Windsor Minor Hockey president steps down, board members follow
The president of the Windsor Minor Hockey Association has stepped down.
In an email to media Monday morning, Dean Lapierre said he resigned at a special board meeting held Sunday night.
According to Lapierre, his resignation came immediately following the board's vote to remove Rick Pare as the executive vice president.
"I would not remain the President of the WMHA with out Rick Pare as my right hand man," said Lapierre. "I saw the writing on the wall."
Lapierre said he "knew he would be next," so he resigned before the board could remove him. He added five other board members resigned after he did, which is reflected on the WMHA's website.
The former president has held his position since 1999, after joining the board in 1992. According to the association's website, the house director, equipment director, house vice president and the registrar board member positions are all currently unfilled.
"I will always be proud of what I did for the WMHA for the past 33 years," said Lapierre. "Thanks for the memories."
The association has come under scrutiny over its handling of now-suspended coach Trent Norris. Norris was suspended last Friday by the Ontario Minor Hockey Association, which is investigating Norris's criminal record in the U.S.
'It's the little things'
Lapierre found out about Norris's criminal record at the end of October. He and then-vice president Pare felt Norris was no risk to children.
According to Lapierre, Pare had already changed the declaration forms prospective coaches will fill out in the future.
"Hopefully this doesn't happen again in the future," said Lapierre, adding the new form would allow someone applying to be a coach to offer more details about criminal records.
After 22 years as president, Lapierre said "it's the little things" that make up what he did as president for the association.
"Now, whoever is moving into this spot ... hopefully they can do a good job," said Lapierre. "I don't want to see Windsor Minor Hockey fail."
Lapierre said he hopes his years as president and the controversy around Norris don't mar all he's done for the association.
"I loved what I did," said Lapierre. "I'm going to miss it."
