N.H. youth hockey coach fired after punching referee at Mass. game
"His actions and behavior go against all of our core values and principles."
A youth hockey coach from New Hampshire has been fired from his team after he was caught on video punching a referee during a game in Kingston, Massachusetts, over the weekend.
In a statement Monday, the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs said the team is “disturbed and disappointed by the events that took place on Saturday” as the team took on the Springfield Jr. Pics at the Bog Ice Arena.
“The Monarchs organization condemns this behavior by any employee or member of our coaching staff,” the team said in the statement, posted on its website.
The team did not identify the coach.
“The coach involved was immediately terminated and relieved of his duties,” the team said. “This coach no longer has any ties within our organization. His actions and behavior go against all of our core values and principles.”
The referee, Aldo Binda, 59, told WBZ-TV the coach slammed the door to the bench repeatedly and used abusive language during the game.
After Binda assessed the coach a penalty, the man spat at him, entered the rink, and threw about a dozen punches, Binda said.
The coach was escorted from the facility. Binda continued to referee the rest of the game after the incident.
Binda, who has been a referee for 25 years, said Sunday he was still shaken and had a sore back.
New Hampshire Amateur Hockey Association president Matt Roy said the volunteer coach had been suspended pending a hearing on the incident.
“Obviously there’s no place for this in our sport, and we’re still collecting the reports to conduct the hearing and we’ll go from there,” Roy told Boston.com Monday, before the Jr. Monarchs issued their statement.
Massachusetts Hockey released a statement with a similar message, saying, “There is absolutely no place in our game for the type of behavior that occurred.”
“Due to the ongoing investigation, Massachusetts Hockey will have no further comment,” the statement said.
Massachusetts Hockey official statement about the incident that occurred on Saturday, March 7, 2020 in Kingston, Mass. @MassOfficials @referees_crease @usahockey @USAHOfficiating pic.twitter.com/uVuGciGHfZ
— Massachusetts Hockey (@Mass_Hockey) March 8, 2020
The Jr. Monarchs said they “will continue to support” New Hampshire Amateur Hockey and USA Hockey in the matter.
“One person’s actions should not be a reflection of the organization as a whole,” the team said. “We are truly sorry that this incident took place.”
Binda said he was weighing whether to file a police report. He told The Boston Globe he planned on seeing a doctor Monday.
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
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