Southpoint Minor Hockey is suspending three players for the 2014-2015 season, as well as an entire midget team for its final game, following a bullying incident.

The association met individually with each player from the team, and their parents, last weekend to get to the bottom of an issue that had come up a few weeks back.

President of Southpoint Minor Hockey Greg Dries says the board of directors will also be appointing a bullying liaison for next season. “The last thing we want our players to do, if they’re being bullied, is to think that they have to be quiet about it and suffer in silence. Use this situation as an example that if you are being bullied; tell people; tell your coach; tell your parents. Make sure that the message gets to that board member.”

Dries explains that not all bullying incidents are the same, so he can’t say that year-long suspensions will be the standard going forward. The association is expected to review its zero-tolerance policy on bullying, to come up with strategies for dealing with future issues.