By / Brian Van Vliet
As a hockey community, we are constantly reminded how difficult it is to get quality referees to work games in our minor hockey system. Numerous studies have been conducted into the abuse that referees as young as 14-years-old have to endure from enraged parents and coaches. The annual dropout rate of refs is up to the 30 or even the 40 per cent range in some areas. Although this armchair sports fan can’t claim to be an angel when it comes to making the odd comment to refs during my kid’s games, I can say I am on board with trying to support the refs and not to abuse the young kids who are just trying to do a job. As a new “epidemic” is starting to make it’s way into our local arenas, this support is becoming more and more difficult to endorse.
The name of this new epidemic? Referee power tripping.
Zero tolerance has been taken to a whole new level. In my son’s last two Peewee Division 1 hockey games, a grand total of 58 minor penalties were called to go along with four player suspensions and one coach suspension.
Now let’s think about this for a minute. The average ice allotment for a game in Peewee is 75 minutes. Without injuries or any other major delays, this leaves enough time for three 15-minute periods, or 45 minutes of actual playing time. It doesn’t take a mathematician to figure out that with all the delays, to call 29 minors in a game, young hockey players are being robbed of their precious ice time. Coupled with the fact that players are constantly receiving between one and three game suspensions for very questionable hitting calls, brings to light that something has to be done on the officiating side.
We are constantly reminded of the ice shortage in Calgary, yet kids are spending way too much time in the penalty box or on suspension. I have seen referees chirping back and forth with coaches and daring them to say one more word so they can throw them out. I have witnessed adult referees raising their voice at 11- and 12-year-old boys threatening them with misconducts and suspensions. Something has to be done to put an end to this.
As much as it is the responsibility of coaches, players and spectators to respect the game, referees must also do the same. They are not there to determine the outcome of the game, yet this has become commonplace lately.
Those running referee clinics must start doing a better job of teaching our young officials to use more discretion when handing out penalties and especially suspensions.
Agree or disagree, I’m off the goalpost.
[email protected]
www.offthegoalpost.com |