The Minor Hockey Alliance has undertaken to initiate a Pilot Initiative aimed at addressing abuse toward Minor Aged On Ice Officials. Currently we will focus on Officials from age 14, 15, and 16. It will also be limited at first to the new Tri Cities Interlocking House League Program involving Cambridge, Waterloo, and Kitchener.
Subject officials will be mandated to wear the single Green Arm Band (upper arm, left), while officiating to identify them to spectators, team officials, and other participants, that they are minors, and they are learning to officiate ice hockey. They are HCOP certified but will make mistakes. They should be shown respect and patience while they learn. As governing authorities, we will not tolerate harassment, and enhanced sanctions may be considered for offences under this policy. Abuse and harassment offences should be recorded on the game sheet and a subsequent call or message should be provided to the Referee in Chief.
Every effort to inform stakeholders about this initiative will be made by social media, team/league meetings, websites, posters, etc. Data will be tracked to monitor incidence and hopefully, behavioral improvement, during the pilot. Feedback from all participants will also be recorded.
Abuse and harassment of officials results in the loss of otherwise good potential members, and we can no longer allow this to happen. We should all be a part of the solutions.
Shawn Dekker John Morton
CMHA RIC CMHA President