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Massachusetts Hockey Says 'Severe' Ref Shortage Is Due To Abuse From Parents, Coaches And Players
Hat tip, WBZ
Massachusetts Hockey Says ‘Severe’ Ref Shortage Is Due To Abuse From Parents, Coaches And Players
By CBSBoston.com Staff | October 6, 2021 at 8:26 pm | Filed Under: Boston News, Massachusetts Hockey
BOSTON (CBS) – Massachusetts Hockey youth programs are dealing with a severe referee shortage, and according to the organization, the main reason is abuse from coaches, parents and players.
Hockey referee Eugene Binda says he’s seen it all in his more than 40 years of officiating on the ice.
“Chokeholds, punched a couple of times. I think that’s what is escalating the fear out there because we don’t know what people are going to do anymore.”
The abuse is enough that the Massachusetts Hockey Association (MHA) says it’s down nearly 900 referees, almost half of its roster, leading to game cancellations and referee burnout.
Since the start of the current season, Mass hockey said it has already seen several “troubling incidents.”
One official needed a police escort after a game featuring 8-year-olds. In other instances, Mass Hockey said a female referee quit in the middle of a series of games because of parent harassment, a parent came onto the ice trying to get to a referee, and a parent went into the scorer’s box to berate an opposing player over a penalty committed against her child.
{snip}
By CBSBoston.com Staff | October 6, 2021 at 8:26 pm | Filed Under: Boston News, Massachusetts Hockey
BOSTON (CBS) – Massachusetts Hockey youth programs are dealing with a severe referee shortage, and according to the organization, the main reason is abuse from coaches, parents and players.
Hockey referee Eugene Binda says he’s seen it all in his more than 40 years of officiating on the ice.
“Chokeholds, punched a couple of times. I think that’s what is escalating the fear out there because we don’t know what people are going to do anymore.”
The abuse is enough that the Massachusetts Hockey Association (MHA) says it’s down nearly 900 referees, almost half of its roster, leading to game cancellations and referee burnout.
Since the start of the current season, Mass hockey said it has already seen several “troubling incidents.”
One official needed a police escort after a game featuring 8-year-olds. In other instances, Mass Hockey said a female referee quit in the middle of a series of games because of parent harassment, a parent came onto the ice trying to get to a referee, and a parent went into the scorer’s box to berate an opposing player over a penalty committed against her child.
{snip}