Tavin, a dedicated young goalie in Brantford Minor Hockey, has been forced out of rep hockey after facing bullying, threats, and what his mother believes to be organizational neglect.
After playing at the Select level, the young goalie advanced to the Brantford Minor Hockey Association’s (BMHA) U-15 rep team, expecting it to be a step forward in his development and a reason to celebrate. However, things took a different turn. After standing up for a teammate who was being bullied, Tavin became a target himself. His teammates turned against him and the teen’s girlfriend with name calling and things being thrown at him in the locker room. A rivalry between himself and the team’s other goalie was also beginning to rear its ugly head.
Tavin’s mom Courtney Rawson, told us it came to a head at a tournament in December, when the other goalie was not wearing a neck guard in the championship game, following previous warnings.
Following the tournament the bullying continued and Rawson feels the team’s coaching staff did nothing to address the escalating threat. After learning of the bullying the head coach allegedly asked Tavin if the team was “right” for him?
Following a game on January 5th, Tavin went to bed and woke to find that he had been added to a team group chat. A group chat entitled “kill Tavin”. A chat where other players threatened violence against him, including rape, having pucks shot at his head, and having his throat stepped on with skates.
According to Rawson, despite repeated reports, the coach ignored the bullying and dismissed parental concerns about the threats in the group chat. Which led Rawson to a meeting with BMHA.
His family, who spent thousands on rep hockey, were offered a free House League spot. However, Tavin would be barred from championships on the house league team.
Now struggling with his mental health, Tavin is unsure about his future in hockey. His mother wants strict consequences for those responsible.
Tavin is no longer a player in BMHA, and he and his mom are exploring options with other teams. Hockey Canada is investigating the incident through an independent third party. This raises concerns about the type of hockey culture that BMHA is promoting.
A spokesperson for BMHA and Alliance Hockey have not yet responded to our request for comment.
Written by Jeremy Hall