Kayla Watkins is 12. She plays hockey. On a team that’s otherwise all-boys. Or she did, until George Atis, a father of a male teammate who didn’t like her playing skills, bullied Kayla into quitting the team. Great job, douche.
“It is now 14 games into the season and I have noticed that Kayla’s play has not improved,” reads a team meeting agenda drafted by George Atis, a father of a player, but not a part of the coaching staff. “It is at the point where many of the team members do not want to play on this team if this situation is not addressed.” Atis, an attorney, included a whole section titled, “Kayla Watkins — Player Ability Limitations and Suggested Options.” And what did Atis recommend? The Toronto Star reports:
Atis then details two possible options for consideration, either moving Kayla from defence to forward and keeping her off of power plays and penalty kills, or playing her every second shift on defence and again keeping her off special teams “until her skating and shooting improves.” “If Kayla is NOT amenable to the above options, the coach should find Kayla a new team to play on — commensurate to her skill level — for the balance of the season,” the agenda reads. Atis also raised concerns about Kayla changing in the same locker-room as the boys, stating, “there have been many ‘near miss’ incidents where the boys have almost been exposed to Kayla.”
Did we mention Kayla and Atis’ son play for the Toronto Ice Dogs PeeWee “A” club, the lowest-level minor league team? As in, shouldn’t kids be playing to have fun? That’s what Kayla’s mom Vanessa wants to know: “Do we not put our kids in team sports to learn to be a team player, to win as a team, to lose as a team and it’s not about me, me, me?”
Not that Atis is backing down.
How about we take this to the next level?
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In an interview Monday, Atis defended the agenda, saying it voiced concerns from boys on the team who were both squeamish about undressing in front of Kayla and frustrated with her play on the ice. “I wrote the agenda, I stand by it,” said Atis, whose son Michael has played with Kayla for the past two seasons until her recent departure. “I lay the blame, if you must know, at the feet of Vanessa Watkins . . . If it was my child, he would have never been in that position because I would not have put him on a team where he was not competing and where he was a liability to the team.”
For the record, Kayla’s coach Paul Macchia, who selected her for his team, has her back: “There’s always complaints from parents about ice time but I’ve never seen an issue where it has gone this far before. I don’t know what they were trying to accomplish. It’s not an individual player losing a game. She made mistakes but so did others on the team. We’ve been the same since she left.”
So what happened with Kayla? After hearing about Atis’ meeting agenda, she quit — permanently. She’s now playing for the all-girls North York Storm, where “everyone’s nice to each other. It doesn’t matter if we win or lose. If we lose a game, it’s okay because everyone picks each other up.”
What can you do? For starters, link to this post on your own blog or Twitter, and include the words “George Atis douchebag.” So Mr. Atis has a friendly reminder of just what his behavior looks like. But honestly, the person I feel for the most, besides Kayla, is Atis’ son Michael, who has a shitturd for a dad.
[Kayla photo via Star; Atis photo via Facebook (profile since removed), via]
alan brickman
Probably has a small one….
Spike
“Atis, an attorney . . ”
Pretty much says it all. Douchebag/A.Hole
Dare we speculate that he is a republican as well? Hmmm.
Joe
I agree with this guy. I don’ think its fair for one kid to be catered to just because she is a girl. I truly believe in equality, and in this case I am more concerned with the boys on the team.
Jeffree
@Spike:
LOL, yes–Toronto (Canada!) is full of Republicans. Eh what?
Ben
Spike, he’s Canadian….. There is no republican party.
alan brickman
The reason this story is on here is because one would wonder what he would do if he found out they had a gay kid on the team…..
Spike
Oops, missed the ref. to Canada. Never mind. LOL
alan brickman
It’s not a crime to be canadian….
Q
@Joe: if you read what the Coach says, her playing wasn’t any better or worse than any of the boys on the team. So she wasn’t being catered to. It would still be a douchey move to do the same thing to a male player.
Cassandra
Mr. Atis will learn about karma soon enough. Enough negative publicity and either the team will decide his son is a liability, or better still, the law firm he works for, or his clients, will decide that Mr. Atis is a liability and boot him from their team.
j
@Cassandra: One can only hope.
