Hockey mom exposes corruption then faces threats and attacks: “This is what happens when you speak up”

When Brooke Wilfley began asking questions about where money was going inside Colorado youth hockey, she did not expect to become the target of an investigation herself.

Wilfley, a Denver-area hockey parent and academy director, uncovered evidence that the president of the Colorado Amateur Hockey Association was routing nonprofit funds through his own private companies. She raised those concerns repeatedly with board members and USA Hockey leadership. Months passed with no meaningful response.

Then the backlash arrived.

In early 2023, Wilfley received a formal letter from the association’s attorney demanding she turn over years of personal emails, texts and electronic devices for forensic review. The stated goal was to investigate whether she had made “libelous and slanderous” statements. Failure to comply, the letter warned, could result in discipline against her and her club – discipline that could derail the seasons of dozens of children.

“This is what happens when you speak up,” Wilfley later said. “You get bullied. You get threatened. They’ll hurt your kids.”

According to an investigation by USA TODAY’s Kenny Jacoby, Wilfley refused to back down despite mounting legal pressure, reputational attacks and more than $100,000 in legal costs. She hired an independent accounting firm, which identified six-figure discrepancies and undisclosed transactions tied to the association president’s businesses.

“Crazy hockey mom” vs corrupt president et al

USA Hockey ultimately intervened, halting disciplinary threats and launching its own audit. The fallout was decisive. The longtime president was voted out, suspended from hockey activities and later found liable in civil court for theft and breach of fiduciary duty. A judge ordered him to repay nearly $600,000.

Yet the personal toll on Wilfley lingered. Even after the court ruling validated her claims, she continued to face rumors, lawsuits and the dismissive label of “crazy hockey mom.”

Her case underscores a broader problem in youth sports: parents who challenge entrenched power structures often risk retaliation that extends beyond themselves to their children. As Jacoby’s reporting makes clear, accountability eventually came, but only after years of pressure that few families could withstand.

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