Minor hockey faces serious ref shortage

Chris Clegg
For South Peace News

High Prairie Minor Hockey is facing higher bills and/or the cancellation of games this winter if they can’t find new referees. Minor hockey’s referee’s coordinator, Marlin Haugen, says the situation for the upcoming season “is not good” after Ken Hovey left for Fairview and Kerry Rudneski was transferred to Cochrane. Both did a large number of games during the season and will be sorely missed. The second ice surface’s impending opening will also place a higher demand on referees this coming winter. “We need three or four more adult refs doing three of four games each weekend,” says Haugen. “In provincial and playoffs we need more.” Haugen encourages anyone 12 years and over to get their certification and referee games. “One guy (Floyd McDermott) did 21 of 27 games last year,” says Haugen, when the apparent shortage of refs occurred. Haugen says he has not heard of any new referes moving into the area which further compounds the problem. If no referees can be found, games will either be cancelled or minor hockey will be forced to hire referees from outlying communities. That will cost minor hockey the regular fee plus mileage thus driving up costs. Haugen says a referee’s clinic will be held sometime in September to train new offfials or upgrade current ones. Contact Haugen at home at 523-3619, if interested in refereeing this season.

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