QN
Why on earth would a non-coaching parent be permitted to write the agenda for a team meeting?
Fitz
I am with him, 100%. Why in the world should our obsession with pretending that there is no gender difference ruin his kid’s team’s ability to move forward. The options that he presented were reasonable and compassionate.
QN
Fitz: having reading difficulty? “She made mistakes but so did others on the team. We’ve been the same since she left.”
psv
@Fitz: The team was crap with or without her. It’s a “Single A” (not double A or triple A) hockey team with a losing record (more details are at the Toronto Star). He’s *not* the coach, so what the heck business does have making decisions about who plays when and where? Further, they have a losing record. Where are the awe inspiring coaching instructions for the other players? Why was she singled out? There are four lines in hockey. One player doesn’t drag a whole team down. What about the goaltender? What about shuffling the lines for different pairings? Nope, it was just one player getting less ice time. And according to the purportedly real coach, nothing has changed, they still stink.
Stupid man, stupid idea, and now he is being heaped with all sorts of internet and real life outrage. The tragedy here is that all the other players and parents are under fire because of this one dummy’s actions.
gregger
He’s got that serial killer dead eye look.
Fitz
His suggestion was mostly to change her position to a role more suited to her. He didn’t say “lets harass her and gang rape her in the locker room”.
~R~
@Fitz: The point you are missing is it is the LOWEST level of minor league hockey! Come on now… everyone is learning! This guy is a douche! You agree with him, fine… so are you. They are kids! they should be able to play as kids. This lawyer dad mustn’t be very good at his job because it appears to me he has waaaaaaaay to much free time.
codyj
right on, this is NOT NHL..its a ‘young’ folks team, everyones learning…and probally enjoying the fun…until ‘mr adult’ gets into the fray, with his OCD…(shudder). An atty? ok, all he wants is ‘YES, Mr.Mason…NO Mr. Mason, lol
Mr. Enemabag Jones
Fucking asshole.
If he was so concerned, why didn’t he move his son to another team?
That’s the thing about we Canadians–our rightwingers feel a constant inferiority complex to American rightwingers. So to compensate, our rightwingers do things that would make Dick Cheney go WTF?
I’m going to be in Toronto in January. I think I’ll stop by his office and give him a taste of random bullying.
Mr. Enemabag Jones
Here’s the douchebag’s contact info:
George J. Atis, Outsourcing and Technology Counsel
5 Lawrie Road, Suite 100
Thornhill, ON L4J 9E7
Canada
Tel: 905-731-1812 or direct line 416-566-1477
Fax: 905-731-0714
email: [email protected]
Fitz
Hey Enema, I forwarded your posts to him, in case he wants to contact the Toronto police. Personally, I would interpret your post a threat.
imurnurse
His kid should have been the one to leave the team if he was so unhappy with the way things were being run. What a dickhead. I bet his kid gets beat up by girls all the time.
Kev C
Pee Wee league? Kids are never too young to starting taking steroids. THIS IS HOCKEY!!
Mr. Enemabag Jones
@Fitz:
That’s Mr. Enemabag Jones to you, shit for brains.
As far as your trifling comment, that’s all the TO police will see it as–a threat.
If I ever see you on the street I’ll have to remember to give you a slap shot to the ballsack.
Fitz
@Mr. Enemabag Jones: You talk smack like any bitch. Let me know when you come to the bay area. I would be happy to meat up with you, baby girl.
QN
Ah, Fitz (like a starter buttplug), now I understand. Bay Area douchebags are the douchiest because they’re worried everyone doubts their masculinity because of their location.
Hint: it ain’t your location.
What particular illegal activity was threatened – bullying him? “I’m going to insult him till he cries like a little girl” – not much of a threat.
edgyguy1426
Wow, adult much? Yes, I agree the guy was a major douche and should be called out on it. It’s another thing to publish the guy’s contact info, for what reason exactly? What is going to change his mind, harassment?
Jeffree
I’m still not getting the LGBT connection with this story, but I agree that George Atis is waaaaaay out of line in his hockey dad role, he’s much too involved! He should have moved the son to another team and become its coach.
