The mother of a 10-year-old hockey player who was tripped by an opposing coach in a game months ago said her son still isn't quite ready to return to the ice.
"He's kind of nervous . . . so we're working on him," said his mother, Elizabeth Pappas.
She said her son suffered shock from the incident. "He loves hockey, he wants to go back, but he feels a little bit nervous."
The coach, Martin Tremblay, was due in court Thursday, but had his first date in court postponed by two weeks by mutual agreement.
Tremblay, who is in his 40s, is to appear in a Richmond court-room Sept. 27 to face two assault charges stemming from the incident.
The incident, which quickly went viral, took place at the end of game between the University of B.C. Hornets and the Richmond Steel. Tremblay, who no longer coaches the Hornets, is allegedly seen in the video sticking out his right foot, ultimately tripping two players.
The first player to fall was a 10-year-old. The second player, who fell in a domino effect, broke his wrist.
According to Steel team man-ager Tammy Hohlweg, who came to court with Pappas to see events unfold, the boy who broke his wrist is back skating.
"It took him a while to get back on the ice, but he's out there now, and he just wants this to move on," she said.
The footage also shows a fired-up Tremblay gesturing to the crowd after the incident while an opposing coach is ushered off the ice. Tremblay has since been banned indefinitely from the Vancouver Minor Hockey Association. He has remained silent since the event and his lawyer hasn't responded to requests for comment.
Pappas was hopeful that her son, who has been playing hockey since the age of four, will return to the ice, but also was optimistic the incident would have a greater impact.
"I hope it changes attitudes," she said. "It's just a game."
Hohlweg said she hopes Tremblay is never able to coach hockey again. More importantly, she yearns for a sense of closure.
"It makes my heart pound that it's still going on," she said.
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