NNEC team suspended for hazing

Parent

- September 27, 2012 at 09:10:46

EDITOR'S NOTE: The story and comments regarding "Rookie day" at PA were not removed from this site and can be found here: http://www.ngnews.ca/Sports/2012-09-25/article-3082848/Rookie-day/1 ***** I am amazed at how all reference and the stories regarding the hazing incident that happens at PA have been removed from the NG News site, and any thing that refers to it is now gone from this forum. I see a real sense of the School Board knowing they did wrong, either by suspending NNEC players for their behavior or not suspending Pictou Academy players for their behavior. You can not have it both ways in our society, if the Chignecto School Board is going to set a prescedent by suspending NNEC Boys I do not see how the same reasoning that led to that decsion can not lead them to suspend the Pictou Academy Girls. Is there a difference because it was bad boys who bullied vs little girls who are coerced?? But hazing is hazing, cover it up, sweep it away, call it a rookie day, it is still a hazing event. I defend the NNEC Boys as it was voluntary, I do not agree with it. I defend the PA Girls it was voluntary, I do not agree with it. They are all teenagers, wanting to fit in, just like the boys in NNEC the girls at PA are teased and poked and prodided until they comply............it is all hazing.

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parent

- September 22, 2012 at 10:29:01

Whether you agree with this particular incident or not, there have been recent tragedies associated with hazing. Society in general is saying 'no' to any hazing rituals - so move on and welcome new players to the team in a more positive manner. Also baseball or any sport which encourages youth participation is a great sport. So Spencer when you have children of your own you will agree with the importance of youth playing any sport which he/she can have success.

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irene

- September 22, 2012 at 08:51:40

after reading the comments following my Half Baked Teens,i am 100% sure now,that they are the ones who are 100% Baked,but remember folks,the Half Baked Apples don't fall far from the Trees that Bore them!this only goes to show the immature responses from tomorrows future Half Baked Grads/Non Grads!

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WJF

- September 22, 2012 at 07:45:49

Seeing as my original comment does not appear any more I will write another one, and this after reading 20 or more of the ones posted now. I can remember when I was a teenager thinking that something like this would be OK, the kids that got the haircut agreed to it right. Now as an adult, a coach, and a further educated and understanding person I realize that, even though the players agreed to have it done, it is still wrong on so many levels. Coaches and players are well aware of the school policies, they were broken, agreeing to something does not mean that pressures were not felt by the athletes in some form, whether verbal, or just situational, so that agreement is tainted. The team needs to suck it up and say yes we broke the rules, and need to suffer the consequences. Going forward start a new tradition, something that is fun but within the guidelines. I stated in my original post that the rookies can get extra duties like carrying the equipment, filling water bottles, etc. I ask that everyone, both adults and players take a minute to calm down and re-assess the situation later. Look at past traditions that seemed OK at the time they were done and how they have changed or have been completely left in the past. Team initiation is not how a team bonds, working hard at practice and pushing each other to be better is the way it is done.

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Cathy Hayman

- September 21, 2012 at 16:37:06

I hope this media circus ends as quickly as it started. I am a fan of baseball but I am also a fan of this baseball team in particular. I have the honor of knowing many of these students and am quite offended whan someone comes on here without using their real name and refers to these kids as "half baked teenagers". These kids are not bullies, "stoners" or anything other than really great kids and although they vary in age, they have known each other for many years of being on the ballfield. What happened was not intended as malicious, or hazing or bullying. It was meant as a simple, harmless tradition. I cannot believe anyone of them could predict things to transpire in such a negative way. I feel that they have been punished and now must put it all behind them and move on. I know emotions have been running high but I am happy in my belief that because they are such a great group, the "upset parents" can seek comfort in the fact that these teammates will treat " unhappy with haircut" no differently than before the events of a few days ago. Can't wait to get back to the old ball game!!

