As incredible as it may seem, a Winnipeg couple attending their eight-year-old son’s January hockey tournament in Fargo, N.D., walked into the other team’s dressing room and started a fight with the coaches. Those coaches fought back, with the Winnipeg instigator getting the worst of the confrontation – to the horror of 14 eight-year-old witnesses.

Fargo police investigated the incident and did not lay any charges. But the West Fargo Hockey Association immediately kicked the Winnipeg team out of the tournament and sent them home. They won’t be invited back next year, either.

That incident, unfortunately, is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of absolutely ridiculous, unsportsmanlike behaviour demonstrated by Winnipeggers over the past couple of years. Hockey Winnipeg officials say January was one of the worst months they’ve ever had in terms of parents going off the rails.

It’s one thing to be passionate about your national sport. But when a fraction of 1% of all Canadian hockey players make the National Hockey League (NHL), it’s time to get a grip, people.

The highest-profile incident occurred last year, when a crazed parent was caught on video criticizing a penalty called against his son for crumpling another 15-year-old boy into the boards from behind: “Just ’cause he’s a midget!” Jason Boyd yelled.

When the father of the injured boy took issue with that comment, he was told, “Don’t touch me or I’m going to kick your [expletive] glasses in, you got that?” It should be noted that Boyd did all of this while holding his infant daughter in his arms.

Hockey Winnipeg officials have decided they can sit idly by no longer. Starting this autumn, one parent from every hockey family will be required to take Respect In Sport, an online tutorial that aims to prevent parents from screaming at each other, referees (many of whom are just kids themselves), coaches or players before their child is allowed to register for the upcoming season. (Not surprising, some parents are complaining about the three-hour time commitment and the $12 cost.)

The program was co-designed by anti-abuse crusader and former NHL forward Sheldon Kennedy. The tutorial is mandatory before any coach or assistant coach in Manitoba is allowed to step behind the bench.

Hockey Winnipeg has considered the program for at least a year, largely due to increasing reports of confrontations at minor hockey games. Parents, hockey administrators say, cause the “vast majority” of problems in city arenas.

Respect in Sport has been mandatory in Calgary since 2010 and now is mandatory throughout Alberta, every Maritime province, the city of Regina and several minor hockey associations. Next season, the program will be adopted by the Ontario Minor Hockey Association, the largest in Canada.

Over the past year, the number of referees in Winnipeg has dropped, with many younger ones giving it up because they feel too much pressure and can’t take the abuse.

Hockey Winnipeg should go one step further and make every crazy hockey parent who is involved in an ugly incident donate their time as a referee. And, if they can’t skate, be a timekeeper.

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