By Brett Forrest, KOAA
Video obtained by Gazette news partner KOAA showed what some purport to be a Monument youth ice hockey coach deliberately tripping and injuring a player. But an attorney for the coach maintains the collision was an accident and the coach will be cleared.
The Jan. 15 incident at Monument Ice Rinks has led to the coach’s suspension and a police investigation.
The coach colliding with the player in the video is Andrew Sherman. That’s according to multiple sources, including Sherman’s attorney. Sherman is listed as the owner and founder of the Colorado Rampage and Monument Ice Rinks. The Colorado Rampage now goes by the name Monument Rebels, according to the team’s website.
“Based on an initial report of an injury to a youth hockey player and review of video footage, the Colorado Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) issued a summary suspension of Andrew Sherman pending review of this matter and other reports received involving Mr. Sherman and the programs under his supervision,” said Tom McGann, president of CAHA.
McGann said Sherman has requested a hearing on the suspension, which will be held at a later date. The hearings are not open to the public, the organization said.
“CAHA continues to investigate this matter and the other reports and will respond appropriately to the results of the investigation,” McGann said.
KOAA could not reach Sherman directly for comment through phone, email or at his home.
The extent of the player’s injury was unclear. In the video, Sherman, wearing black, and the young player, wearing green, collide. After the two collide, the player in green loses their footing and falls to the ice while Sherman continues skating in the practice. Other skaters then circle the injured player until they begin to skate off the ice.
In additional video sent to the KOAA newsroom by Sherman’s attorney, the coach can be seen speaking to the injured player on the bench, as the player continues checking their wrist or hand. This video has no audio and it’s unclear how much time elapsed between the collision and this interaction.
Monument police confirmed there is an investigation into the incident with Sherman. The department did not provide further information, including pending charges, citing Colorado’s criminal investigations statute and the ongoing nature of the investigation.
Sherman’s attorney, Michael Kuhn, disputed the claims that the video showed a deliberate injury by his client.
“We have carefully reviewed the video of the on-ice collision, and it does not support any claim that this was an intentional act. The footage shows a player and a coach converging during live play, with incidental contact consistent with the normal flow of hockey,” Kuhn said in a statement.
In an email obtained by KOAA, Colorado Rampage Chief Operations Officer Kelly Moon said that Sherman is “currently suspended indefinitely as the result of a SafeSport complaint alleging misconduct.”
Moon said Sherman cannot comment or communicate with the organization or its members at this time due to the complaint.