Clearly he has lots of spare time.
Otis Criblecoblis
No wonder kids end up so fucked up.
Riker
Fits and Enemabag: Arguing on the Internet is like competing in the Special Olympics: even if you win, you’re still retarded.
Mr. Enemabag Jones
@QN:
I doubt you want it, QN, but you own Fitz’s ass!
I think it’s the v-necks cutting off oxygen to Bay area residents brains, that causes their particular brand of douchiness.
Mr. Enemabag Jones
@Fitz:
You talk smack like any bitch.
Nah, not any bitch. The bitch your mama warned you about.
Let me know when you come to the bay area.
I’ll be there December 22, 2012.
I would be happy to meat up with you, baby girl.
Craigslist not working out for ya?
ronk212
F’g organized sports.. As though kids can’t play a game by themselves. Keep those creepy parents out of it. Then we have to deal with those entitled brats later in life. First kill all the lawyers.
Mr. Enemabag Jones
@edgyguy1426:
for what reason exactly? What is going to change his mind, harassment?
Harassment is exactly the reason for publishing his info. The same harassment he gave that 12 year old kid.
Mr. Enemabag Jones
@Riker:
Better to be a participant, than a spectator.
ze ganj
Obviously, anyone that sides with Mr. Atis deserves to be barred from procreating, and have his nutsack removed with blunt objects with no anesthetic, and that includes you, Fitz.
I have experience playing hockey with girls in Germany in the top junior leagues, and they may be olympians (Andrea Lanzl and Britta Schroeder if you gotta know), but their skill level was nowhere near the best players of our team, yet none of us were complaining.
I also read that some of the players were squeamish when it came to undressing in the locker room? Are you kidding me? The only individual in that locker room who should have been uncomfortable was HER. I know this as a fact from playing and even undressing in front of the two aforementioned girls, who are now grown women.
I sincerely feel bad for this girl for being discriminated against and not having anyone stand up and tell this guy off come to her aid, as this clearly has nothing to do with skill level, but merely someone looking for a scapegoat as to why this douchebag’s son’s team was doing so poorly.
Dr. Jameson Calvin
Though I appreciate your position on this man and his poor choices, I think you do our community and the cause a very bad service by acting very immature and ignorant by flinging all these foul names around. Isn’t that behavior of Perez Hilton? Credibility in reporting goes a long way with influencing positive change and bringing attention to a good cause. If you sink lower than the protagonist of that which you are reporting then you have accomplished nothing.
Ash
He should be ashamed of himself. The kids are PAYING to play, not getting payed to play. They’re supposed to be there to learn and have fun. Let them have their fun while they’re still kids! Jesus.
Especially if what the coach says is true, that she’s at the same level of play as all the other kids. He obviously, for whatever reason, just doesn’t want a girl on the team. And good for the coach sticking up for the girl.
Jaroslaw
What exactly is the Gay connection in this story again?
Edgyguy – re: publishing this guys’ contact info – I wouldn’t recommend “harrassing” him, but I think he should be made aware that most people think he’s way off base on this. If he gets enough contacts, he will probably think twice before doing something so stupid again, even if it doesn’t change his internal thought processes. Remember he’s the adult, he started it, the girl is the one we should be concerned about, not him.
swarm
My kid was a goal tender and from elementary school on, parents used to stand behind his goal and talk smack at him and blow those really loud canned air horns at him every time he had to block a shot. Especially in NJ. They are universally obnoxious in kids’ sports but this jerk takes the cake. No coach we ever had would let a parent anywhere near a team meeting so wtf. In fact, if you even approached the high school coach for any reason at all at any time, you got banned from all future games lol. We had a couple girls on our teams without issue, too. Canada must be one of those places that promotes everyone mouthing off for ~equality. (except when it’s not politically correct) Imagine 30 parents interfering in a hockey team, eyeroll
Obama DID say DADT would happen on his watch... (John From England)
@Jaroslaw:
Come on, do you really need to be told? It’s about gender and fear. It’s like when effeminate boys are bullied because they are perceived as gay, even though they are not. Its the perception that is the problem.
