Referee Training

I think this is why referees take so much abuse!

Names on the Back of Jerseys

As an official having names on the backs of jerseys is a godsent. Firstly, referees can call the player by his last name if he needs to get his attention. In doing so he can often difuse most situations as the very utterance of the player’s name allows you to identify him. Rather than say 7 Blue, you say Mr. Smith. By saying the name the player is usually calmed down and more open to talking. Addionally you can more formally and respectfully address the player.

Suprising is the amount of respect an official recieves when he is able to identify a player by his last name. It goes a long way to build rapport.

Wait….Did I miss something!

Today I watched a game where there was incident where a player made a stupid play which could have seriously injured and opponent. The referee missed the incident as it happened behind the play. All the parents started yelling at the referee…HOLD ON. Why don’t you yell at your son or daughter who committeed the infraction. Referees can’t do much to make the game safer all they can do is react to incidents occuring on the ice. If you want to make the game safer you will tell your child when they have done something wrong. Remember that when you players take to the ice they are a reflection on you and your parenting ability. If your child starts to act like an idiot on the ice I suggest you talk to him. The referee sees your kid one day a week, you seven. I think the problem may be the parenting not the refereeing?

Suspensions

The part of Hockey every player hates…SUSPENSIONS!

Referees should not (and probably will not) speculate on the length of suspensions. Coaches should consult their managers manua. In Ontario (specifically the OHF) we are blessed with a minimum suspension list. This list conatains all the suspensions possible for a player or team official to get. However some leagues have modified the suspensions to make some suspensions more severe than others. Here are some things to keep in mind when suspensions are assessed:

• Misconducts usually noted as an M followed by two numbers (e.g. M22,M20…) don’t incurr additional games. Unless it is their second misconduct in the same game (which should be noted with GM26).
• Any Game Misconduct has a suspension associated with it. They are usually noted much like Misconducts except that it is “GM” followed by two number (e.g. GM50). However there are two suspensions that occur thay may or may not be noted with the GM coding they are Instigator and Aggressor noted INS or INS36 and AGG or AGG37 respectivly.
• Gross Misconducts and Match Penalties also have suspensions associated with them. However it is not unusual for the league to assess additional games, if the player is a habitual offender, or the incident was so hanous that it requires additional games.
• Game Ejections (GE56 in the OHF) do not have additional games assoiciated with them.

Finally if there is every any doubt as to if the player is suspended or not. It is best to sit the player out and wait to hear from the league office as to the players officials status. Remember if the player is to play the game may be forfited if ineligble and the player and coach suspended. Don’t take the chance.

The Ideal Referee

Let’s “take a look” at the official who is alleged to he responsible for the inability of players to score goals and teams to win games. He is the living barrier who mysteriously transforms victory to defeat. What are his qualifications and is there anything to be said in his defense?

In the first place, the ID EAL referee must be an apt student, who is letter perfect in the laws of hockey and their interpretation. Unlike judges in our courts, h e must see the crime; identify the offence and hand out the sentence – not later in the day, tomorrow or next month, but all within seconds.

Next, the IDEAL referee must be a good skater and physically sound. A player can get frequent relief, but officials must be on the ice for the entire game. Moreover, hockey officials are expected to act as peace officers and prevent crime by restraining angry players who are intent upon “beating up” their opponents.

An IDEAL referee, and there is no such person, should have the speed of a sprinter, the endurance of a marathoner, the tact of a diplomat, the mind of a professor and the unruffled demeanor of a supreme court judge. It would also help if he had 20-20 vision and was stone deaf.

Fans, players, coaches and management alike expect too much of officials. Few players ever think their sentence was deserved; coaches shriek in anguish at a borderline off-side call; and fans view with alarm, every decision that goes against their favorites. Yet contrastingly, a judge has his judgment appealed and his decision repealed without loss of prestige. No less than perfection is expected from the versatile hockey official.

It is an old but valid argument that referees don’t make the rules; they are merely agents charged with the responsibility of enforcing the laws as provided by the rule book. The fact that players trip, charge, smear or high-stick is not the referee’s fault any more than a police officer is responsible for the actions of offenders who break society’s laws.

Few men are so constituted that they can suffer silently while they are publicly criticized. While it is unlikely that hockey’s governing bodies will do much to ease the referee’s life while the sport is enjoying a prolific boom, it does seem that there should be less official criticism of referees and linesman. For instance, it isn’t fair to second guess them with slow motion film. The man on the ice has to call the play instantly; he can’t wait for the crowd to tell him and he can’t see what goes on behind his back. Neither can he ponder over border line incidents in his private chambers or delay a decision momentarily while waiting the instant replay. He just has to do the best he can, based on his years of experience. H e doesn’t expect to be popular; but he has a right to be recognized as the representative of the law makers and to be spared from public humiliation and criticism from those who are themselves involved in the development of the sport.

