Amateur Hockey Refs Are Physically And Verbally Abused

[IPostedWhat]

Many amateur hockey referees have been in games where the officials lost control because of aggressive play, suggests a new study that takes a novel look at violence in the sport.

Almost half the hundreds of officials surveyed by medical researchers at the University of Toronto said they had been victims of physical violence themselves, from cross-checks to the head, to a fan’s sucker punch, to an attack by an irate parent after the game, according to the just-published paper.

“Referees suggest that they are both physically and verbally abused,” the paper in the Canadian Journal of Sports Medicine notes. “This potential lack of respect and hostility for referees from coaches, parents and fans creates an environment that may put all on-ice participants at higher risk for injury.”

In fact, about a third of first-time officials end up quitting after their initial season, at least partly because of such challenges, said Garth Loeppky, director of officiating for Hockey Manitoba.

“Has my safety been threatened, on the ice and off the ice? Yes, it has,” he said. “I did remember calling in the police a couple of times. These are situations where players, coaches and fans were threatening my physical well-being, largely because of calls that had to be made.”

One one occasion, a player he was trying to keep out of a fight cross-checked him in the mouth, leaving injuries that required oral surgery. At a Junior A championship two years ago, the losing coach stormed onto the ice, blaming Mr. Loeppky for having assessed a five-minute kneeing penalty.

“He was using a lot of profanity. He was making it seem as if this was personal for me, that I was personally ending their season, and he was going to make it personal for the rest of my life — all those sort of catastrophic comments.”

About 55% said they had been in games where officials lost control because of aggression on the ice, related to disagreements over penalty calls, excessive body checking or one team seeking retribution against another.

Close to half reported physical abuse of referees and almost all cited verbal assaults. Specific incidents ranged from a parent breaking an official’s finger, to a slap shot deliberately fired at close range that “shattered [the ref’s] arm,” and a fan threatening “to carve out a linesman’s eye.”

More than half those with more than 10 years’ experience said concussions seemed to be more common in their ranks, though it was unclear if that was because of heightened awareness of the injury.

More than 60% said they would favour rule changes and increased enforcement to make the game safer, such as increasing penalties for coaches who abuse officials.

Amateur hockey violence making referees lose control of games: study | News | National Post

 

[Winged_Wheel88]

I'm listening to the fucking song!

 

[Darkstone42]

That's all so uncalled for.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Had a friend back in highschool way back when who played aaa midget and would ref house peewee league hockey in burnaby minor.
He got paid $10 bucks a game but loved it until a parent tried fighting him after one game ... House league peewee ???

U have to be a serious glutten for punishment tostick with reffing as a kid

 

[forty_three]

Now that I'm on the bench the whole game, I have a new respect for these guys. Kids, really.

Some of the shit they get from the parents and other teams' coaches is just obnoxious. Fortunately the head coach of my team and the other assistants feel the same way I do, so we don't get into it with them. If we disagree, we ask for an explanation rather than argue, so we know how they work. Let the other team's coach scream. And I think that actually helps us. Pull the ref aside and chat with 'em about it. "That guy's out of his mind, huh? I have no complaints, you're doing fine out there".

Yeah, it's a cheap way to get offsides calls or quick whistles to go your way. But it works.

As for the kids, we just keep drilling into their heads that you may not like the call the ref made, but you can't put yourself in a position to let an official's call decide the game for you. You control what happens out there.

Which is an Ironic stance to take as a coach, since our team name is the Sabres.

 

[dash]

Which is an Ironic stance to take as a coach, since our team name is the Sabres.

A great set-up and a fantastic ending, 43.

/rep

 

[IPostedWhat]

Which is an Ironic stance to take as a coach, since our team name is the Sabres.

I hope they stay true to the name and never win anything, and i hope your son starts to idolize Roy, and you have to explain that he falls a lot when people start to suspect that you beat him.

 

[forty_three]

I hope they stay true to the name and never win anything, and i hope your son starts to idolize Roy, and you have to explain that he falls a lot when people start to suspect that you beat him.

Well, he does idolize Roy, but not the Sabre one. The one who actually accomplished something in his career.

 

[IPostedWhat]

Well, he does idolize Roy, but not the Sabre one. The one who actually accomplished something in his career.

To be fair, he could idolize Satan, and it would still apply.

 

[mbhhofr]

Thirty-five years as an official, I was called every name in the book. Even today, when I hear someone near me say, "You asshole," I automatically turn around, thinking that they're talking to me. I've been punched, kicked, choked, had beer poured on me and other objects thrown at me. I can look back on all of it with a smile on my face.

 

[IPostedWhat]

Even today, when I hear someone near me say, "You asshole," I automatically turn around, thinking that they're talking to me.

I take it you're also married?

 

[mbhhofr]

I take it you're also married?

One of the benefits of officiating. I met my wife when she worked for the Minnesota Fighting Saints and I was a local Linesman in the WHA.

 

[forty_three]

To be fair, he could idolize Satan, and it would still apply.

Good point, Satan has also done more good than Derek.

 

[BF4L]

Had a friend back in highschool way back when who played aaa midget and would ref house peewee league hockey in burnaby minor.
He got paid $10 bucks a game but loved it until a parent tried fighting him after one game ... House league peewee ???

U have to be a serious glutten for punishment tostick with reffing as a kid

Same thing happened to me when I was like 16. Parent jumped in my face and pushed me cause i threw his punk kid out of a game. Kid 2 handed another kid in the back of the legs.

To me getting payed to ref (i dont think it was even 10 bucks then) was awesome..basically getting paid for some ice time. I never did it again.

 

[dash]

I've coached and reffed youth soccer in the past and I think I took more abuse from parents as a coach than I ever did as a ref...Of course, it then makes clear why some kids are pretty messed up when you hear some of the things being said by their parents.

 

[Automattic]

Thirty-five years as an official, I was called every name in the book. Even today, when I hear someone near me say, "You asshole," I automatically turn around, thinking that they're talking to me. I've been punched, kicked, choked, had beer poured on me and other objects thrown at me. I can look back on all of it with a smile on my face.

#1) That was not a tripping penalty.

#2) I said I was sorry for choking you!








Good to see you, buddy!

 

[mbhhofr]

#1) That was not a tripping penalty.

#2) I said I was sorry for choking you!








Good to see you, buddy!

#1) It sure was a tripping penalty. You're lucky I didn't call for a penalty shot.

#2) Saying that you're sorry still didn't save either you or your coach from getting one year suspensions.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

#1) That was not a tripping penalty.

#2) I said I was sorry for choking you!








Good to see you, buddy!

I didn't know you played hockey too, Latrell Sprewell!!

A two-sport athlete. Well..... you do have kids to feed, so....

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

I officiated for a couple years in high school and I can definitely agree with that article.

Never got physically assaulted thankfully, but it got pretty crazy sometimes.

The worst I think was when I got stuck doing a game by myself because my partner didn't show. Trying to cover the entire ice surface, coach starts screaming at me when he thinks I blew a close icing call because I was down near the net and couldn't skate back to center ice as quickly as the puck could be passed out.