When this man saw this girl, he thought lesbian. He thought women should be all girly like his wife at home and shouldn’t mix with guys.
There is no other reason for what he did.
I guess some of you on this forum don’t understand the meaning of acting in a subconscious manner, everything must be slept out to you and literal. Which to be fair is a very American way of thinking-simplistic like the bible-which is why you guys don’t want affirmative action…
Daez
There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with females playing male sports if they play at the same level as the males. If they can’t play then they have no place being there. Having fun is important, but constantly losing because of the weakest link in the chain does not increase the fun that everyone else has. Its actually amazingly selfish to put your “fun” before everyone else on the team.
Sports should be about competition. The best people for the sport should be playing it. If you don’t measure up you don’t belong there regardless of your gender.
@alan brickman:It seems she quit because of the fit her mother had at her being benched. Your assumption that he would call for a gay kid to be benched reeks of a belief that gay people can not excel at sports since that was the only problem here.
Daez
@Q: Perhaps the coach has her back because she is a token and the coach doesn’t want to admit that he is wrong about this. Coaches very rarely cut horrible players from the team anymore. One would need to work at her playing statistics to see if she is better or worse and since lawyers tend to be very analytical and much less emotional it wouldn’t be surprising if he has viewed the statistics.
Daez
Also, there is nothing wrong with this girl being cut. It actually provides her a favor. It teaches her at an early age if you aren’t willing to work for something then you don’t get it.
That is a lesson that seems to be lost on the coddling parents of this generation. Just ask successful people how many times they have failed and how they learned from it. Many of them failed several times. Bill Gates flunked out of college and is now the richest man in America.
TomMc
@Fitz: But Mr. Atis is not her coach, nor has Mr. Atis likely ever taught skating.
However Fitz, unfortunately Mr. Atis is not the only over-involved, controlling parent to have attempted to interfere with their child’s hockey team and – as such – you do make some good points as to why this case need not be taken as seriously as some have taken it.
My position is that I despise sexism in all of its guises. And I think this is not just a case of an interfering parent but one involving a reactionary asshat.
$0.02
@Daez, the problem here is she was not cut because she was the worst. if you read the article and the quote from the coach then you would have read that ALL the kids were bad, not just her. You’re reaching here. Sounds like you have a problem with this girl as well…
swarm
@Daez: I think the point is the rude obnoxious manner that the guy approached the subject. If the girl was substandard and it was really affecting the team he could have approached the team “professionally” instead of being so obnoxious AND actually bullying and mortifying a 12 year old. Parents understand these things USUALLY.
My kid never shot the ball in basketball which was a joke in the (intramural) league. Once the ref blew the whistle and stopped the game and said “OK Paul, shoot”. LOL Everyone laughed. He missed anyway. 12 year old teams need to LIGHTEN UP.
swarm
@Daez: You don’t seem to be familiar with kid’s teams. I am unfamiliar with Canada’s system but in America there are TONS of teams that are for fun. If a girl wants to play say, hockey, and there is no girls team nearby they join the boys team. Whoever sucks doesn’t get the same play time perhaps and if they are winning alot then the sucky players get MORE play time since the coaches DON’T WANNA RUN UP THE SCORE on the opposing team to be nice.
Regardless, there is no excuse for treating a 12 year old that way under ANY circumstances. And if Canada is so “We’re all serious about our hockey up here” and thinks 12 year old’s games are important in the scheme of things so that there are no teams for just FUN, then they’re idiots. IMO.
swarm
From their website:
SECTION 1: ICEDOGS’ MISSION STATEMENT
To pursue the development of children, not solely as hockey players, but as people, sharing our core values of commitment, discipline, professionalism, work ethic, team work, sharing,
growing, mutual respect, integrity, loyalty, and fun and to be the place to play hockey, because of what we stand for, because of what we offer to players, coaches and parents, and because we care.”
#icedogsFAIL
swarm
More FAIL:
3.7. Communication with Club Officials
(a)General
All issues and communications relating to the ordinary course of Club management should be directed to the General Manager, unless urgency or circumstance requires that another Club Official be contacted.
