Coach target of sexist, misogynist remarks in adult game
University of Michigan’s women’s hockey coach Jenna Trubiano has received an outpouring of support after she was the target of sexist and misogynist remarks on and off the ice in an adult co-ed hockey league at Farmington Hills Ice Arena on Feb. 4.
After reviewing video of the off-ice incidents in the cityowned arena, Farmington Hills mayor Theresa Rich said she was “furious” and “really sad” and reached out to Trubiano to apologize about how she was treated by some of the men in the Sunday night league and a spectator who recorded the game.
The off-ice video was recorded by a male spectator behind the net and was reviewed by The Detroit News and shared by Trubiano with the Mayor of Farmington Hills, but not yet with the group that runs the hockey league.
The comments included: “Get back in the kitchen. You are lucky you are allowed to skate. My wife’s at home right now in the kitchen, where you should be.” When Trubiano was checked to the ice, the spectator said: “That was hilarious. I love it. Maybe she identifies as a man. Nowadays, you can.”
Rich said the city is following up on the incident, which is being reviewed by the city manager’s office. The city of Farmington Hills does have signs posted in the rink outlining a code of conduct, which includes reminders that good sportsmanship is required both on and off the ice.
The city doesn’t run the league, which is operated by Michigan Sports Enterprises, an outside vendor that rents ice at the arena and runs multiple leagues in Metro Detroit.
“I wasn’t necessarily acting on behalf of the city, but as a person to a person, a woman to woman, who understands that misogyny happens, and that’s not okay and that’s not indicative of who we are,” Rich said. “When I talk about Farmington Hills, I think of us as a city that prides itself on being a place where everyone is welcome, supported, and encouraged to be their best.”
Al Zawacky, the owner of Michigan Sports Enterprises, said he was aware of the on-ice incident, but didn’t feel it escalated to an investigation. Since Trubiano’s post on X (formerly Twitter) on Feb. 5, Zawacky has spoken with “players, referees and scorekeepers,” and hasn’t levied any punishment.
Zawacky said the on-ice language captured on LiveBarn, an in-area streaming service, didn’t cross the line. He also noted the league has punished individuals before for homophobic and racially-charged language used on the ice toward another player.
Trubiano said she was checked in a non-checking league for men and women and was told by an opponent, “to stay on your feet — this is a men’s league,” and in a later incident, while getting tangled up in the corner on a play, was told multiple times “to join a women’s league.”
Zawacky said the league representative on duty was working the front desk when the incidents happened and didn’t see the play on the ice. The league representative, Zawacky said, did go into the locker room to talk to the other team, but that team felt it was in-game trash talk and didn’t understand why Trubiano would want an apology.
Those players, according to Trubiano, passed her in the lobby on the way out and said, “Have a nice night,” in a sarcastic tone before heading out of the rink. Trubiano said she then started crying in the rink lobby.
Trubiano’s initial post on social media has been viewed 1.7 million times. USA Hockey asked to investigate the incidents, but because MSE is an Amateur Athletic Union-run organization, the incidents aren’t under USA Hockey’s jurisdiction. The Professional Woman’s Hockey League has also reached out and offered support to Trubiano.
Trubiano said she’s received hundreds of messages but the most meaningful interactions have been with other players who saw her post and shared their own interactions.
That includes players like her playing in a male-dominated league, as well as others who have since quit playing hockey because of similar incidents.
“That’s what frustrates me the most. It’s not just me and me being there. It’s a group of people or other people that are different than them, and it creates a hostile environment for people, where they feel like they don’t belong.”
— Jenna Trubiano, U-M hockey coach
“I have a platform and nothing to lose, really. I will still be playing hockey and have chances to play hockey,” Trubiano said. “But there are others who haven’t spoken up or have basically been driven out of playing, because of how they’ve been treated.
“That’s what frustrates me the most. It’s not just me and me being there. It’s a group of people or other people that are different than them, and it creates a hostile environment for people, where they feel like they don’t belong.
“And that’s just going to continue to drive them away from the rink. If we want to grow the game, we don’t want to push people away from it.”
Rich said she was disappointed in hearing the off-ice video and not seeing anyone step up and say something. She said it reminded her of her experiences as a DCFC season-ticketholder, where before each game, the leaders of the fan section make it clear everyone is welcome.
“(They) say if you are here today, we will not have any of that and they go through all the -isms and -ogony — it will not
be accepted, and I appreciate that,” Rich said. “We need to call out things like that. That’s just wrong. I mean, it’s 2024 — isn’t it time to move forward?”
A New Baltimore native and Anchor Bay High grad, Trubiano played at Michigan from 201318 and had 89 points (47 goals, 42 assists) in 87 career games. She then served as assistant coach for three seasons before being named head coach of the club team before the 2021-22 season.
For Trubiano, making everyone feel welcome isn’t just a hockey issue.
“It sounds really simple, but if you hear something, say something,” Trubiano said. “For instance, in that video, there’s more than one person having dialogue, and it sounds like at least three people. I think all it would have taken was one person to say, ‘Hey, that comment is not appropriate.’
“I think sometimes we have a hard time doing that as a society because we all want to feel accepted at the end of the day, right? All it would take is one person to say, ‘That’s not cool.’ Hockey is a great sport and I grew up in hockey, but it’s really hard to enjoy something when you don’t feel accepted.”