adhered to the rules plainly stipulated at the manager's meeting, and not being at the manager's meeting is not an excuse, this would not be an issue. This is the only warning that I will give. Please feel free to forward this to all of the players listed on your rosters because everyone of them is held accountable for their actions during the game and they are also going to be held accountabble for their actions as members of the RMAHL.

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