The Patriot Post® · Hockey Coach: We're Not Women's Soccer; We Stand for the National Anthem

Coach tells players if you’re going to disrespect the national anthem, get the f*ck out pic.twitter.com/YT7IXa7yVO

— Wojciech Pawelczyk 🇵🇱🇺🇸 (@PolishPatriotTM) July 8, 2019

It was the first day of camp for the Hat Tricks, the new minor league hockey team in Danbury, Connecticut. And Assistant Coach John Krupinsky had something on his mind.

Over the past few years Coach Krupinsky has seen professional football players and women’s soccer players disrespect America by taking a knee during the national anthem.

He wanted to make sure the young hockey players understood that sort of unpatriotic nonsense would not be permitted on the Hat Tricks.

“We’re not women’s soccer,” he told the team in a locker room heart-to-heart. “We’re not the NFL.”

Stand for Anthem or Get Off the Ice

And then Coach Krupinsky laid down the law.

“If there’s anybody here who is going to be disrespectful to either the American or the Canadian national anthem, grab your gear and get the f—k out now because you’ll never see the ice in this arena,” he said. “We don’t have that problem in hockey. We’re better than that, but there was no sense in wasting anybody’s time if that sh—t was going to happen.”

That’s what we call a Make America Great Again Truth Bomb — on ice.

The coach’s remarks, made a few weeks ago, were captured on video and shared on Facebook. By last count, it’s been seen by more than six million people — and counting.

“I thought it would get shared around town — maybe — but I never expected 6.5 million people,” he said during an interview on “The Todd Starnes Radio Show.”

Danbury Is a Patriotic City

The coach, who works for the Danbury Police Department, said his comments were about basic stuff you should be doing every day as an American citizen.

“Coaches have a responsibility to keep their team squared away,” he said. “We are fortunate to be in a place where we are a patriotic team and city.”

In recent days, sports fans have expressed their disgust at some of the unpatriotic behavior displayed by members of the U.S. Women’s National Team.

Co-captain Megan Rapinoe made headlines by taking a knee during the national anthem in solidarity with disgraced football player Colin Kaepernick.

After U.S. Soccer implemented a rule requiring players to stand during the Star-Spangled Banner, Rapinoe protested by refusing to sing or place her hand over her heart.

Hockey More Patriotic than Women’s Soccer

During the World Cup she spoke profanely about President Trump and refused to attend a White House celebration honoring the team’s achievement.

And moments after their championship, one of the players dropped the American flag on the ground.

Team member Kelley O'Hara raced in to save the flag from further desecration — earning her great praise on social media.

“I feel bad for the team,” Coach Krupinsky said. “Even Megan — she could’ve been one of America’s most beloved players.”

Instead, some of the squad chose to use their platform to make a political statement.

“It’s too bad,” the assistant coach said. “I don’t think everybody on that team is reflective of that. Pretty sad.”

Coach Krupinsky Is a Great American

Fortunately, hockey is one of the few sports that has not been infected by Trump Derangement Syndrome. No snowflakes, just ice.

“We’re the most patriotic sport they have out there,” the coach told his players in the locker-room video.

Well, that and NASCAR.

The coach has received a number of accolades for his patriotic message to the guys, but there was one that was especially meaningful.

“I love Sean Hannity and to have him talk about it [on the radio] — that’s the Holy Grail for me,” he said.

Well, Coach John Krupinsky is a Great American, to borrow a phrase from Mr. Hannity.