Photo Credit CBHA
The on-going saga of the fight between the CBHA and BC Ball Hockey is more like a tennis match with everyone serving up something different which only hurts the sport.
Correspondence from BC Ball as listed below indicates that the BCBHA has kept this to themselves since it was first mentioned even at the meeting at Rogers office with Mike and the rest of the executive members in attendance.
Let it be know that the one absent was Fernando and probably chose to stay away (possibly) at the request of the current president.
In recent conversation with various persons involved in BC Ball they mention (off the record) that the indication of a removal is only “lip service” mainly due to long-time friendship between Mike and Fernando.
Others on the BC Ball Hockey Executive may have had no part of this, but it filters down from the top and as we were told “It’s time to clean house” and start fresh and if that means getting Sport BC or the governing body of sport in Canada involved it should be welcomed.
The correspondence speaks for itself and anyone that thinks his stepping down puts an end to this is looking at this through tunnel vision so let any small talk sway you.
Keep an open mind and let’s rid ball hockey of any additional problems like this.
Enjoy the read:
On Apr 25, 2024 at 3:36 PM, <Mike Schweighardt> wrote:
Mr. McNeil,
Mr. Alves resigned as a BCBHA Director on March 22, 2024. Our membership was advised which is our duty to inform.
Thank you. Best Regards,
Mike Schweighardt BC Ball Hockey Association
E: mike@bcbha.com, W: http://bcbha.com
“A GAME ANYONE CAN PLAY”
On Thu, 25 Apr 2024
Hello Mike Schweighardt, Zach Moffat, Gwen Ranquist, and Karny Dhillon.
I write to you all out of extreme concern for the well-being of our sport.
You have all been asked about whether a convicted sex offender is still a part of your board in an organization that oversees a sport of thousands of kids, women, and conscientious men across the province. It is unethical to ignore this question.
Each of you has a personal fiduciary duty to ensure your organization is operating legally and ethically.
Because, your silence on this question is placing this individual at the heart of a public relations nightmare for our sport and doing tremendous harm to our game.
On March 16th I wrote a letter to your BC Ball Hockey Organization which was in response to the knowledge of a great deal of disturbing evidence and allegations against your organization.
The letter was written on behalf of all of our adult ball hockey captains from the Comox Valley (which are now incorporated as the C4 Ball Hockey Association). The letter requested that:
“(1) [your BCBHA] board member with the convicted sexual assault charge be thanked for his years of service to the game, but none the less [be] removed at the next earliest opportunity. “
And
“(2) In addition, [that] from this point forward speak on our own behaves as the official representatives of the Comox valley, as is outlined in the BCBHA constitution and bylaws.
We ultimately hope to enjoy all the rights, responsibilities and privileges of a full voting board member of the BCBHA where we can offer our help navigating these concerning issues and advocating for the best interests of both the BCBHA and the North Island ball hockey community.”
Your response to that letter, which is below, was lacking in concern, accountability, and compassion to the nature of our request.
It is an absolute mystery to me and others why the BCBHA board would refuse to say in writing whether this individual in question is still a part of your organization.
Moreover,
The BCBHA was suspended by the Canadian Ball Hockey Association (CBHA) over this and eight other allegations.
I have just learned that your organization appears to have been calling members of the CBHA across the country and seemingly downplaying the severity of concerns over the involvement of a convicted sex offender in our sport.
I understand that it was not until CBHA members started googling the issue themselves that they learned this concern is not in fact overblown. (see attached CBC article)
In fact, I and I think many others across the country find it insulting to the victim and to any sexual assault victims that this concern would be “overblown”.
What kind of people would treat this issue for fifteen years and then seemingly downplay it?
The BCBHA’s silence on this convicted sexual assault concern is shameful.
The BCBHA needs to release a written statement clarifying whether this individual is still a part of the organization, and they need to make that statement time-stamped.
If you are just learning about these issues, I invite you to read the CBHA suspension attached.
We should all be concerned about ethical governance and ethical behavior.
Have hockey players not learned their lessons about staying silent when wrongs are being done?
We can no longer stay silent. Change cannot happen unless we speak up. It’s time.
The silence needs to end. Our sport needs to speak up. Speak loud and Speak often!!!
