PIHL hands out discipline after vulgar chants directed at Mars female goalie

KITTANNING, Pa. — Armstrong High School students are banned from hockey games for the rest of the season after vulgar chants were directed at an opposing team’s female goalie.

On Monday, Channel 11 told you about complaints and concerns after a game against Mars High School. The Armstrong student section was seen and heard chanting derogatory words at the Mars goalie. They made references to tampons and female body parts. Despite the girl being seen on the ice in tears, the arena full of spectators did nothing to stop the behavior.

>>>READ MORE: PIHL bans Armstrong student section at hockey games after vulgar chants directed at female goalie

The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League was made aware of the incident and started an investigation. As a result of that investigation, the Armstrong High School River Hawks were put on probation:

• No Armstrong High School students in grades 9-12 will be permitted to attend Armstrong High School River Hawks’ varsity hockey games for the remainder of the 2021-2022 season, including playoffs.
• Siblings of varsity players will continue to be permitted to attend Armstrong High School River Hawks’ varsity hockey games only if they enter and sit with a parent or guardian during games.
• Armstrong High School will provide a faculty member or administrator to attend each home and away varsity hockey game to serve as a parent/student/spectator monitor. The monitor shall address inappropriate spectator behavior prior to the situation escalating to the point it has an impact on the game by calling attention to the behavior, informing an on-site security official and asking for the offending spectator to be removed from the rink. The costs of the monitor’s attendance at the games shall be paid by Armstrong High School River Hawks.
• The Armstrong High School River Hawks shall be placed on probation for the remainder of the 2021-2022 season, including playoffs. In the event of a violation of any term of probation, a disciplinary hearing will be held for determination of supplemental disciplinary measures.

“I don’t understand why nobody there shut that down,” said Brianne McLaughlin-Bittle, a Team USA Olympic goalie. “It’s hard enough being out there and being the only girl in front of all the boys. There’s so much pressure being the goalie to begin with. Then trying to perform when people are heckling you like that...There’s definitely a line of what’s appropriate and that’s just too far.”

Following Channel 11′s report, Team USA Women’s Hockey Olympian Meghan Duggan also lent her support to the Mars goalie on social media.

The Pittsburgh Penguins were also made aware of the incident and invited the Mars hockey team to play their next game at the Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry.

That will take place on Monday and a huge crowd is expected to show support for the Mars goalie.

PIHL bans Armstrong student section at hockey games after vulgar chants directed at female goalie

©2021 Cox Media Group