Greyhounds to open training camp without three players

As the Soo Greyhounds open their 2012-13 training camp today, Nick Cousins, Andrew Fritsch and Mark Petaccio will not be present.

It was made official this morning as the team released the list of players who will participate in this week's camp, though the players have not been officially suspended by the club.

Greyhounds GM Kyle Dubas released a statement this morning on the player’s absence from camp.

“Given that training camp is set to begin this morning we are announcing that Nicholas Cousins, Andrew Fritsch, and Mark Petaccio will not be present. They have not been suspended by our club,” Dubas said in the statement, “but the counseling, at this time, takes priority. The three young men must deal with the ensuing court process, and each young man is presumed innocent until proven guilty.”

The three players will participate in a behavioural wellness program.

In the statement, Dubas added that, because of the confidentiality of the program, the team could not release a possible timeline on when the three players would be able to re-join the hockey club.

The three players were charged with sexual assault over the weekend after an incident at a central-area residence. All three turned themselves into police on Saturday night.

Cousins and Fritsch were both released at the time of their arrest.

Petaccio, a US citizen, was held until a bail hearing on Monday afternoon, when he was subsequently released as well.

The three players are due in court on October 1.

Cousins was set to enter his fourth season with the Greyhounds while Fritsch was entering his second full season with the team after being acquired in a trade with Owen Sound. Petaccio was to begin his first full season with the team. He was acquired in a trade with Oshawa in January.

Full text of Dubas’ statement follows.

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“Our hockey program has been working through the various issues that have arisen as a result of the filing of criminal charges against Nicholas Cousins, Andrew Fritsch, and Mark Petaccio Saturday evening. The resultant public and media attention, and the stress which results from such accusations, affects all concerned. Given these affects, the club has decided that is in the best interests of all that all three young men, with their consent, to immediately commence a confidential behavioural wellness program which will help each young man prepare, mentally and emotionally, to deal with living their lives and dealing with the issues and resultant stress, in a stable manner, as this court case works it's way through the legal process. Our club wants to ensure that each of the young men have the proper counseling which will help guide each of them through what is a very trying time. Each player has voluntarily agreed to enter the program. The counseling of the three players will be followed up with counseling of the balance of the team to deal with issues arising as a result of the accusations.

Therefore, given that training camp is set to begin this morning we are announcing that Nicholas Cousins, Andrew Fritsch, and Mark Petaccio will not be present. They have not been suspended by our club, but the counseling, at this time, takes priority. The three young men must deal with the ensuing court process, and each young man is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Our hockey program's priority is to develop responsible people first, and hockey players second.

Once the players complete the behavioural wellness program, we will reassess the situation with the intention being that the players will re-join our hockey club. As this program is confidential we will not comment on timelines, nor will we comment on the program directly. We ask that everyone respects the privacy of each of the three young men as they go through it.

This decision is aimed at ensuring that each young man is mentally and emotionally prepared for the many legal challenges ahead. It is also what we feel is best for each young man as a person, and for their teammates.”
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