Posting backfires when White Bear Lake rival is injured
By Tim Leighton - The Pioneer Press
Four Stillwater girls hockey players received one-game suspensions for an inappropriate Facebook posting aimed at an opposing player, a Stillwater school district official said Wednesday, labeling it a "stupid prank done in poor taste.''
Before Stillwater's Suburban East Conference game against the White Bear Lake Bears on Feb. 1, the players posted an image of a teddy bear with a noose around its neck and wearing number 34, with the caption, "Another successful bear hunt,'' Stillwater activities director Ricky Michel said.
"They wanted to fire up the rivalry between Stillwater and White Bear Lake,'' Michel said. "That is why we made it a one-game suspension.''
During the game, White Bear Lake senior forward Crysta Lowell, who wears number 34, suffered a season-ending left knee injury in a collision. Lowell, who had previous knee injuries, will miss the postseason for the Bears, who are seeded No. 1 in Section 4AA. She ended the season with 21 goals and 17 assists.
"It looked like a freak accident,'' White Bear Lake coach Jerry Kwapick said Wednesday. "I don't think there was any malicious intent at all. It was too bad it had to happen.''
Michel declined to identify the suspended players or whose Facebook page had the picture.
"We dealt with the concerns,'' Michel said, "and there was a consequence.''
Lori Lowell, Crysta's mother, said the suspensions weren't long enough.
"They should have been suspended for the rest of the season,'' Lowell
said. "One game won't teach them anything. If it were my daughter that did that, I would have taken her off the team for the rest of the season.''
Her daughter, who was unavailable for comment, was shown the image by a teammate two days after the game.
"She was terrified,'' Lowell said. "I just saw that image and knew right away it was total harassment. If it was just a bear, it would be one thing. But it was Crysta's No. 34. That means she was targeted. They definitely wanted to stop her. It was horrifying.''
Chuck Lowell, Crysta's father, said the Facebook image included three Stillwater teammates of the player who posted it on the social networking website.
Lori Lowell said she called Stillwater assistant girls hockey coach Lee Gillespie and told him she wanted the image removed from Facebook.
In the game, a 3-2 victory by the Stillwater Ponies, Chuck Lowell recalled the moment when his daughter was injured. He said she was skating hard for a loose puck in the Bears' offensive zone. As she leaned forward to shoot, she and two Stillwater defenders collided.
The collision tore the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in her left knee.
"I just think they were trying to stop her from shooting,'' Chuck Lowell said. "The collision spun her, and the knee popped. I don't think those defenders meant any harm.''
Lowell has committed to play hockey next season at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, but that future could be in jeopardy. She also plays on the Minnesota Thoroughbreds, an elite-level women's amateur team.
"She is devastated,'' Lori Lowell said. "Hockey is her whole life.''
Stillwater coach Tony Scheid declined to comment, saying all inquiries should be directed to Michel.
"This is something that we have to talk to our coaches about, and they in turn will have to talk to their players,'' Michel said. "We don't want our kids to be involved with this stuff.''
Without the four suspended players, Stillwater defeated Mounds View 5-4 on Saturday in its regular-season finale.
The use of social networking sites isn't specifically addressed by the Minnesota State High School League's Bylaw 206, which addresses a student-athlete's code of conduct.
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Hal-9000
