Sudbury Northern Life Reporter Sabrina Byrnes
"Sometimes they curse at me, other times they yell at me for making a bad play or something, but I'm only 11 years old and I make mistakes sometimes, so they have to understand that."
Miller Donnelly, who currently plays on the Copper Cliff Redmen
Minor Peewee AA team, was just nine when he made a YouTube
video that addressed the issue of adults yelling at kids during
competitive minor hockey games.
It began when Donnelly and fellow Larchwood Public School students participated in a public speaking contest at Legion Branch 503.
Donnelly's father Mike posted his son's speech on YouTube so the boy's uncle in Halifax would be able to see it.
Up until recently, there was only eight or nine hits on the video, as it was mostly family who were viewing it. Someone had sent the the link to the Ottawa 67's because of an old shirt Donnelly was wearing in the video.
They in turn passed it along to the Ottawa Minor Hockey website where they have had it posted since Nov. 28. The video has now been viewed almost 7,000 times.
Donnelly's video speaks of a hockey helmet that he refers to as a "magical helmet," although it isn't magic in positive light.
Donnelly said adults treat him respectfully until he places his helmet on.
"The minute I put that helmet on my head and step onto the ice, adults treat me much differently," the nine-year-old said in the video.
"They yell at me, they curse me and they call me names. They treat me like I've been playing hockey for 15 years and get mad when I make a mistake."
"Many young hockey players are scared of their magic helmet. The yelling that it brings makes them frightened and confused while playing the game, and most of the time the parents that are yelling are the players' own parents."
Donnelly believes the negative feedback from the stands will deter kids from playing the game, and said his he wishes parents would stop yelling and just make hockey fun.
"I admit, as a mother, I get overly excited and passionate about the game, so I need to hear his words myself," said Donnelly's mother, Cori Nieme.
Nieme said that she is trying to be more positive herself, and has received good feedback from other parents who have said they are trying to show some restraint now, when the urge to shout comes along.
"I thought it was brilliant," said Mike.
Mike was pleased that his son chose to do a speech on something that is actually happening in the world, especially when it is coming from a young child who is directly affected by it.
"That's why we are proud. People are hopefully going to change because of what they see in his video."
Mike said that Ottawa Minor Hockey has offered the family tickets to an Ottawa Senators game, the World Junior's game or an IPod if they aren't able to travel to Ottawa.
He also said that the Ottawa 67's have offered them tickets to one of their games as well where they will feature a portion of Donnelly's video on their jumbo tron.
To view Donnelly's video on the magical helmet visit http://www.ottawaminorhockey.com/Pages/News/loadnews.php?report_id=22 .
