Iqaluit’s wild, abusive, name-calling hockey fans

There is a yearly senior men’s hockey league that operatees in Iqaluit.

I love hockey, grew up playing hockey, and now I enjoy watching the senior league hockey teams during the winter months.

But it’s not fun to come out and watch anymore, due to some fans who take it too personally.

You cannot go out and watch a hockey game any more without being called names because you are cheering for another team.

I know a few people who have had dirty Kleenexes thrown at them by the young daughter of a fan because she is cheering for the opponent’s team.

The catch is that the daughter is only in elementary school and is being taught disrespect for other people and isn’t being taught kindness but to throw things at people

What will happen down the road?

There are numerous ways these fans react when their teams lose.

A resident was sent nasty Facebook emails because the resident cheered for an opposing team.

Referees who volunteer their time to run a game for the players are yelled at after the game while warming up their vehicles.

Players of the winning team are called names because they played a better game than someone’s husband-boyfriend.

I believe these actions have gone way too far and should definitely be made public.

I believe the children of these fans bring with them are being taught the wrong way to appreciate the talented players we have in Iqaluit.

They should also should be taught to treat people with respect and kindness not cruelty and disrespect.

There are people who love watching the game but refuse to enter the local arena because they don’t want to see adults act like kids or receive hate emails the following night and or be called names for cheering on their friend or family members.

Even NHL fans aren’t as bad as what we see here in Iqaluit.

For crying out loud, it’s just a recreational hockey league. It is not even a regional tournament!

Hockey is suppose to be fun; we go and watch to enjoy the game, not to be called names and have garbage thrown at us.

I encourage people who haven’t watched the league here in Iqaluit to come out and watch the hockey games in the fall. I hope you will not get the treatment most people get when cheering for the another team.

Come out, and laugh, and chit-chat with fellow spectators or just watch the great show our players put on.

(Name withheld by request)
Iqaluit

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