(b) Communication between the Club and Team Officials
Unless otherwise dictated by circumstance or urgency, all requests, notices or other matters requiring interaction between the Club and a Team shall be communicated to or by the Team’s Head Coach or Team Manager.
(c)Communication between parents/guardians and the Club
The Club may schedule at least 2 separate meetings with team parents or guardians each year for the purpose of reviewing matters or issues relating to the Team. Notice of the
location and time of each such meeting will be given by the Club at least 3 business days prior to the date fixed for such meeting.
The first of such meetings will be held before the last day of November and the second of such meetings will be held before the last day of February in each year.
Anyparent/guardian who wishes to place a matter on the agenda for discussion at a meeting must give notice to the Club through the Team Manager or the Head Coach, at least 5 business days prior to the date of such meeting.
swarm
Even MORE FAIL LOL:
4.2. Team meetings
The Head Coach will meet with the parents/guardians at least 3 times each season.
The first meeting should be held prior to the commencement of the season and the other meetings should be arranged whenever practicable to coincide with delivery of the team’s financial summaries referred to in section 5.5, provided that the second of such meetings will be held before the last day of November and the third of such meetings will be held before the last day of February in each year.
The purpose of the meetings will be to review the matters of interest relating to the Team, including its financial affairs. Additional meetings may be held if requested by the Club, the Head Coach or parents or guardians representing at least 30% of the players.
Notice of the matters to be discussed at each meeting shall be given to one parent/guardian of each player at least 2 days prior to the date of the meeting. Meetings will be held at a location convenient to the majority of the attendees and will be chaired
by the Head Coach. The Team Manager will provide to
Rick Gold
So, this is gay news because a 12 year old girl playing hockey is somehow dykey?
SHE’S 12 YEARS OLD!!!
Obama DID say DADT would happen on his watch... (John From England)
Aaaaaaaaargghhhh!!!!!!!!
She was NOT the worst player!!! They are STILL loosing!!! Canada ISN’T the US of A-girls can play in the same teams as boys when they are JUNIORS!!
If you have a problem with now ONE person plays on a team, as an ADULT who is used to dealing with PEOPLE, why don’t you approach the COACH first?
The mother could be a nightmare pushing her daughter and so is this man.
There you have it, Daez, Fitz, playing devils advocates.
Who suffers? The children.
saltydog
Non of us follow this team and can honestly comment on the situation.
However, I see nothing in the father’s comments that suggest he doesn’t want a girl on the team. They all say that it is her skating and shooting that aren’t up to par. If that is the case than she coach has no business putting her on the ice.
I am all for equality and girls being able to play on boys teams, if and only if they can play at the same level as the boys. I grew up in Northern MN and used to babysit twin girls (not identical) that played hockey. The one was stronger, faster and more aggressive on the ice and she played for the boys team because she could skate just as fast and play just as hard as the boys. Her twin sister couldn’t and even though she wanted to be on the boys team too it just wouldn’t be fair to the others or even safe for her.
If she can’t skate fast enough and can’t shoot accurately enough she shouldn’t be given play time in the game until she improves her skating and shooting in practice.
bryan
http://pointstreak.com/en/players/players-division-leaders.html?divisionid=37078&seasonid=5350&numplayers=all&sortby=
playing D, what is wrong with her numbers??
Thom Freeheart
I’m confused as to who in this story is gay.
TomMc
@Thom Freeheart: Mr. Atis, I believe.
Obama DID say DADT would happen on his watch... (John From England)
@saltydog:
He talked about changing rooms? What does that have to do with how well someone is playing if this is innocent and not personal????
Jaroslaw
John from England – I’m not going to ask, I’m going to tell you – your comment about affirmative action has nothing to do with this story. Some places in the backwards USA allow girls on the team and some don’t.
I certainly do not agree however, with girls in boys changing rooms and vice versa. I also think it is ridiculous to let women reporters in male pro sports locker rooms since of course, male reporters are not allowed in women’s pro sports locker rooms. Although IF the woman reporter is attractive, I understand most of the male pro sports players like showing their cocks and bodies’ off. But it is digressing to point out the world is sex obsessed sometimes.
