Music: {allcanada} Heading to the States

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

{allcanada} Heading to the States

NEEPAWA, Man. -- A Manitoba junior hockey player is planning to move to the United States and start anew after being subjected to a rookie hazing that prompted an RCMP investigation.

The 15-year-old is hoping to play for an Omaha, Neb., team in the elite triple-A North American Prospects Hockey League.

"He's excited. He's very, very excited," the boy's father said Tuesday.

"We're hoping (he'll play) within the next few weeks."

Until recently the boy played for the Neepawa Natives of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. But he was removed after coming forward with a complaint that he had been subjected to a disturbing locker-room initiation in late September.

Some of the rookies were told to dance and remove their clothing as older players watched and judged them, the boy's father said. Those with low scores were then made to walk naked around their locker room with plastic water-bottle crates tied to their genitals by a string and dragging on the floor.

Neither the league nor team officials will comment on the father's version of the story. The league investigated and last month fined the club $5,000. Some coaches and players were suspended for up to five games. The RCMP was called and began its own investigation.

Late last week, the league reopened its review after some players changed their stories and said that one assistant coach was present for much of the hazing, commissioner Kim Davis said. The league handed an indefinite suspension to assistant coach Brad Biggers, which prevents him from coaching for any Canadian team.

On Tuesday, Davis announced the league's renewed investigation will be led by Ron Bell, a retired police officer.

The Omaha team had contacted the boy in the summer and had repeatedly tried to lure him south, the boy's father said, but the teen had wanted to stay with his hometown team until the hazing changed all that.

.The league and the boy's family agree that a fresh start somewhere else would be best. The Omaha team represents a huge opportunity, the father said.

"These games are attended by NHL scouts ... the exposure level down there will be tenfold in my opinion."

.The league has cautioned that the boy's move requires approval from Hockey Canada, the body which governs amateur hockey leagues.

"The regulations state that a player of his age is not able to transfer to another federation, which in this case is USA Hockey. It's not permitted by the agreement between the two federations," Davis said.

.The player will have to appeal to Hockey Canada for special permission to play south of the border, he said.

.The Canadian Press is not identifying the boy because of the ongoing RCMP investigation.