Hockey N.S. partners with sexual assault centre on pilot project after players charged for hazing

Hockey Nova Scotia is working with the Avalon Sexual Assault Centre to launch a pilot project this season after two young players were charged in connection to a hazing incident earlier this year.

More than 2,000 boys and girls on under-15 teams of all levels will participate in first-of-its-kind training that will cover topics like leadership, consent and sexual assault.

“We have a lot of training for coaches and volunteers in the game and this is an identified area that we've seen and are lucky to partner with Avalon on to do this important work,” Mike Field, executive director of Hockey Nova Scotia, told CBC News.

Staff at Avalon say they received many emails from parents and coaches asking for support after the Truro-area minor hockey players, both 14, were charged in February with offences including sexual assault in what police described as a hazing incident.

Mike Field, executive director of Hockey Nova Scotia, says recent incidents have led to the creation of training specifically for players for the first time. (Jeorge Sadi/CBC)

“There were enough coming through that I was like, I think we should do something here,” said Kailee Wakeman, director of operations for the Halifax-based centre.

So, they reached out to Hockey Nova Scotia. Staff initially developed a webinar for parents and coaches to talk to young athletes about some of these topics after the charges were announced.

The pilot project is a progression of the webinar and Field says they’re considering expanding it to other age groups.

U15 players will participate in two educational sessions starting this month that focus on a range of topics.

“The main message that we want folks to leave with is that we all have a role to play in creating a safe,