DVHL OFFICIATING

[Guest]

USAHockey is a total joke. Best thing it could do is to stay completely out of youth hockey. It’s a total joke....

[Guest]

I have a better idea.  Spend some of that USA hockey gold mine revenue stream to do some real training and continuing ed/workshops for these bumbling cash seeking buffoons.
[/quote]

So what exactly is your idea? What is "real training?" Who will provide this training? What kind of continuing ed/ workshops do you propose?

[Guest]

So what exactly is your idea? What is "real training?" Who will provide this training? What kind of continuing ed/ workshops do you propose?

Bingo, that is the typical response of which I spoke.

So anyway, I am not employed and paid by USA hockey to hire, retain and train referees.  Therefore, I do not purport to have expertise in doing so.  I am only here to report that the current state of affairs really is bad, and in some cases dangerous to players, as I am sure you are already aware.  How many people who take ref courses are denied?

The best USA hockey could do this year is threaten spectators who are unhappy with refs.  But that, even after a small amount of thought, is an ineffective and backwards approach to solving a problem (which I assume is ... refs are uncomfortable with how they feel whilst sucking at reffing because people are yelling at them).  Now, I agree, it sucks getting yelled at and it is a problem.  But I cannot do your job for you.

All of that said, if USA hockey wants to hire someone to manage the evaluation and continuing education of refs, let me know my new salary and I assume it is a no-show cush job, right?  Maybe produce some youtube videos and make people pay to watch them... is that the science behind all of this magic?

[Guest]

Interesting thread, you can definitely tell which posts are from officials who had their feels hurt and which posts are from truly concerned players/coaches/parents you desperately want the officiating to improve.  All to often, many of these officials act is if they are being inconvenienced by having to ref the game.  Lack of communication, out of position, or just not giving a damn is a BIG problem seen across the league in just about every rink. 

The issue is teams have a lot of time and money invested in a season and when games are grossly mismanaged by the officials, emotions tend to bubble to the surface. 

We travel extensively throughout the year to New England, the Mid-West and into Canada.  The officiating outside of the mid-Atlantic is a night & day difference.  It clearly is possible to develop quality officials who take pride in their craft, maybe some round tables with other regions are in order to help develop officials in our area...

[Guest]

You don't have the expertise to fix the problem. But you have the expertise to say there is a problem.

Is there a problem with NFL officiating? Many, many people say yes. Does the NFL have all money in the world? doesn't seem to help. Is there a problem with the referees in the EPL? Do they look at offsides down to the width of someone arm? Yes - do people this it works - not many.

To the other poster, if you think that officiating is different in other places you truly have no clue.
Go take a look at the D-board and see all the posts on officials.

[Guest]

Have seen good and bad officials.  The bad ones obviously stick out the most though.  We had one even put our goalie in the penalty box! 

[Guest]

We travel extensively throughout the year to New England, the Mid-West and into Canada.  The officiating outside of the mid-Atlantic is a night & day difference.  It clearly is possible to develop quality officials who take pride in their craft, maybe some round tables with other regions are in order to help develop officials in our area...

Really?  Talk to some parents who are in the GTHL, they have the same complaints.  Talk to parents in the Boston area, you'll hear the same complaints.  Guess what, it's parents who are complaining that the refs are missing calls that are blatant.  How blatant are they?  Pro's can't even get it right and now use video review.  Is that what you really want, to slow down the game so your precious Pee Wee A/B game is fairly ref'd?  Here's an idea, stop being "that parent" and just enjoy the game the kids are playing on the ice, one blown call isn't going to ruin the complete season, and if it is you really have your priorities screwed up.

[Guest]

GTHL officiating is a disaster. The refs are awful and thats supposed to be one of the most prestigious leagues in North America.

[Guest]

Blah blah blah. So officiating sucks in every sport at every level.  No refs, no sports. Unless you are going to get off your fat azz and ref yourself just shut up. 

[Guest]

Blah blah blah. So officiating sucks in every sport at every level.  No refs, no sports. Unless you are going to get off your fat azz and ref yourself just shut up. 

That's Constructive.  Example of the attitude so many refs have.  No wonder the issue persists.