First off, I would like to thank each and every one of you for all your kind words about Matthew, Vince and me.
We are so very proud of Matthews actions after Sundays game against the Nanaimo Clippers and will always treasure it and all the support he has received.
We felt compelled to write this letter to help people understand that yes, the coaches made a bad decision and I am sure it will haunt them for a long time but it does not attest to their true character.
Matthew is so proud to be on the Pee Wee Tier 1 Viking Construction team and has only said positive things about his coaches all year. He enjoys playing with all his teammates, many of which he has played with from the beginning of his hockey years.
When I asked Matthew what made you stay out there his response to me was it wasnt Nanaimos fault, mom, it was a good game!
I know for certain that all those boys were in turmoil after the game, confused with what was happening and not sure what to do. Lets not forget they are 11-12 year old boys and a great bunch of boys at that. Unfortunately our coaches let their emotions get the best of them this day and the kids became the casualties of this.
We are sad that Prince George is being portrayed in such a negative light.
Can things be improved with in the PGMHA? Absolutely, as I am sure things can be improved in many associations across the province and the country.
These boys just want to play hockey and these coaches want to coach their sons and the other players. It does not go unnoticed the hours they give up to do this.
It is apparent from the emails, comments and news articles that this incident has generated a lot of discussion about player and coaches conduct and we just hope that we can move forward in a positive way, learn from it and hope it does not happen again.
Thank you everyone again.
The Marotta Family