Still, I just really wanted to say I thought your reply to me was condescending and if you can’t help out any better than that, don’t bother responding. I think I’m reasonably intelligent but even the best miss things now and then. And as to your answer, well I don’t get the impression the father thought she was a lesbian at all. How exactly do you deduce that?
notnec.agaything
i can see this is about gender – the sole girl on the team made a scapegoat by a total douche of a dad, and boys on the team acting very normal for their age group (this age range is really soaking in societal gender norms and unfortunately vagina= weakness and regardless of all womens/integrated teams hockey is considered a guy’s sport)
I can so see this winner of a dad harassing his kid about the loss, who then blames the girl and complains about being creeped out by having her in the changing room.
a lesbian thing? thats reaching.
Pan Pan
Hey, Fitz,
Just because you’re defending the asshole on Queerty doesn’t mean he’ll let you suck his dick. I’m sure even a scumbag like him wouldn’t let a scumbag like you touch it. Well unless you forked over a lot of cash.
Jonathonz
Google “George Atis” and the third entry is this one so he gets to be a “Douchebag Dad” for a good long time now. Serves him right.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
@Jaroslaw: 100% Co-Sign……I still can not see why in the world this is posted on a Gay site…….I am sorry there are plenty of sports for girls to play on. Of course having a girl in the locker room is gonna freak out 12 year old boys……They are barely past the “girls are icky” state at that age…….If I had a kid playing a contact sport, I wouldn’t want a kid of the opposite sex playing with them either
Shrinkage George?
George,
Grow some manhood, and stop trying to live your life through your son and a child’s game.
Matt S
At times fathers of soccer players would act abusively toward refs or players (verbally). The ref could and would red card the man and force him to leave the field, essentially sending him to the parking lot for the rest of the game.
This hockey league needs something similar. This father needs to be banned from participating if this is how he does it, picking on a particular player. Pardon me for saying this, but he should be especially embarassed for picking on a little girl. Is there no chivalry?
Serge
Just from a factual standpoint, single-A is not the lowest level of hockey in the Canadian minor-league system — it’s the lowest level of “rep” hockey, which is the competitive system that stands above “house-league” hockey. It’s usually the house leagues that are the non-competitive option and they are where most kids start out.
Unlike the rep teams (A, AA and AAA), house leagues do not have try-outs. House leagues do often have “select” teams made up of the top players from each house league; the select teams play against each other. They are considered a level below the single-A teams.
LOLATENEMA
Trolllllllin. Love it.
Ron Hextall
the link below (on torontolawyers.ca) leads to a site you can email Coach Atis.
http://www.torontolawyers.ca/Contact.aspx?ID=23841
tony
@alan brickman:
If you would like, here it is [email protected]
Zaphod Beeblebrox
I don’t see why people dance around the issue. Atis is a scumbag! Pure and simple. Such scumbags are a disgrace to the human race. Sure he can rationalize it anyway his stupid lawyer mind can think of. But everybody, and I mean everybody, agrees that he is a scumbag. If I was a parent living in the same town and know him personally. I would tell him that he was a scumbag. Only when people rise to the occasion to confront the bullying scumbag will society move on and be better. What a scumbag!!!!
Bill
@Cassandra: I agree 100%
Take a hockey stick & shove it you know where.
Bill
Wren
George Attis is definitely a douchebag, but if you read his side of the story on his website, then he is in the right. It is possible for dirty worthless douchebags to be right.
http://www.georgejatis.ca/george-j-atis-miscellaneous-ramblings/
@Fitz
There’s nothing wrong with posting someone’s information in a public forum, if that info is intentionally public by their own efforts. You know, like if you’re a publicly-declared business or freelancer.
It sounds like his biggest concern isn’t the random troll emailing him, but Vanessa Watkins’ relatives on the police force.
R K
In his blog, Attis doesn’t address the fact that the stats simply don’t support his claims about her play. Based on the published stats, if her role was to be reduced, there were a half-dozen boys who should have, and did not, face the same treatment.