Edina Sportsmanship in 12A State Tournament

[Northhockey8]

I was at the Edina vs White Bear Lake game. I was hoping to see a great hockey game........which it was until the Edina players went to the opposing teams fan section and snapped their jerseys, not just once, but twice! It was not only the most disgusting display of sportsmanship but also whatever respect any spectator may have had for Edina as a great hockey program, will now surely be overshadowed by the pampas display of elitism! Shame, shame!

Unfortunately, I will not remember the game as it was played but for the unbelievable display put on by Edina.

As a side note, apparently there was some bad blood because Shakopee was cheering for White Bear Lake. I was sitting near the Shakopee team and they never once booed or cheered negatively toward Edina, they simply were supporting WBL.

Now that great coaching staff from Edina, the head coach may be about development, but what kind. Word is that he told his player to "show your Edina green" to the Shakopee team be tween the 2nd and 3rd period. Shame shame once again.

I was also lucky enough to hear that he mentioned at both last years banquet and this years banquet that he knows most of the opponents hate him.....one coach said so honestly, "We don't hate you, we hate Edina". But now that this situation has played out, it could possibly be both for most people in the arena that night!

If anyone would like to see this for yourself it's on mnsportsnetwork.com, under the full archive section.

I'm hoping the Edina girls hockey program will issue an appology to all spectators, I'm so sad to see this in youth hockey. But it definitely needs to be addressed with the coaching staff, players and parents.

I'm hoping the other teams watching that night have learned from what they witnessed as well.

[tarasov]

Northhockey8,

I couldn't agree more with the Edina girls hockey program issuing an apology for their behavior at the State Tournament. If I could write it for them it would go something like this:

Dear 12UA State tournament teams,

Thanks for an incredible tournament and some out of this world games. We had the time of our life battling from behind in all three games and coming out on top. It was hard work and there wasn't one easy game. Every team should be proud of their efforts. The memories will be with all of us forever. Lastly, we are sorry there could only be one winner. On the other hand, we aren't sorry it was us that were crowned CHAMPIONS! We won fair and square and we deserve it! If you don't like us celebrating our State Championship, we have only one thing to say: "GET BETTER!"

Good luck next year!

Sincerely,

The Edina 12UA State Champions

....an apology? Seriously? Your facts are wrong and your sportsmanship in defeat is just as classless as what you claim Edina did. Get over it...you lost and those are the facts.

[Northhockey8]

Funny! Haha.

Actually my daughter plays for the Duluth team! We never played your team! Just one of MANY disgusted spectators!

Your lack of sportsmanship is VERY clear in your apology! I sure hope you think of sharpening up your parenting skills. Your children may be the unfortunate recipients of that elitist attitude of yours!

I, however, will continue to use that experience to teach my daughter that we will never allow that sort of attitude toward any other human beings! RESPECT for others and ourselves is what we like to teach in our home!

I wish you luck in all your life endeavors, it may be rough!

[centennialhockey]

I hope this reply by tarasov is a joke. If this is the attitude of a parent or a coach this is disgusting. No wonder everyone rips your team and your sportsmanship. It was totally classless as everyone has pointed out.

I was told the refs were talking to the Edina Bench during the championship game after goals were scored and the celebrations from your girls. Maybe that is a cue your girls are demonstrating poor behavior.

But I am sure it falls back to EDINA - Every Day I Need Attention

[NE14HKY]

Northhockey8,

I couldn't agree more with the Edina girls hockey program issuing an apology for their behavior at the State Tournament. If I could write it for them it would go something like this:

Dear 12UA State tournament teams,

Thanks for an incredible tournament and some out of this world games. We had the time of our life battling from behind in all three games and coming out on top. It was hard work and there wasn't one easy game. Every team should be proud of their efforts. The memories will be with all of us forever. Lastly, we are sorry there could only be one winner. On the other hand, we aren't sorry it was us that were crowned CHAMPIONS! We won fair and square and we deserve it! If you don't like us celebrating our State Championship, we have only one thing to say: "GET BETTER!"

Good luck next year!

