Ref almost broke my neck

[ExitTwoEighty 7]

My neck is completely sore, as I'm typing this I have a huge ice pack around it. Tonight I got into a scrum with someone on the opposing team. He hit me and I hit him back. We push each other around and I end up falling on top of him. He took off his gloves as he was falling and was punching me while he was below me. I still had my gloves and my helmet on, I threw no punches, I was just holding him down so he couldn't punch me anymore.

So the ref comes and decides he needs to put his knee on my back and holding my face mask torque it completely to the left side . I had this intense sharp pain down the side of my neck, I thought my neck was about to break. While at the same time the guy was punching the side of my head adding more pressure to that direction. The whole time I thought it was someone from the other team being third man in because there was so much force involved, and it ended up being the ref.

I even came up to the ref at the end of the game and just said, "can you not pull someone's face mask like that next time you're trying to break up a fight, you could break someone's neck, I seriously thought you were going to break my neck". All he said was "don't get into a fight and I won't pull on your face mask next time". I just repeated don't break up a fight that way it's dangerous and could hurt someone, and that was all he kept on saying.

I understand the ref has to do "whatever he needs to do to protect him and stop the fight", but isn't torquing someone's face mask that way a little excessive? Considering I had my gloves on still and threw no punches, I thought he went overboard.

[mew1838 0]

Where do u play?

[Chadd 916]

$100 says that ref is a cop. I've seen some of our guys use similar methods to break up altercations and every one of them was a cop. It is not the USA Hockey approved method for breaking up an altercation. In fact, he should be suspended for the way he handled it.

[precursor 0]

Not to go off topic, but I couldn't resist. I play roller on wed. nights. Last week, one of the teams was skating off the rink, and im waiting in the wing to get on there and start warming up. As one of the players goes past me, I hear him yelling at a ref as he's coming off, saying stuff like "what, you think because your a ref I won't fuck you up" and things along those lines. Before I knew it, the guy had gone into the refs locker area and clocked the guy in the face and beat him down.

Quote from the police blotter in the paper:

• CHARGED: #### ## ##### was charged with third-degree assault at 8 p.m. Wednesday. Smith allegedly punched a referee after being ejected from a roller hockey game for unsportsmanlike conduct, according to reports. Smith was released on an appearance ticket.

[ktang 34]

If one guy is under the other in a fight, the on-ice officials still need to get their bodies between them. You should report this incident to the league; you got hurt, and the next person that this ref does it to can get seriously hurt.

[j8Zt8r 0]

If one guy is under the other in a fight, the on-ice officials still need to get their bodies between them. You should report this incident to the league; you got hurt, and the next person that this ref does it to can get seriously hurt.

You should also contact MIHOA I would think. The league or your coach should but it won't hurt to double up.

[Chadd 916]

If one guy is under the other in a fight, the on-ice officials still need to get their bodies between them. You should report this incident to the league; you got hurt, and the next person that this ref does it to can get seriously hurt.

It's an automatic game misconduct if a player grabs a facemask and that's because it's dangerous. For a ref to do that and then blow it off warrants serious attention.

[ExitTwoEighty 7]

I'm planning on writing an email to the head of the rink. Not just because it happened to me but for the safety of everyone playing at that rink.

I found the USA referee manual but I couldn't find any mention of approved method of breaking up an altercation. I'm trying to gather information regarding the rules so I can write an email regarding this particular ref. If you could help me with any resources I would appreciate it.

Now that all of my adrenaline is gone it hurts more than it did last night. It's painful to turn my head in either direction. When I touch my my neck or the top of my spine it hurts a lot.

[Jarick 5]

Might want to find yourself a good lawyer while you're at it.

[pisani34 10]

Might want to find yourself a good lawyer while you're at it.

yup, can't ever be to careful, especially with the injury you've sustained

[tyler9 0]

Reminds me of an altercation i got into recently. Me and and an opposing player got in a scrap both of our helmets got off and i ended up on top of the guy at the end of the fight. The refs came barging in both went to grab me so i'm on my knees with my hands behind my back and got clocked by the other guy in the face.

[ktang 34]

I'm planning on writing an email to the head of the rink. Not just because it happened to me but for the safety of everyone playing at that rink.

I found the USA referee manual but I couldn't find any mention of approved method of breaking up an altercation. I'm trying to gather information regarding the rules so I can write an email regarding this particular ref. If you could help me with any resources I would appreciate it.

Now that all of my adrenaline is gone it hurts more than it did last night. It's painful to turn my head in either direction. When I touch my my neck or the top of my spine it hurts a lot.

In Canada, the on-ice officials' fight procedures are not in the rulebook, but are in the separate procedures manual. These are considered to be procedures, not rules, so that muddies things up for your e-mail. This ref may not have received the proper training.

I think you should see a doctor, if you haven't already. It sounds like whiplash, but could be worse.

[ExitTwoEighty 7]

I don't think I can sue because they made me sign a release of liability waiver for the membership before I can play. But I'm headed off to the doctor right now. I have a headache and it hurts to learn forward with my neck.

[Chadd 916]

I don't think I can sue because they made me sign a release of liability waiver for the membership before I can play. But I'm headed off to the doctor right now. I have a headache and it hurts to learn forward with my neck.

