What's up in Michigan

[spike]

Lots of talk on other boards about JV being removed as coach of HoneybakedBelleTireLittleCaesars. Has past finally caught up with him?

[zam.88]

JVivian out, MBerger in at both 16 and 19 level. Don't know about JV past except success getting to Nationals and getting girls schollies. Apparently something in the water drank by coahes at BC, RMorris and now LCaesars.:eek: EEK! is right!

[gotice]

JVivian out, MBerger in at both 16 and 19 level. Don't know about JV past except success getting to Nationals and getting girls schollies. Apparently something in the water drank by coaches at BC, RMorris and now LCaesars.:eek: EEK! is right!

rumors have been floating around for quite a while around the rinks. Last spring there was mention about this coach on another thread when the news came out about the BC incident and the BC coach leaving abruptly

[pakidnyc]

Lots of talk on other boards about JV being removed as coach of HoneybakedBelleTireLittleCaesars. Has past finally caught up with him?

Just curious what other hockey boards there are.

[boston buzz]

rumors have been floating around for quite a while around the rinks. Last spring there was mention about this coach on another thread when the news came out about the BC incident and the BC coach leaving abruptly

Not being from Michigan, what are the rumors. Was let go? Did they not ask him back?

[boston buzz]

In a nutshell - Hired in spring to "Direct" Little Caesar's Girls Hockey program after succesfully leading Honeybaked and Belle Tire 19-u programs to Nationals the past 4 years and getting more than a dozen girls rides in D-1 & D-III.

Fired by Little Casears (parent company to the Detroit Red Wings) last week 'cuz 1) Partying with players pleaded down to providing/influencing minors plus MIP (minors in possesion) then 2) caught in car with player pleaded down to indecent exposure. :( That's it, let's move on with the new season... PLEASE!

Wow. Enough said.

[DC78-82]

Wow. Enough said.

Wow. Too much done.:(

[gotice]

In a nutshell - Hired in spring to "Direct" Little Caesar's Girls Hockey program after succesfully leading Honeybaked and Belle Tire 19-u programs to Nationals the past 4 years and getting more than a dozen girls rides in D-1 & D-III.

Fired by Little Casears (parent company to the Detroit Red Wings) last week 'cuz 1) Partying with players pleaded down to providing/influencing minors plus MIP (minors in possesion) then 2) caught in car with player pleaded down to indecent exposure. :( That's it, let's move on with the new season... PLEASE!

So basically a slap on the wrist?

[WHKY blogger]

So basically a slap on the wrist?

sure sounds like it.

[gotice]

In a nutshell - Hired in spring to "Direct" Little Caesar's Girls Hockey program after succesfully leading Honeybaked and Belle Tire 19-u programs to Nationals the past 4 years and getting more than a dozen girls rides in D-1 & D-III.

Fired by Little Casears (parent company to the Detroit Red Wings) last week 'cuz 1) Partying with players pleaded down to providing/influencing minors plus MIP (minors in possesion) then 2) caught in car with player pleaded down to indecent exposure. :( That's it, let's move on with the new season... PLEASE!

out of curiosity, since these pleas amount to misdemeanors, does he still get to coach? For the sake of the player's, I hope not.

[pakidnyc]

If you go on their website, he is removed as coach under the contacts, and matt berger is not listed as the coach but the President of the organization is listed as the contact there. Maybe they are trying to hire a new coach?

[boston buzz]

In a nutshell - Hired in spring to "Direct" Little Caesar's Girls Hockey program after succesfully leading Honeybaked and Belle Tire 19-u programs to Nationals the past 4 years and getting more than a dozen girls rides in D-1 & D-III.

Fired by Little Casears (parent company to the Detroit Red Wings) last week 'cuz 1) Partying with players pleaded down to providing/influencing minors plus MIP (minors in possesion) then 2) caught in car with player pleaded down to indecent exposure. :( That's it, let's move on with the new season... PLEASE!

Zam I know you'd like to just move on, but as you saw in the BC thread that got LOCKED up by the administrator of this site, its not that easy. What makes this case even worse is that (and I'm guessing) is that there must have been some very young girls (15 or 16) involved. The "found in a car with player pleaded Down to indecent exposure" is beyond troubling. In the BC case the girls was young (19 I think) but legal. This man should NEVER be involved with youth sports again.

[gotice]

If you go on their website, he is removed as coach under the contacts, and matt berger is not listed as the coach but the President of the organization is listed as the contact there. Maybe they are trying to hire a new coach?

I realize he may not be coaching with Little Caesar's, but does USA hockey pull his card or does he get to keep his coaching card.

As a misdemeanor, does he have to register as a sex offender? IF he doesn't, then there is a good likelihood that he will surface again as a coach somewhere.

[gotice]

If you go on their website, he is removed as coach under the contacts, and matt berger is not listed as the coach but the President of the organization is listed as the contact there. Maybe they are trying to hire a new coach?

actually just went to the main Little Caesar site and he is still listed as the coach. However the site does not look as though it has been updated for a while since it refers to try outs.

http://www.littlecaesarshockey.com/

[KC8NIY]

I realize he may not be coaching with Little Caesar's, but does USA hockey pull his card or does he get to keep his coaching card.

