Ontario minor hockey league team handed 14 losses — over paperwork error

The parents of a minor hockey team in Ontario are crying foul after the Greater Toronto Hockey League handed the team 14 losses over a paperwork error.

The parents of a minor hockey team in Ontario are crying foul after the league handed the team 14 losses over a paperwork error.

The penalty, imposed on the Mississauga Rattlers Under 16 boys ‘AA’ team by the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) in January, was issued over a trainer who was not allowed to be on the bench.

The parents of the 19 players said in a statement Wednesday the team’s official registrar admitted to making the error in a letter to the league. The parents said the trainer has been a registered volunteer before, and had submitted his credentials in September.

The registrar, along with the parents, are pleading with the league to overturn the penalty, the statement reads.

“Our kids were in first place and had a once in a lifetime chance to win a championship this year,” said Mieke Gilbert, whose son is a goaltender, in the statement.

“These kids did nothing wrong and are very upset. The GTHL had other disciplinary options, none of which would have impacted the players and their season.”

The parents said a hearing was held last month after the team appealed an initial GTHL decision to overturn the result of a single game from a win to loss, and the six game suspension of the team’s coach.

At the appeal hearing, the GTHL added a $1,000 fine and increased the game loss penalty to 16. The penalty was later reduced to 14 games to reflect the games the trainer was on the bench for after the league noticed an error in its first decision.