Members of the back-to-back Minnesota state champion Warroad High School women's hockey team have penned a letter alleging abusive and inappropriate actions toward players.
Members of the back-to-back Minnesota state champion Warroad High School women's hockey team have penned a letter alleging abusive and inappropriate actions toward players.
Warroad High School, a perennial girls hockey powerhouse in Minnesota is coming under fire after parents, players, and community members penned an open letter to inform the school, board, and public of "alleged abusive and alleged inappropriate behavior and actions."
The letter, which was confirmed to The Hockey News by multiple parents on the team, states players have faced "Sexually harassing comments and public urination in front of minor players," and that staff were "Drinking alcohol while supervising players at overnight trips and at the state tournament."
The letter alleges that in one instance, a member of the coaching staff became so intoxicated they passed out in a player's room in bed with members of the team.
The group's intent in releasing the information as written in the letter "is to promote safety within the program and ensure a positive environment exists for all youth athletes involved in the Warroad Girls Hockey Program."
Other items outlined in the letter include staff "Berating and bullying players, causing some of them to suffer serious emotional distress" and "Ignoring concussion protocol and allowing players to play without medical clearance."
The group outlined a number of legal actions they could take, and have sought legal council, asking the school and board to take action "to rectify the conduct and prevent or minimize the likelihood of its reoccurrence."
The parent, player, and community members who penned the letter are seeking the school to "Immediately respond to and stop all harassment of girl hockey team members," "Retain a mental health consultant to work with girl team members suffering from mental emotional health issues; Create an anti-bullying taskforce," and to create a team handbook that would track reports of alleged harassment and train staff. The player and parent group is also looking to be reimbursed for legal fees, and want the existing girls' hockey coaches replaced.
According to Warroad superintendent Shawn Yates, however, the issues have already been addressed and the school is moving forward.
"The concerns raised have already been addressed and while some individuals may not be satisfied and are looking backward at years past, the District is looking forward to having a great 2023-2024 school year," Yates wrote in an email to The Hockey News.
The parent and player group, however, feels not enough has been done.
"We have been open to addressing these matters through some type of mediated discussions but there has been no attempts at these discussions made from the High School Administration, School Board, or their counsel," the letter concludes. "We do not want to cause financial hardship for District 690 and only want to protect all players from the horrific experiences that our children have endured as well as so many before them in the girls hockey program."
Warroad won back-to-back Minnesota Class A state championships in 2022 and 2023.
There are currently eight Warroad alumni playing NCAA Division I hockey this season, along with five competing at the NCAA Division III level.