Hockey parents tend to get a bad reputation since we usually only hear about them when they do something that ends in a suspension or criminal charges.

It’s unfortunate, because the vast majority of them are good people who make sacrifices to put their kids on the ice. So when I contacted Rob Kennedy after seeing an ad he placed on Kijiji about his son’s stolen hockey gear, I found his response refreshing.

Kennedy told me how the parents from his son Ayden’s team have turned a lousy situation into an inspirational message for their kids on what it means to be a friend and a teammate.

When Kennedy and his son returned to their home on Valour Road on March 2, after Ayden’s Heritage Victoria 10 A3 Hawks won their first playoff game, Kennedy let Ayden leave his gear in their SUV.

Kennedy didn’t want Ayden to haul his bag into the house as he was worried the thumping on the stairs would wake up his younger son. Unfortunately, the rear window of the vehicle was pried open overnight and someone stole Ayden’s gear.

“I had to send out an email to the team saying ‘Sorry guys, but Ayden’s equipment got stolen and I don’t think he’ll be able to play for the rest of this season,’ ” said Kennedy, who couldn’t afford to buy new gear all at once.

Kennedy immediately received emails from parents, saying they would scramble to collect gear that Ayden could borrow to finish the season. Ayden’s team jerseys were also stolen, but some parents have been going out of their way to borrow matching jerseys from other teams.

“They’re going to people that they knew from last year’s team, waiting for (their games to end) and as soon as they get off the ice, they quickly grab the jersey and book it to our game so he can play,” Kennedy said.

“This team has been just incredible. They just rallied around him.”

The Hawks finished the regular season in last place, but they posted two emotional victories in the playoffs before being eliminated, including an overtime win in Ayden’s first game with borrowed gear.

“It was like one of those made-for-TV movie kind of moments,” Kennedy said of the winning OT goal.

The Hawks have extended their season by entering a tournament. Kennedy said he’s especially been touched by the parents’ generosity since Ayden is new to this team and they’ve only known each other for about six months.

“You can tell with these parents that it’s all about the kids,” Kennedy said. “They want to make sure they have a great season, that they have a good time and remember it.”

Kennedy figures his two vehicles have been broken into more than 10 times in the last year. In most cases, there is nothing for the thieves to steal. He takes “full responsibility” for leaving the gear in the vehicle that night.

“It was a bad judgment call on my part and I’m not looking for sympathy, but that doesn’t mean it makes it fair game for anybody to take it,” he said.

“You kind of lose faith in humanity, but then all these people rally around your kid and you realize that the good people in this city far outweigh the bad.”

Hopefully, Kennedy can keep the faith. I received an email from him the morning after we spoke. When he went out to his vehicle that morning, he found thieves had smashed his windows again.

doug.lunney@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @dougatwpgsun

Plenty of company in MPI line

If you’ve had your vehicle broken into recently, you are far from alone.

Manitoba Public Insurance receives about 12,000 vandalism claims annually at a cost of about $11 million.

“That’s everything from broken windows to keyed vehicles and smashed-out headlights,” said MPI spokesman Brian Smiley.

Vehicle owners who don’t have garages and must park on a driveway or street can set up a security camera in hopes of deterring thieves, Smiley said. Making sure there is nothing of value visible — not even loose change — will help too, but there are no guarantees in protecting your car.

“There is a segment of our society who are absolutely committed to breaking in and damaging vehicles,” Smiley said. “It’s extremely difficult to deter them.”

It’s unknown how many frequent victims no longer file claims with MPI, but Smiley noted a punched-out door lock or smashed window can cost thousands of dollars in repairs.

“I would assume if the vehicle is damaged, they would put in a claim,” Smiley said. “It’s no different from a homeowner’s policy. They would be responsible for paying the uninsured portion of their policy, which is the deductible, then we would go about having the rest of the vehicle repaired.”

Personal items left in a vehicle would not be covered by MPI.

If police arrest someone in the theft and they are convicted, MPI would then go after that person through the courts to recover the money they paid on that vehicle. MPI would then reimburse their customer, Smiley said.

“It’s a long process, but it has happened,” he said.

— Lunney