As we approach another season in AEMHA, please make note of the
statistics below. WE ARE SHORT REFEREES!!. Please post these statistics
on the AEMHA website as well as my email for any 14 yo (Grade 9) and above
people who may wish to start refereeing. Of note... Last year in the York-Simcoe
area, they cancelled 75+ hockey games due to NO officials.
If interested please contact Dennis Watson
[email protected] for information.
Here is what you can report, 10 years ago, 6000 officials. In past 10 years we have recruited 7500 officials, mainly 14-20 years old. TODAY WE HAVE 4200 OFFICIALS. In 2016-17 of the 750 officials we took on 30% of those officials under 18 resigned the following year, in 2017 another 20% resigned. Similar results in 2018 from the 2017-18 intake. We had 7 cases of officials assaulted in 2017-18 and in 2018-19 another 4 officials assaulted and three cases of coaches and/or parents entering the officials room after a game and threatening them. Close to 50% of our officials are over 40 years old and many cannot officiate three man Bantam or four man Midget. We need more young officials to apply and stay. In Orillia for interest, we have no one between 18 and 40, similar case in New Tecumseh.
Bill Hutton
Ontario Minor Hockey Association