Sincerely,

The Edina 12UA State Champions

....an apology? Seriously? Your facts are wrong and your sportsmanship in defeat is just as classless as what you claim Edina did. Get over it...you lost and those are the facts.

said in a Tony Soprano voice... Oohhhh!!

[areaman]

Why is it OK for boys to celebrate and when girls celebrate, it's "Pass me the smelling salts, where's the fainting couch."?

Have any of you watched a Squirt game? Or a PeeWee game? Or a Bantam game? Did you watch the High School tournament? Have you seen any of THOSE celebrations?

I imagine these girls feel every bit as much joy and pride when they score a goal (especially in the state tournament) as a boy does.

So lighten up. And you go, girl(s).

*obligatory statement: no, I do not have a child on any of these teams. I'm just pro girl confidence.

[Lace'emUp]

ok, I'll bite on this one.
99.9% of the 10U, 12U, 14U goals I've seen scored over the years have been celebrated in the most standard and simple of ways. Even the biggest of goals (game tying or winning in youth state championship games) have been more of a mob scene of the TEAM celebrating - they don't even acknowledge the fans at all, and there's no disrespect to the opposing team or it's fans. If what is described is true, it's only a result of the girls watching the boys high school games. So don't blame them, blame the HS'ers. The HS kids take the most simple of goals and make the celebrations look like they just won Lord Stanley and a brand new Camaro IROC at the same time. The drag-your-leg-slide-fist-pump & jump-on-the-glass & tug-on-the-uniform celebration happens all the time now. As an adult who has seen a lot, I can only giggle at the immature and unoriginal behavior. So old; so boring. Here's a clue to kids - watch your local college or pro team. Celebrate! But don't be a clown, and don't disrespect. The kids look up to you. For most of you, your sportsmanship will be respected more than you ever will know.

[D6 Girls Fan]

My daughter has a boring goal celebration. It is. Almost like she's apologizing for scoring sometimes. Unless it's an overtime goal to win a game or a shorthanded goal against a big opponent... then she might pump a fist, or make a big deal.

A couple years back, her AAA coach told her to "work on her celly."

I told her to go find her nearest teammates and thank them for their help. She does that.

She watched the boys tournament and said "Look at those clowns. Sick move, but don't be a jackass."

[Fan1]

Ok, I'll bite on this too. All of us support girls hockey and celebrating wins. As a fan I have watched countless youth, high school, college, and professional hockey games. As a player I celebrated wins though usually they're low key. I'm sure my opponent doesn't want a goal "rubbed in their face" just as I don't appreciate it.

Celly's aside, the issue with the 2013 12U A tournament was not the overall play, goals scored, fan reactions, or location. Teams and fans supported each other and players became Facebook friends. Coaches genuinely congratulated each other. Unfortunately one of the lasting memories will also be the poor sportmanship displayed by the Edina team and coaches. Not only was there the sweater pumping incident; during another game the Edina team gave the finger to an opposing team and used the F-word on the same team who was simply sitting in the stands cheering for the opponent. I can't believe many other teams tolerate this kind of behavior. Then, the Edina coaches did not (chose not to?) shake hands with the opposing team coaches when medals were presented post-game to the second place coaches.

I truly don't understand the behaviors. If a game is hard fought and played cleanly, we should be proud. Winners should celebrate - with class and good sportmanship. Losers will be sad but will appreciate a sincere acknowledgement of their efforts. This is about treating each other with respect regardless of our status, a valuable life skill that we all need to practice.

[U10Father]

I generally dislike Edina as much as anyone. But I generally dislike the fact that they're good and during youth hockey, cleaned my kid's clock regularly. I don't like Eden Prairie, Wayzata or Centennial for that same reason. Now, I find myself in that situation with BSM as my girl has gotten older.

So, when I saw this thread, I went online and watched all the U12 stuff that Edina was involved with last weekend. All I can say is people need to calm down. The sweater popping is NOTHING compared to the way boys react. Their celebrations are more mean-spirited than anything these girls did. The supposed bench shortening wasn't all that severe, and overrated here. Go back a couple years to when Centennial only had 10 kids on their 12A team, and they skated about 7 when backed into a corner. It's the STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. Who doesn't want their team to win? Is the moral superiority of 100% equal playing time (Which is a fallacy, by the way) worth the tears when your daughter loses? I don't think so. Are the Edina 3rd liners traumatized, or do they enjoy that State Championship recognition? Do you think they might quit because they spent the 3rd period on the bench? Or do they maybe come back next year and try to make the first 2 lines?

