Berating a 15-year-old hockey referee then getting hands on with the senior official who intervened is outrageous, a thirtysomething Trail referee recounted.
But the worst part?
He says it乌鸦传媒檚 the parents who stood by in the Rossland Arena Friday night and either heckled or did nothing.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e been involved in going on 30 years,乌鸦传媒� the ref told the Trail Times. 乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e never seen anything like this and I think this story needs to be told because what happened is crazy - and it happens way more than it should right across the country.乌鸦传媒�
The misconduct began during a Bantam house game between Trail and Castlegar in the early evening of Jan. 26.
The senior referee showed up to officiate a later Bantam game - Greater Trail Minor Hockey Association held a Bantam tournament last weekend - when he noticed a group of spectators being verbally aggressive from the stands.
乌鸦传媒淭hey were yelling, giving the kids a rough time,乌鸦传媒� he explained. 乌鸦传媒淪o I hung around for a bit instead of getting ready.乌鸦传媒�
Then something happened on the ice, some pushing or shoving.
乌鸦传媒淭he two young linesmen and one referee, all of them 15-years old, dealt with it,乌鸦传媒� the ref recalled. 乌鸦传媒淭hey were at the penalty box doing their thing so I thought they had it all under control and the crowd was quiet.乌鸦传媒�
With only 20 minutes left before the next game start at 7:30 p.m., the man went to lace up in the ref乌鸦传媒檚 dressing room which is located close to the ice entrance/exit.
Shortly after, he could hear a very loud voice.
乌鸦传媒淚 could hear the teams coming off the ice and I could hear some really loud elevated shouting right outside the (dressing room) door,乌鸦传媒� he continued. 乌鸦传媒淏y what this person was screaming, I knew he was yelling at the young referee himself.乌鸦传媒�
When the older official went into the corridor, he says the young ref was backed up against the wall with the parent screaming at a hair乌鸦传媒檚 breadth from the teenager.
乌鸦传媒淪o I got myself between this guy and the young referee, I told the kid to go into the dressing room, then I proceeded to scold this man,乌鸦传媒� the ref said. 乌鸦传媒淚 wanted this guy to switch his focus to me and we exchanged words.乌鸦传媒�
The situation took an even uglier turn when the parent got physical with the senior official.
乌鸦传媒淗e straight armed me to the throat because I wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 let him by to give the young fella more words乌鸦传媒� the ref told the Times. 乌鸦传媒淎nd I wasn乌鸦传媒檛 going to let that happen.乌鸦传媒�
What happened next, rather what didn乌鸦传媒檛 happen next, is especially unsettling.
乌鸦传媒淎ll the while a large group of parents from Trail and Castlegar stood there and watched and none of them came to help,乌鸦传媒� he added.
乌鸦传媒淪everal of them even heckled me for scolding this man, they said I was out of line.乌鸦传媒�
After the situation calmed with new players and parents arriving in the Rossland rink, the ref was left visibly shaken. Yes, he was disappointed with what had just transpired, but mostly, he was angry.
He reported the incident to BC Hockey and then on Saturday, to police.
乌鸦传媒淚 am a full grown man and I can take care of myself so I am not going to press charges,乌鸦传媒� said the ref, who is also a father. 乌鸦传媒淏ut they wanted documentation and that乌鸦传媒檚 why I filed a police report. All I could think about was what if there was another 15-year-old kid coming to ref the next game and not me - I mean how would you like it if someone yelled at your 15-year old like that?
乌鸦传媒淭hese are kids.乌鸦传媒�
Sgt. Darren Oelke from the Greater Trail RCMP confirmed a report was made to the detachment the afternoon of Jan. 27.
乌鸦传媒淭he victim did not want criminal charges pursued in the matter,乌鸦传媒� Oelke said. 乌鸦传媒淏asically the parent was reported to be verbally aggressive toward a 15-year-old linesman (sic) and when the head referee intervened he was pushed by the parent. It is being investigated by the BC Minor Hockey Association.乌鸦传媒�
Oelke says it乌鸦传媒檚 important to keep in mind that in minor hockey, the referees and linesmen are often only slightly older than the kids on the ice.
乌鸦传媒淢any rinks have adopted a yellow card policy where zero abuse by fans/parents will be accepted,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淚 understand the parent in this matter was banned from the rink in Rossland. Our file is concluded.乌鸦传媒�
David Flanagan, West Kootenay Lead for BC Hockey, says he was made aware of the incident shortly after it happened and immediately corresponded with all officials involved.
乌鸦传媒淚 have gathered statements from all the officials that were affected by this incident and I have been corresponding with Greater Trail Minor Hockey providing them with written statements from the officials involved,乌鸦传媒� Flanagan said, clarifying a full investigation is underway by GTMHA.
乌鸦传媒淔urther action includes liaising with Greater Trail Minor Hockey, West Kootenay Minor Hockey, and BC Hockey to ensure the appropriate discipline will be handed down to this parent, implementing steps to prevent a future similar situation, and communicating with all the officials involved to make sure they are supported after this negative experience.乌鸦传媒�
Still visibly upset but stressing this kind of conduct will not be tolerated in Greater Trail, the ref asked not to be identified. He plans on staying active as an official, and was concerned about whispers between the young players themselves.
乌鸦传媒淚 am still going to be a referee and this guy might have more kids so I don乌鸦传媒檛 want to be , 乌鸦传媒榯hat (expletive) who got my dad in trouble.乌鸦传媒�
The bottom line, he stresses, is that this was a Trail dad at a Trail game with Trail officiating.
乌鸦传媒淎nd no one came forward to help,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淪o I think the punishment is not enough. He will be banned for the remainder of the year at minimum for all greater Trail minor hockey events.
乌鸦传媒淏ut I think his kid and all of those parents should be banned for the rest of the season as well,乌鸦传媒� he concluded.
乌鸦传媒淏ecause really, is this something we want in hockey?乌鸦传媒�
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