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GreatJobKid

- September 21, 2012 at 15:58:30

look, for the people saying they are bullying them or calling them babies if they said they wouldnt do it? thats false. there are 3 "rookies" who did not recieve a haircut and no one said anything bad towards them cause they wouldnt. and for the people telling us kids to grow up? maybe you should look at the picture here, you adults are fighting with us kids over a screen. this is highschool , its reality , we are almost adults ourselves now , and we do not need our parents fighting our battles for us. it was a simple harmless event that is being treated so seriously. there are more stuff going on with young people like drugs and alcohol and even worse initiation and everyone is here fighting about a haircut. this has gone too far. the punishment is done we cannot change that so just leave it alone. as for the tradition is should carry on for years and years. if i was a rookie , i would be much more happier with a hair cut then having to be paddled or eat/drink something gross, as other teams get rookies to do. think about it.

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nnec athelete IIII

- September 21, 2012 at 15:15:37

The fact that the news took two haircuts this far is rediculous. Everyone who gave haircuts had the haircuts when they were rookies, and the rookies that just got their haircut get to cut the next years rookies heads. That's how it works. If you can't deal with getting a haircut then you can't deal with playing sports at all.

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E.B.A.H.

- September 21, 2012 at 13:58:39

K let me break it down for ya, there are 5 rookies on the NNEC baseball team...3 chose not to get their haircut...everyone was fine with that and accepted that...however 2 TEENAGERS/PLAYERS decided they wanted their rookie hair cut...they got their haircut...everyone was happy(one rookie every proudly displays his rookie haircut as his facebook profile picture)...then one rookie's parents came to the field...they saw their child's haircut...END OF FUN...This parent took the fun that these teenagers had that day and completley ruined it. These players did not do this to cause any kind of harm, infact if they did not want to get their haircuts they had a CHOICE not to get it done. ( no harm or any type of bullying came to the rookies who didnt get their haircut?)...This parent then brought it too the schoolboard who once again blew it way out of proportion...shame on the PARENTS and shame on the SCHOOLBOARD for ruining these teenagers fun. Lastly shame on the NEWS for reporting such an article, if your gonna write an article on it, find the truth first! That is all, peace out (GRYPHONS ARE #1!!!!!!)

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Old woman

- September 21, 2012 at 12:30:27

Ok. Seriously... His parents need to give their heads a shake. It's his hair...that he grew..on his own head. He isn't 5 years old, really. If you are putting that much pressure on your son about his hair as a teenager give it 5 years and watch the rebel. As a parent of a child who had his head shaved into a mohawk and had it dyed orange for hockey my response was ...well don't you look silly. But it's about team spirit and fun. I'm sorry that you were bullied as a kid and think that this is some catastrophic event, stop taking out your pain on your child and carry on.

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Concerned

- September 21, 2012 at 09:56:37

For all of you who keep saying that it's a tradition.......just because something is a tradition doesn't make it right or acceptable. Bullying in ANY form is wrong, regardless if the bullies think that their actions are acceptable and that everyone is having 'fun.' If the team really wanted to foster a sense of team spirit and make their rookies feels like one of the gang, why doesn't everyone on the team shave their heads?

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  Another NNEC'er

  - September 21, 2012 at 12:18:50

  Irene, you are here saying how bad it is that a couple kids, who all agreed to it, got haircuts. Yet, your here spewing a big load of your personal, stereotypical, and prejudice opinion saying that as teens, we're all "half baked". Im with Kief on this one. google.com; define: hypocrite.

justagirl

- September 21, 2012 at 08:27:43

So what if these kids had not agreed to the haircuts? Then what? Team teazes them for being a baby,, call them "girls". Etc.... resulting in bullying. Maybe its a team tradition to cut hair but maybe that person felt they had to abide by it for fear of being teased later on if not. THAT IS CLASSIC BULLYING! all you kids/athletes that are defending that will realize this when you grow up and sit back and see things like this happen. A simple Haircut for initiation is where it starts.

