Western's women's hockey team says they will boycott all games and practices where coach Candice Moxley is involved after school dismisses allegations of abuse and misconduct, including not responding to reports of sexual harassment.
Western's women's hockey team says they will boycott all games and practices where coach Candice Moxley is involved after school dismisses allegations of abuse and misconduct, including not responding to reports of sexual harassment.
Photo Brandon VandeCaveye / Western - "Don't Silence Us" - Western Players Plan BoycottThe players of the Western University women's hockey team have written to University president Alan Shepard asking the school to reconsider the return of head coach Candice Moxley. The players are planning to boycott all games and practices Moxley is involved in.
"We had an expectation that Western University would believe us, the survivors of the psychological abuse we faced from Coach Moxley," the players opened their letter.
In the three page letter, Western's players state they do not believe the investigation completed was fair, unbiased, or transparent. The investigation was completed by a former Western University adjunct professor and faculty advisor, Elizabeth Hewitt, following allegations of abuse and misconduct directed at Moxley, and of sexual harassment by now former strength and conditioning coach Jeff Watson.
The Western players are concerned of Moxley's return, stating she knew of Watson's sexual harassment of players, but failed to act. Players claim they reached out to director of sports and recreation Christine Stapleton on March 13, 2023, without response. The players later met with vice-provost John Doerksen, followed by a meeting with Stapleton.
The team claims they made "repeated complaints of sexual harrassment" to Moxley, without action.
In the letter, players outlined the following allegations:
- When Coach Moxley was approached by the leadership team about players needing assistance with their mental health and well being her reply was "I don't care." Coach Moxley also pressured players to play through serious injuries, threatening to bench players for the season for non-compliance. By allowing Coach Moxley to return, the university has shown blatant disregard for the health and well-being of traumatized students.
- Since February 2022, when we first went to Western's Sports and Recreation Department, there has been no transparency from the department or university. Staff never followed through, and we were never informed of any results or next steps. Everything was just swept under the rug. It wasn't until Rick Westhead from TSN tried to speak to the university that our concerns were taken seriously. We were then told we should not be speaking with Mr. Westhead. We were silenced by the very university we expected to protect and support us.
- Some players were nervous to ask her, so they started purchasing their own supplies and some parents donated supplies and protein shakes (which Coach Moxley kept locked in her office). The team also mentioned that the off ice workout that Coach Moxley had Mr. Watson create wasn't working. Her reply was that she paid for these workouts and the team will do them.
The players then stated they will boycott all games Moxley is involved in, and sent suggestions to the University seeking a new investigation and transparency related to abuse.
You must approach this investigation without biases. We, the Players of Western's Women's Hockey team, will be boycotting any practices and games that Coach Moxley is involved in. If the university is really concerned about student health and safety, then we strongly suggest the following:
"The concerns we brought to the university should not be taken lightly," the letter read. "Why is Coach Moxley's treatment of us (past and present) being swept under the rug?"
"Don't ignore us. Don't silence us."