As a misdemeanor, does he have to register as a sex offender? IF he doesn't, then there is a good likelihood that he will surface again as a coach somewhere.It sounds like he pleaded down to indecent exposure from criminal sexual conduct. As such, he is only required to register if this is his third offense. There are many variations of the law that would require him to register, dependent upon actual charges, if this person were a minor. My guess is the plea came to avoid just such a scenario.

As for USA Hockey, I have no idea what their policy is. Considering the nature of the charges, they should have a serious look at his status, and remove him permanently upon conviction.

[uvmcats]

It sounds like he pleaded down to indecent exposure from criminal sexual conduct. As such, he is only required to register if this is his third offense. There are many variations of the law that would require him to register, dependent upon actual charges, if this person were a minor. My guess is the plea came to avoid just such a scenario.

As for USA Hockey, I have no idea what their policy is. Considering the nature of the charges, they should have a serious look at his status, and remove him permanently upon conviction.

Most prosecutors would not agree to a plea to a lesser offense in a sexual misconduct case with a minor unless there were some very big holes in the case. It is not the kind of thing that gets prosecutors re-elected.

In our state, every coach who wishes to be on a USA Hockey roster is required to complete an application that requires disclosure of any convictions to certain crimes (sex crimes, abuse crimes, drug and alcohol crimes to name some) and they are required to sign a release that allows our state's Dept. of Public Safety's criminal information center to perform a state record check. All coaches are screened upon initial application and at least once every three years, more frequently if there have been indications of past issues.

Unfortunately, the National Criminal Information Center will not honor these requests for a nationwide record check so for any coach applicant who has lived in the state less than 7 years, we contract with a national record check company to review the applicant's criminal record. All hits on the record check are reviewed by our attorney and the attorney works with the local association as to whether the proposed coach should be allowed to participate.

I suspect other state associations have similar procedures.

[spike]

It sounds like he pleaded down to indecent exposure from criminal sexual conduct. As such, he is only required to register if this is his third offense. There are many variations of the law that would require him to register, dependent upon actual charges, if this person were a minor. My guess is the plea came to avoid just such a scenario.

As for USA Hockey, I have no idea what their policy is. Considering the nature of the charges, they should have a serious look at his status, and remove him permanently upon conviction.

Recall the discussion a few months back about the MWEHL and the withdrawal of the Belle Tire team from U19, etc. etc. At the time the supporters of JV were denying his expulsion from coaching in that league and justifying why BT chose to play a tournament-only schedule. Seems things appear much clearer on this subject today.

[gotice]

Most prosecutors would not agree to a plea to a lesser offense in a sexual misconduct case with a minor unless there were some very big holes in the case. It is not the kind of thing that gets prosecutors re-elected.

In our state, every coach who wishes to be on a USA Hockey roster is required to complete an application that requires disclosure of any convictions to certain crimes (sex crimes, abuse crimes, drug and alcohol crimes to name some) and they are required to sign a release that allows our state's Dept. of Public Safety's criminal information center to perform a state record check. All coaches are screened upon initial application and at least once every three years, more frequently if there have been indications of past issues.

Unfortunately, the National Criminal Information Center will not honor these requests for a nationwide record check so for any coach applicant who has lived in the state less than 7 years, we contract with a national record check company to review the applicant's criminal record. All hits on the record check are reviewed by our attorney and the attorney works with the local association as to whether the proposed coach should be allowed to participate.

I suspect other state associations have similar procedures.

So in other words, he can be found behind a bench at any time because he was able to plea down to a lessor charge. The MIP and providing alcohol to minors was also a plea down from a more serious charge. Would these charges even show up in a standard USA hockey backgound check?

I guess if you have enough money or connected friends you can pretty much get away with anything. Heck, look at OJ, still searching the golf courses for his ex-wife's murderer and he even got paid to write his confession in his own words, oops, I meant write a book.

[uvmcats]

So in other words, he can be found behind a bench at any time because he was able to plea down to a lessor charge. The MIP and providing alcohol to minors was also a plea down from a more serious charge. Would these charges even show up in a standard USA hockey backgound check?

I guess if you have enough money or connected friends you can pretty much get away with anything. Heck, look at OJ, still searching the golf courses for his ex-wife's murderer and he even got paid to write his confession in his own words, oops, I meant write a book.

If they were criminal convictions they will show up. The record check is done by the police not by USA Hockey. Don't disagree that money helps individuals quite a bit.

[daffee]

I am completely ignorant about how the ethics/ risk management committee works at USA Hockey, but I can speak authoritatively about another NGB where I serve nationally that has an ethics committee which reviews cases similar to the one described. There would be an investigation conducted by members of the ethics committee and review of legal briefs/documents. All parties would be given an opportunity to address the ethics committee. The decision of the ethics committee would be announced at the Governing Counsel meeting (annual national meeting) and published in the official magazine. In similar situations reviewed by this NGB, the coach's certification to coach was pulled for life. S/he would never, ever be allowed to coach any member of the NGB anywhere, ever again.