Calgary’s Hockey Umpire Shortage Raises Safety Concerns and Possible Game Cancellation – Calgary | The Canadian News

Alberta’s junior hockey associations are grappling with a referee shortage this year.

It has forced games in Calgary to go from three umpires on the ice to two and sometimes just one.

Hockey Calgary’s CEO says a couple of exhibition games had to be canceled this year.

“Usually we hope to have at least one official there so the kids can play because after a year and a half off the track they are eager to start playing and the last thing we want to do is cancel more games and stop the kids. kids. to play, ”said Hockey Calgary CEO Kevin Kobelka.

Kobelka can’t remember a year with such a shortage. He attributes it in part to COVID-19, due to limited recruitment last year.

“I don’t think it has happened to that point before. I think this is a really unique phenomenon because of what we’ve been through, ”Kobelka said.

“It goes back to officials who are retiring and new ones don’t come in and then even at the risk to health and safety, some officials may not feel comfortable working in that environment.”

According to Hockey Alberta, there are 1,364 umpires in the Midwest system, but the problem is that half of those officials are scheduled to expire in the system because they are not certified.

Hockey Alberta has been busy recruiting and trying to recertify since the end of August, but the classes that normally have more than 30 in a class have been reduced to five or six.

“By the end of December, our numbers, which are 1,364, are going to drop drastically, and we will tell our stakeholders, namely Hockey Calgary and other local minor hockey associations within our rural communities, ‘We have no officials. I’m sorry, ‘”said Dave Coles, Umpire Committee Chairperson for Central Hockey Alberta.

Coles worries about having only one referee on the ice and putting young referees in situations they might not be prepared for.

“Safety is something very important because the referee helps control the game by penalizing the players and putting them in the penalty area, but if we are not able to identify the penalties because maybe we are pressing them a little fast, maybe hockey it’s a bit quick for them, so we ran into a security problem, ”Coles said.

For many young people, refereeing is their first job – an opportunity to stay fit, earn some money, and put valuable skills on their resume.

“They have the opportunity to learn some skills that they can apply in the real world, problem solving, teamwork and communication,” said Colin Walker, Central Alberta Region Base Coordinator.

Walker is also a referee in Calgary and said it has been a rewarding experience.

“I love it. The way I see it every time I hit the track – I get to hear a good story, be part of a community, get in shape and get paid a little bit at the end of the day,” said Walker. .

For the first time ever, Hockey Alberta will hold umpiring classes in December to hopefully have more umpires on the rinks and avoid game interruptions.