Source: Hockey Canada-Parent and Official

Ref how can you make that call?!

    Often times coaches don’t understand why referees allow certain incidents to go on while calling other that seems less sever. Often times the incidents that you are seeing the referee hasn’t, that is why there is no call being made. However sometimes referees give players verbal warning, when the player re-commits an infraction although it may not be as severe he is then given a penalty.

    Often times the referees will also penalize incident differently after the whistle. A minor “face wash” before the whistle might be ignored. However, should it occur after the whistle a penalty will probably be assessed. Referees often will be very strict in their infractions after the whistle. If they can control the stuff after the whistle it often means fewer penalties throughout the game.

Ruly Rules #1

The Ruly Rules section will be posted to give you some interesting rules to reflect on.  I don’t suggest that you try this in a game as most referees don’t bother learning these absolutly useless rules. But just for fun:

Rule 9(e) layers’ Bench
The Home Team shall have the choice of ends to start he game and must take the players’ bench that corresponds to their choice of ends. Teams shall alternate ends of the ice to start each period but neither team is permitted to change their players’ bench.

Rule 81(e):Start of Game and Periods
At the end of each period, all players must remain on their respective players’ or penalty bench until directed
off by the Referee. The Visiting Team shall leave the ice first, unless otherwise directed by the Referee. Failure to
comply shall result in a Bench Minor penalty. Any unusual circumstances shall be reported to the President.
A Game Misconduct penalty shall be assessed to the coach of any team that fails to comply with this rule at the end of the game if an altercation that results in penalties of any kind is either in progress as the game ends or begins after the game has ended.

Who monitors the referees?

    Well…this is probably the most often heard question from coaches,parents and spectators. Actually the officials are supervised and scrutinized. In most leagues there is a Director of Officiating or Referee-in-chief, who is responsible for the managing of officials. Each league has a group of people called supervisors who evaluate the performance of officials and reports back to the Director of Officiating. He if required can promote the official or demote the official based on the supervision’s results. These results are often tabulated and a level is generated. This level dictates the highest calibre of hockey this officials is able to referee.

You may be asking what a supervision looks like and what they are evaluated on. Here we go:

Application of Rules:Does the official know the rules?
Attitude-On/Off the Ice:Is the referee carrying himself well off the ice? Is he approachable?
Awareness: Is the referee aware of what is going on the ice? Does he know about situations that could arise (i.e altercations)?
Communication: Does the official effectively communicate with coaches, players, and other officials?
Face-Off Procedure: Does the official conduct the face-off in accordance with the Hockey Canada Officiating Program Procedures?
Game Control: Does the official lose control of the game as a cause of their officiating?
Judgement:Does the official make the correct call at the right time?
Penalty Calling Procedure: Does the official call penalties in a accordance with the Hockey Canada Officiating Program Procedures?
Physical Appearance: Does the official look the part? Clean?
Physical Fitness: Does the official seem in shape, able to keep up to the play?
Positioning:Does the official use Hockey Canada Officiating Program Positioning Systems (i.e. working the line, piston system, etc.)?
Procedures: Does the official use proper Hockey Canada Officiating Program Procedures?
Reaction to Pressure: Is the official able to handle pressure? Are penalties called due to the crowds?
Safety/Risk Management: Does the official ensure safety for all participants?
Signals: Are signals properly executed?
Skating Ability: Can the officials skate well?
Teamwork: Does the official work well with other officials?

The above areas are marked as Superior, Acceptable, Needs Improvement, based on the number of errors.

Selections
Selections for officials is done by a committee based on supervisions and working experiences. This is mainly for International Tournaments, Championships, and Play-offs.

Ref you suck!

Next time you go to yell at a referee I would remind you to take a step back. Firstly I would ask you, “at your job you take as much abuse he does”. Probably not, however if you do, I commend you! If you are going to abuse the officials I offer you these guidlines:

1. Never verbal abuse the official. When this happens you lose ALL credibility.
2. When talking to an official don’t raise you voice, this often only leads to heated converstations.
3. If you don’t like a penalty that has been called don’t do the “Don Cherry”. It is a show of obvious discontent.
4. Finally, for players; If a referee calls a penalty and you think he is wrong, don’t proceed to call him and idiot. This will only lead to more penalties which will lead to more frustration and more penalties. The cycle goes on!
5. Lastly, if you feel the officiating hasn’t gone your way all game, don’t call the referee an idiot, stupid or other choice words, as you will get suspended for it. At the end of the game the referee goes home and will referee tomorrow, and as for you suspened from anywhere from 1(GM20)-3(GM21) games.

Officials are human and they to make mistakes. There is not doubt they are wrong sometimes, and other times they have a different perspective than you and see things differently.