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randomchick

- September 20, 2012 at 23:34:08

Seriously to all the parents or other people shooting off about people getting hair cuts you sound absolutely ridiculous. That's just their way of having a good time, the students that got their hair buzzed will be able to do it to the new members next year, that's just how it goes.

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GRYPHONSOVEREVEVERTHING

- September 20, 2012 at 23:08:29

Who are you too call us "half baked teenagers"? We're athletes clearly , not half baked , this has been going on for years and no one had ever said a word about it so give your head a shake and if you don't have the heart too shave your head for the team and be a part of a tradition , you're probably a bag of rocks and shouldn't be playing anyways

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Concerned

- September 20, 2012 at 21:14:11

So let me get this straight...so far on this forum, three NNEC athletes have 1. come forward to say that they don't see anything wrong with their actions 2.said that's since it's a tradition that it's ok 3. said that worse things are occurring on other sports teams at their school (paddling!!??) and 4.threatened the kid who finally stood up for himself with more bullying. What the heck is wrong with these kids? It would have been far better just to admit their mistake (kids make mistakes) and face the consequences. Maybe these players need more than a week and a half suspension to think about their actions.....

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Momma

- September 20, 2012 at 19:50:28

I find it amusing how some parents are so quick to brush this off.Not all kids want their heads shaved etc and I'm sure most do it out of peer pressure but would never admit it due to fear of being teased.Bullying is a serious issue and should never be ignored regardless of what others think.My child just graduated from High School and shared with me over the years while participating in different sport teams and the rituals that go along with it,stressful sometimes.So all of you parents/guardians who are chomping on the bit to judge a situation that you are not involved in...mind your own business!

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nnec athlete

- September 20, 2012 at 19:22:01

But the thing is the ones that had their hair cut were the ones who AGREED to have it done, those who didn't, still have a full head of hair.

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NNEC Alumni

- September 20, 2012 at 18:48:36

You guys, The News, are the biggest joke I think I've ever witnessed. You need stories that bad so you pick on a North Nova baseball team whos season doesnt even last a month and is only considered a "club sport". The school gives little or no money to the baseball program which is rediculis. When I went to the school, every team had to do some sort of initiantion, hair cuts are very mild compared to what rugby kids had to do. How does it make you feel that you posted this story about kids who are not even out of school and now the talk around the town is going to be who did what and it may end up ruining someones reputation all because you thought this was "news". Well it's not, like said on here it is a tradition that pretty much every sports team does, even in the NHL or MLB they make the "rookies" dress in rediculis clothing out in public.

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parent of an athlete

- September 20, 2012 at 17:50:34

This really is getting out of hand!! Two players volunteered to have their hair cut, many rookies chose not to. Of the two, one proudly displays his new "do" as his profile pic and the other was ok with it....until his parents got upset. Admin only stepped up because this dad threw a fit, this makes it harder on the poor kid himself! Their was no bullying involved and no plans of anything besides the haircuts were made! This appearing in the news is a huge embarressment to the school and the child whose parents went off on a tangent....If a voluntary haircut is all we, as parents, have to worry about i would say we are very fortunate considering all the evil things our children are exposed to!!!!

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  Hockey Mom

  - March 21, 2013 at 11:03:08

  I understand the need to protect individuals from hazing rituals... but a haircut? My son's hockey team went to provincials last year and some decided to dye their hair, blonde - some didn't is this going to be considered hazing??? Its a bonding thing - showing unity... my Gosh its hair, you can cut off the colour, let it grow out... I'm not going to argue about something as silly as hair - I'm thankful they didn't decided to guzzle a keg of beer!!! Don't sweat the small stuff - there are bigger things down the road you will have to deal with MUCH more important that a head of hair!

Spencer Straub

- September 20, 2012 at 17:45:38

Nobody cares about baseball, they play for 3 weeks and there season is over, and now all the rest of the REAL sports teams can't do anything because the baseball team cut hair for a point less 3 week season and ruined it for the everyone else. Maybe the kids on that team should play a real sport instead of baseball... What a joke

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irene

- September 20, 2012 at 17:10:19

if ya want a haircut-ya go to the barber,not to some half baked teenager who thinks he/she can do the task,looking at some of the teens today makes us wonder if they came from hens or cattle,grow up and act like young adults,not a flock of sheep!

