Continued Abuse Off Officials

Regardless if it happens in your area within your Association or not, the ongoing abuse from parents, fans and coaches eventually has to stop!

Now some might not like that tone, but what is the difference from an sheet of ice, a football field, baseball diamond or the main street of your town?

Nothing really other than society seems to think it’s perfectly fine to abuse kids or adults in sport because they are supposed to have “thick skin”.

As an official I would much rather have any referee over-call a game, than under-call and err on the side of safety for everyone.

We continue to hear and watch the situation with Calgary Flame #6 Dennis Wideman for his cross check or “cheap-shot” on linesman #91 Don Henderson where the league eventually dealt him a 20 game suspension. Good Call – but really – was this long enough?

I am told that each Christmas in Edmonton that the local officials (ref’s) work the tournament Quikcard for the Edmonton Minor Hockey for free.

I am pleased to see the officials give back, but sure wouldn’t happen in the lower mainland of BC.

As reported by the Edmonton Journal the event takes place over a span of 10 days where they normally play 741 games in various rinks across the city.

Now again we are hearing about two parents in Howell New Jersey who went into the referee’s room after a game and attacked two referees.

Referee Dave Brown, President of the New York-New Jersey chapter of the National Ice Hockey Officials Association, mentioned that “he was one of two referees attacked Sunday.”

As per most situations he declined to talk further, simply saying that the incident was under investigation.

Manalapan’s hockey coach Brad Gardner stated “he came out of a locker room after the game and saw the rink’s lobby full of parents and police.”

A male linesman was kicked and punched by players while he was laying on the ice during an Interlake bantam boy’s minor hockey playoff game in Stonewall on Sunday afternoon. The game, which saw the Stonewall Blues win the league title with a 5-1 win over Lake Manitoba First Nation, was called by officials with 11 minutes remaining in the third period. There were four match penalties called in the game, prompting calls for stiffer sanctions to teams and players involved in the abuse officials. Chris Gareau photo

Gardner continued “The game had ended in a contentious tie after one of his players, Rob Colligan was struck (hit) from behind and collided head-first into the side of the rink and he (Colligan) was knocked unconscious.”

Play was stopped while the teams waited for an ambulance, but the tension continued to mount between all players and parents, to which the game referees had to control.

Not too surprisingly prior to the end of the game multiple players were given Game Misconducts and subsequently removed.

President of the Shore Conference Ice Hockey Coach’s Association Mike Celano confirmed that an incident took place at the rink and that Brown was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center for treatment.

Not too surprisingly that the Athletic directors at both high schools were unable to be reached by phone and did not immediately respond by e-mails.

Again – this took place during a school game and one has to ask – what are they teaching the kids today?

One would think that respect should be front and center, but maybe that’s the way these schools allow these individuals to coach? Interesting concept – we might just be seeing a future NHL Coach from one of these schools!!

From the ice to the court:

The high school girls basketball game between Pike and Ben Davis in Indianapolis was called with five minutes left in the fourth quarter on Saturday afternoon due to a fight that appeared to involve players and fans.

A middle school basketball game in Kentucky ended last week with a coach pulling his team off the court, which was immediately followed by an ugly brawl.

It involved Parents and the referee kicking the coach’s father in the head and now the coach has resigned following a suspension.

Inman said administrators from both schools are scheduled to meet with the Indiana High School Athletic Association on Monday after the video of the incident is reviewed.

Ben Davis issued a statement, saying the incident is “not representative of our values, beliefs or how we coach our student athletes. It is not reflective of the Ben Davis pride our students, alumni, and community share. And it certainly does reflect the rich tradition and success of our girls basketball team.”

Last year the IHSAA hammered both Griffith and Hammond following a fight in a boy’s game, suspending both teams for the entire season.

“We reviewed the videotape the very next morning,” Smith said. “This is the perfect seminar video for what not to do in situations like this. We had adults make very, very poor decisions, display no restraint. It led to consequences.”

Smith said the school superintendent was “appalled” by what the video showed, so please watch the video!!

Below you can see the Coaching staff getting involved at the bench area. Thoughts – Suspension or Not?

Hockey Brawl In Langley