Miller Donnelly uses YouTube to tell adults to treat kids the same on and off the ice. Courtesy: YouTube
The boy with the "magic" hockey helmet visits Ottawa
Updated: Sat Jan. 10 2009 6:09:40 PM
ctvottawa.ca
Miller Donnelly's hockey celebrity didn't come from scoring goals or winning games.
The 11-year-old Sudbury boy dropped the opening faceoff at Saturday afternoon's Ottawa 67s game after thousands of viewers watched his online video asking parents to put less pressure on minor hockey players.
"I just want to play the game without parents yelling at me. Like you have to worry about lots of stuff, we can't listen to that all game," Miller told CTV Ottawa.
"I just want parents to cheer. No yelling. Just have fun and watch their kids play."
In "The Magic Hockey Helmet," posted to YouTube, Miller talks about the difficulty he and his friends face on the ice.
"Once I put on my magic helmet and step on the ice, adults treat me much differently. They yell at me, they curse me, and they call me names," he says.
With more than 39,000 viewers, it's no idle pre-teen musing. Hockey Canada has deemed the problem serious enough to publish a handbook for parental behaviour.
Ron Garby of ottawaminorhockey.com, who helped bring Miller to Ottawa this weekend, said the magic lies in the messenger.
"Maybe this is the medium that will get through to them, because Hockey Canada has spent millions trying to do it," Garby said.
"Maybe just this one boy will have done it with his video."
With a report from CTV Ottawa's John Hua
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Comments are now closed for this story
Those poor Kids
I'm amazed as to how parents will dole out all the money so their child can play hockey, and then take that spirit out of them with their behaviour. Horrible. I do not have children in hockey but I hear enof about it and it breaks my heart to hear how parents turn a good time into a disaster. Grow up! If you can't behave, go to your rooms and let someone else escort your child to their games
Michelle
The worst live violence and the most foul language that I have ever seen and heard was at a 67's game. To be at a 67's game just makes this boys message seem meaningless.
It is like having a cigareette hanging between your lips and telling your kids not to smoke.
Now if the 67's would clean up their act to show the kids what good sportsmanship is really all about then that would be great. But that is not the hockey that sells tickets now is it.
GO KID GO
Sigh,
This is what happens when parents aren't parents.
They just reproduce, not knowing what it is to raise children, thus can't keep their emotions in check.
This has everything to do with hockey, and society as a whole
When there are no rules, or consequences, adults and children alike run wild.
Kudos to Mr. Miller who has more collective maturity than most parents in the world today.
GO KID GO!!!! Somebody has to teach these "adults" a lesson