Grafton-Park River Hockey Coach Under Scrutiny
According to an article on Valley News Live, head hockey coach Scott Robideaux for Grafton-Park River, has come under fire for allegedly verbally and mentally abusing hockey players on his team. Valley News Live does a "whistle blower" feature on their website, where viewers can make complaints about businesses or individuals.
Coach Robideaux is accused of running a toxic locker room with some players suffering from bouts of depression and anxiety after the fact. Valley News Live received 23 pages in an open request of the alleged behavior of Scott Robideaux.
In one of the complaints, he would move players up and down from the Varsity to the JV hockey team. I have to interject on this one. Isn't that called being a coach? When you're playing well, you're varsity. It you're off your game you might get moved down. It happens everywhere doesn't it? Okay, there's more. He's also accused of calling a player a "wussy" according to the article. I'm guessing he used another word that rhymes with that, but the article decided to print the PG 13 version? Okay, I have to add to this as well. I played sports my whole life, and I can't really remember when a coach didn't have colorful things like that to say to a team or an individual. Am, I condoning this way of coaching? No, but it's very common is my point. Another complaint, says a player tape-recorded Robideaux using a slur to describe his players after losing a game. He told the players to not go home to "their mommies and daddies about what's going on in the locker room" according to the article. He then started confiscating cell phones prior to games.
You just don't know what to think on this one. In the article it goes on to say that the coach received a good evaluation from 2017 to 2019 and even praised him. He was however put on a "performance improvement plan" at one point as well.
Grand Forks Red River had a similar issue with their hockey coach a couple years back. You can read all about that HERE in the Grand Forks Herald.
I guess time will tell if there was truly an issue with Coach Robideaux. As somebody who has coached youth sports for the past 12 years, including hockey. All, I can say is that times have sure changed. Let's face it, in this day and age, if a group of parents want you out...You're more than likely out.