Conflict in amateur sports is on everyone’s minds these days. New stories and video clips of escalating tensions between hockey parents, coaches and refs are popping up every few days. Conversations about Saturday’s on-ice conflict at the Southdale arena speculate: Who is at fault? Who is the victim? What is Hockey Manitoba’s role? How will the police intervene?
The most urgent question is: What can we do about it?
The answer is threefold: Prevent. Manage. Resolve.
1) Prevention is key to nipping tensions in the bud and addressing concerns before they escalate into open conflict. Basic behavioural expectations/agreements along with basic communication skills are the pillars of conflict prevention.
2) Conflict (in sports and in life) is inevitable and pretending otherwise is unhelpful. Conflict management skills and processes are crucial for handling difficult situations in the moment so they do not blow up. The best leaders know how to handle tensions proactively and help people address their interests in “real time”, before things flare up past the point of no return.
3) When tensions escalate into open conflict (e.g. yelling, swearing, brawling) it is crucial to implement conflict resolution processes. This approach creates a “conflict-healthy” culture with accountability for all involved. It provides the opportunity for people to address their core concerns, including addressing inappropriate behaviours, while resolving the conflict and achieving positive outcomes.