By Ontario Minor Hockey Association, 09/20/24, 8:15AM EDT
New initiative meant to serve as reminder for players as well as parents to respect officials
The largest hockey association in the world with almost 90,000 participants, the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA), is introducing a new initiative to combat Referee and Official abuse.
Abuse of officials has been a common concern in many sports, and several have been losing officials at alarming rates. A recent survey from the United States shows that 70% ranked “love of the sport” as their primary reason for officiating, but 55% ranked verbal abuse as the number one reason for quitting.
That’s why for the first time in its history, the OMHA will have all on-ice officials under the age of 18 wear a Green Arm Band as part of their officiating uniform. It is meant to be a reminder for everyone from parents in the stands to any participants on the bench to respect and protect the young officials without whom there would be no game.
“Officials are a crucial part of minor hockey and our game cannot happen without them. Many of our young Officials begin officiating as a way to stay involved and give back to the sport they love,” said Peter Harmsen, OMHA President. “Our goal is to ensure our young officials are provided the opportunity to grow and develop in a safe and respectful environment. We hope the Green Arm Band initiative will reduce some of the challenges and barriers the younger officials will face as new game officials and serve as a reminder to everyone about the importance of Respect for all of those involved in hockey.”
Last year, there were 1,911 ‘disrespectful and abusive behavior and physical harassment of Officials’ penalties called by OMHA officials based on actions towards them. While the OMHA has not seen the drop-off in Officials that has plagued other minor sport associations, these penalty statistics show the need to take action proactively before attracting and retaining officials becomes a problem for the OMHA.
“The aim of the Green Arm Band is to educate and encourage greater respect between all participants in the game,” said Dave Wedlake, OMHA Referee Chair. “It is meant to remind all stakeholders involved in our game that the recipient of their anger and ridicule is often a minor, and they should be shown respect and patience while they continue to grow as an Official.”
“I think this initiative is a great step to stopping the verbal abuse officials get, especially newer ones who aren’t as experienced,” said Elijah Fraser, a 17-year-old who is entering his third year of officiating. “I hope it helps create a better environment for officials in hockey where coaches will stop yelling and complaining about calls all the time… Overall, I think it’s a good idea and should definitely be tested and tried out in games.”
The Green Arm Band ties into the OMHA’s recent #NoRefNoGame and #HockeyIsFun campaigns, reminding everyone about respectful behaviour and why kids in Ontario play the sport in the first place, to have fun, and to have a positive experience at the rink and memories that last a lifetime.
The Green Arm Band initiative follows a trend in youth sports across the country where local sporting associations have been looking for ways to combat unruly spectators and participants that is making it difficult for them to attract and retain officials over the long-term. Ontario Soccer started a pilot project in 2023 where some of its youngest referees are wearing body cameras during games. In Nova Scotia, eight provincial sport organizations, including sports such as rugby, basketball, lacrosse and volleyball, recently came together to launch a “Respect the Game, Respect the Officials” campaign to fight referee abuse. They will also be using Green Arm bands similar to the OMHA.
All eligible OMHA Officials will receive their Green Arm Band at their upcoming entry-level or recertification clinics.
