Parent of hockey referee calling for change after son verbally abused by coach

Jen says her son had gone through plenty of verbal criticism in the past but she explained that this time, the incident brought him to tears on the ice, which she said is unlike him.

“He had to pull himself together and finish the game but he was very shaken up and upset,” said Jen.

In order for these situations to be dealt with, Jen said officials have to file a complaint with the league, which her son did not do.

This is where Jen hopes to inspire change within the game of hockey. She raised concerns of why these kids have to file a complaint for something to be done about it.

She also recognizes that officials have the power to throw out coaches from a game, but suggests inexperience and intimidation may affect young referees from doing so.

“Show me a minor who’s fairly new to refereeing stand up and actually do that is a ridiculous expectation on them,” she said.

Jen is frustrated with Hockey Alberta’s alleged inaction to protect young officials.

After some research, she suggested they adopt the Green Armband Program, which provides youth officials with a green armband, identifying them as young officials who are still developing their skills and deserve patience and encouragement from everyone involved.

The program has been adopted by other hockey governing bodies across Canada, such as in Saskatchewan and Ontario. When Jen pitched the idea to Hockey Alberta, she says they told her they would consider it, noting challenges with rules of altering uniforms.

“I’d also like to take the burden off minor officials having to report abuse against themselves. That seems ridiculous to require a minor to have to stand up to an adult,” said Jen.

“I don’t know if they need adult supervision or maybe a liason who can monitor these games as well?”

Jen explained the situation had a negative affect on her son, who was sick to his stomach the next day about having to officiate another game.

He did go and officiate after some encouragement from his parents but overall, the experience shook him despite his continued passion for the game.

This is an experience that long-time local hockey official Chad Huseby can relate to.

Huseby has been refereeing in hockey for decades including in the American Hockey League and the Western Hockey League.

He recalled the anxiety he felt as a young referee having to officiate a game against a coach he knew had a habit of yelling at referees.

“I remember sitting in the dressing room before the game with my twin brother Cody and I still remember to this day the anxiety I had about having to go out there and officiate that game,” he said.

“Because he would just treat officials poorly. He would yell constantly and make you feel like you were doing a bad job. He lived down the street from me and I knew him but that stuck with me. I tell my guys in clinics all the time that’s 27 years and I vividly remember those feelings.

“I could have quit and I never would of had the experiences I’ve had in hockey… It’s funny how those things will stick with you. That abuse sticks with kids and I don’t think coaches realize the long lasting impacts the abuse can have.”

In a statement from Liam MacIsaac, Manager of Officiating, Hockey Alberta, in consultation with their SafeSport department, which is leading the charge on the culture shift within hockey, they provided the following strategies on how they’re creating a more inclusive environment for all:

The Hockey Canada Respect in Sport Training, which is mandatory to every coach
Additional respect modules and materials in mandatory coaching clinics
Officiating coaches attending games as a means of support to younger officials
Promoting Hockey Alberta’s messages on inclusion, safety and belonging for all participants
The Hockey Canada maltreatment investigation process for any infractions that becoming discriminatory in nature.

“We promote a culture of safety and belonging for all players, coaches, and officials. Should an incident take place on or off the ice, we strongly encourage participants to file a complaint through their Minor Hockey Association,” MacIsaac said in an email.

In addition, president of the Blindman Valley Minor Hockey Association, Chad Kimmel said they did not receive a formal complaint but did become aware of the situation through other channels.

“We take such matters seriously and have reviewed the details of the incident promptly. BVMHA firmly believes that coaches serve as role models for players, and we do not tolerate inappropriate or abusive language towards officials, as outlined in our Coaches Code of Ethics(Section 6 in our handbook),” he said.

“We expect all participants in our programs to uphold these standards of respect and professionalism. Following an immediate review of the incident, we can confirm that it was managed in alignment with our internal processes. Additionally, the matter was addressed with the support of our Coach Liaison to ensure that appropriate measures were taken.”

by Ian Gustafson

Parent of hockey referee calling for change after son verbally abused by coach

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