As to on ice behavior (use of the F word) - my daughter learned that word at U10 many years ago by a girl from a northern team. I was shocked. But these kids hear these things all the time.

My daughter started in the Minnetonka system and we're nowhere near as hated as Edina, but there's plenty of jealousy and bitterness which comes from opposing teams and their fans. I can only imagine the hatred that gets spewed at Edina. How much fun is it when opposing teams and parents cheer for your opponents, and applaud when they have success against you. If you don't develop some sort of bunker mentality, you're not normal. It's not like you're just playing against another team, it's like you're playing against everyone. So, if you want to pop off, maybe we can understand why. I hope the parents eventually rein in that behavior, but i also hope that other parents remind their kids that Edina girls are like everyone else and they probably don't appreciate getting ganged up on.

And not shaking the other coach's hands at medal time? Really? The medal ceremony has gotten too long with everyone skaing everyone's hands multiple times. Looked like everyone was happy after the game... You might be trying too hard here.

Look, the outrage is misplaced. Your girls lost to the evil empire. It doesn't suit anyone to try and denegrate their victory over style points. The games appeared to be clean, well-fought, and good hockey games. I get you don't like Edina, I don't either. But at least admit what you don't like the most is losing to them.

[Fan1]

I don't mind losing to any team even Edina, Minnetonka, Farmington....when it is a good close game. I DO mind losing when poor sportmanship is blatant.

The tournament is over. Let's remember the positives and resolve to treat each other with respect.

[sinbin]

Like the reminder from an NFL coach (I can't remember to whom it was attributed to) when his players score a touchdown . . . "act like you've been there before". I'm all for celebrating a goal when it's spontaneous. I do have a problem when it's a pre-orchestrated celebration. We're here for the love of the game and to watch you play hockey, not to suffer through what you think are incredibly clever and original "celebrations". The boys' HS tournament was godawful in this respect. Now we have U12's doing it, too? I'm not anti-fun. Sure, go ahead and hug your teammates, fistbump the bench and then get back on the ice and show us that you're a hockey player first, with class and sportsmanship, and not a would-be circus performer. This goes for all levels of hockey. I didn't see the game in mention here, but I've seen enough other examples of this. My daughter scores a goal, she finds her teammate who gave her the sweet assist, hugs her and says thanks, and then goes back to center ice so that she can continue her shift and hopefully score again. I will make no apologies for being old school and for my belief that hard work, class, graciousness, respect and sportsmanship are more important than following the celly lemmings off the cliff.

[luckyEPDad]

Bear Bryant. Often incorrectly attributed to Bud Grant.

[sinbin]

Thanks, EPDad, that makes me really old school, then, but still fiercely proud of it.

[Goldmember2]

Lift the banner SB. You deserve it and what goes around will come around. Edina girl’s hockey is being gutted by back room deals and rouge commissioners because they want their daughter on a title team, EH. SB it is not you, it is the parents who started skating with their daughters at 5 years old and taught to play hockey. SB your skills for coaching are quite limited and get away from the mirror, it will crack. If you have the nads to coach 2 more years I guess Edina will find out how bad you are as a coach. It's not you SB, it's the players. God help you.

[InigoMontoya]

Lift the banner SB. You deserve it and what goes around will come around. Edina girl’s hockey is being gutted by back room deals and rouge commissioners because they want their daughter on a title team, EH. SB it is not you, it is the parents who started skating with their daughters at 5 years old and taught to play hockey. SB your skills for coaching are quite limited and get away from the mirror, it will crack. If you have the nads to coach 2 more years I guess Edina will find out how bad you suck as a coach. It's not you SB, it's the players. God help you.

That's a little disturbing.

[RealisticRonnie]

GUTLESS!!!

Funny though...keeps me smiling! See you around the rinks the next "two" years! I'm shaking in my skates already.