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  Kief

  - September 21, 2012 at 09:04:22

  IRENE im sure most teenagers look at you and wonder the same thing

BMAN

- September 20, 2012 at 16:30:58

I've been reading the comments pour in for this article. I have a question for the ones posing as affected and involved athletes. You say that no one was forced to do this. Would you have still accepted them if they had refused? That's where the thin line lies. If they were ok with it then fine, however, hazing can't be categorized as the ones that are acceptable and the ones that are not. Hazing is hazing. I would suggest sports team start a new way of "initiating" new athletes to teams in a way that is less intimidating and that is more inviting, thus creating BETTER bonds between the team rather than forcing someone to get initiated in a way that afterwards leaves the new athlete not so accepted on a team.

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  A PARENT

  - September 20, 2012 at 23:04:00

  These boys are all friends. They grew up togeather at the ball field and rink. They did nothing to be mean. The important thing is there was no one forced to do anything. There was five grade tens to have there hair cut that day and three choose not to. It didn't matter, they are equal members on the team hair cut or not. Go to the rink durning playoff time and check out the hair on the kids. Its bonding not bullying in my opinion

nnec athlete

- September 20, 2012 at 16:15:27

its a haircut, which symbolizes being part of the team, not bullying. whoevers parent decided to contact the news is now more likely to get bullied for ending the tradition process. Rediculious.

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Bob

- September 20, 2012 at 16:14:45

Interesting that Wilfred Lauruer U suspended its baseball team for the same reason. Good for the Admin for standing up to this.

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A third NNEC Athlete

- September 20, 2012 at 16:01:20

The hockey team does it too. Where is their punishment? This is ridiculous and is getting blown way out of proportion. Other teams in our school paddle the grade 10's and do things that could cause physical harm. We gave 2 kids a buzzcut. The news should get better stories, its almost as bad when the only story they wrote about the bantam memorial tournament last year was when a fan threw a garbage can on the ice.

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ANOTHER NNEC ATHLETE

- September 20, 2012 at 15:39:43

hair grows back! there was an agreement! the kids can do what they want. no one was forced, its a tradition that is harmless. they could of picked a not so pleasant thing to do , but they chose haircuts, it grows back! the same thing has been going on for years now , why all of sudden is there a problem now! once again no one was forced, everyone has a choice, so whats the problem?

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ItsReal

- September 20, 2012 at 15:36:29

Hazing is hazing. To you it is "just" a haircut but to someone else it is something different. People play sports for the love of the game and they shouldn't NOT play because of your so called"traditions." This can still be bullying and bullying has severe consequences to those involved. The sooner kids realize this the better things will be.

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alex frank

- September 20, 2012 at 15:28:48

haircuts??? really? we would shave heads, half the head, eyebrows and it was a fun time for all and helped the new guys to feel apart of the team. i did it in high school hockey and so did the rest. if you don't want to then don't play... its been a tradition of local teams throughout the county for as far back as i can remember. truly pathetic when team bonding and unity are being wiped out.

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justagirl

- September 20, 2012 at 15:00:37

First its "just haircuts",, then its just something else,, and then something else. Rules are Rules for a reason. Dont like them pay the consequences. Schools have policies about "initation" and "hazing" for a reason. Comments like that show no remorse for actions and perhaps a larger suspension should have been handed down.

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  Beaver Cleaver

  - September 20, 2012 at 20:17:15

  Sports teams need a reason for brotherhood. a little bit of "Poke The Newby" is a good thing.....and a buzzcut is within range of "A Little".

nnec athlete

- September 20, 2012 at 14:35:13

Pathetic. It was haircuts, learn to deal with the traditions or don't play. you'd think there'd be more important things to put in the news than a couple kids getting HAIRCUTS.

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