How important is it to you that good sportsmanship extends off the ice?
Have you seen examples where children or parents say things online that they would never say in person? And how has this impacted you or the ones you care about?
It’s still shocking to me that over 40% of Canadian kids are cyberbullied every month. We have all seen examples of it, and many of us have seen the impact.
Cyberbullying can impact anyone. Watch Jordan Eberle’s Story, where Jordan shares his experience with cyberbullying as a professional athlete and hockey player. No one is immune to the impact, and we all need to do our part to be sure that we promote positive interactions online.
As president of our local association, and as a manager and hockey parent for 12 years, I’ve seen many examples where cyberbullying has happened, and how it has impacted players, families, and coaches, all in the name of the sport we love.
It’s a big problem, but we can all ask ourselves, what can we do to address it?
It’s a very small step, but in our association, we have chosen to model responsibility online. We have made a change to our code of conduct which promotes respect – to cover the use of social media. There is no longer an opportunity to say things online that would not be allowed in person. As well, we no longer allow camera’s or devices with video in the dressing room.
But we still need to ask, what else can we do? I’d love to hear your suggestions for how we can together end cyberbullying and promote positive interactions online.
Let’s rally together and use #AllConnected when cheering on team Canada and check out wise.telus.com for more tips to make the internet a friendly place.
Proud to #Partner with Telus during World Juniors to address these important issues!
Comments or questions? Email us at contactus@canadianhockeymoms.ca or leave a comment on our Facebook Page.