You can always sue, even if you don't have a legitimate case. The waiver will protect the rink as long as there have not been previous *documented* problems with this or other officials. If the referee was improperly trained or did not follow approved procedures, you have a good case against him. Unless you have a serious injury and/or are significantly impacted financially, it isn't worth the time and money it will cost you.

1. Send the letter as registered mail

2. Keep a copy of all communications with the rink

3. Detail the incident, your injury and what you expect the rink to do

4. Ask for a timely response to your concerns

4. Do not threaten legal action

[Aussie Joe 0]

Listen to the Chadd matey, that last point is very important as anyone who has a complaint handed to them will bin it if you mention legal action at the earliest moment possible. Wait it out and hopefully a solid response will be received.

The best I would expect is an apology.

[Nick23 0]

A guy on my team had a prolem with the way the refs chose to break up a fight as well. he and another guy we about to go at it, but after both had taken the helmet and gloves off, and went for each other, a ref and a linesman had grabbed both of the guys arms, leading to a swift uppercut to my teammate, who lost half a tooth in the process, and considering the position he was in, it could have been far worse.

There really should be regulations on how such incidents are handled. You can understand a ref going for the guy on top, but grabbing the face cage is moronic.

[sc37 0]

Had a teammate get tackled by a ref once. Some scuffle or something broke out, our guy was just heading back to the bench and the ref thought he was going to be a third party in so he pretty much tackled our guy down to the ice. It was pretty ridiculous seeing how he was struggling to stay on his feet the whole time out there and then see a ref tackle him while he was just trying to recover >.< I think our guy quit playing after that....nvr showed up anymore.

[ktang 34]

A guy on my team had a prolem with the way the refs chose to break up a fight as well. he and another guy we about to go at it, but after both had taken the helmet and gloves off, and went for each other, a ref and a linesman had grabbed both of the guys arms, leading to a swift uppercut to my teammate, who lost half a tooth in the process, and considering the position he was in, it could have been far worse.

There really should be regulations on how such incidents are handled. You can understand a ref going for the guy on top, but grabbing the face cage is moronic.

If the on-ice officials handled one player each, simultaneously, by encircling the upper arms, that's the procedure that we use. However, sometimes the on-ice officials can still be overpowered.

[nni 0]

usa hockey goes over breaking up fights at their seminars. you are to get in between the guys and essentially hug them locking their arms under yours. if a guy is on the bottom and one on top, a ref is to essentially get in between the two men and lay on the bottom gyu to protect him, while the top ref hugs the top guy. it is a passive way to break a fight, no tugging or yanking.

i am assuming that these refs arent usa sanctioned. you should 100% contact the league about it.

[TBLfan 25]

I agree, this shouldn't have happened. You need to talk to someone about it and if you have any serious issues you should consider a lawsuit, to at least get some money back for your medical bills.

[Spreedizzle 1]

usa hockey goes over breaking up fights at their seminars. you are to get in between the guys and essentially hug them locking their arms under yours. if a guy is on the bottom and one on top, a ref is to essentially get in between the two men and lay on the bottom gyu to protect him, while the top ref hugs the top guy. it is a passive way to break a fight, no tugging or yanking.

i am assuming that these refs arent usa sanctioned. you should 100% contact the league about it.

100% correct. At every USA Hockey cert class that I have been to for the past 9 years they have gone over this procedure, in depth for about 30 minutes, to prevent instances such as this.

One of my main questions.....is this league where this incident happened USA Hockey sanctioned?? And if so....you should have USA Hockey supplemental insurance to cover any for of medical bills that you would have from the incident. However, in order to claim any of this financial aid it must be logged on the score sheet that there was an incident with a potential injury to a player.

[Rustpot 1]

A guy on my team had a prolem with the way the refs chose to break up a fight as well. he and another guy we about to go at it, but after both had taken the helmet and gloves off, and went for each other, a ref and a linesman had grabbed both of the guys arms, leading to a swift uppercut to my teammate, who lost half a tooth in the process, and considering the position he was in, it could have been far worse.

There really should be regulations on how such incidents are handled. You can understand a ref going for the guy on top, but grabbing the face cage is moronic.

If the on-ice officials handled one player each, simultaneously, by encircling the upper arms, that's the procedure that we use. However, sometimes the on-ice officials can still be overpowered.

If one ref/linesman gets overpowered, the second ref is supposed to release the second fighter to allow him to protect himself I thought.

I've never been in a game with a fight, the refs usually step between guys and blow the whistle adamantly when anyone even looks wrong at someone else.

[D-MaN88 0]

When I played AA Major, we would play places that the refs would play by "junior" rules and would let us fight.

The couple that I was in and ones that I watched when we were done throwing and the refs and everyone could tell we were done, one would step in and throw both arms in-between us to divide the two guys then the other ref would come in and grab one guy while the other ref would grab the other. What was said above about the "hugging" maneuver is exactly what these refs did. It was effective and a clean way to break up a fight even though both guys were usually dead tired.

The way the refs handled it in your situation sound like a couple of asshats and I really think you should take any action necessary with the league and if you are seriously hurt with the legal part. It's guys like this that ruin hockey for everyone.

[chippa13 1844]

Sidenote: Anyone fighting in anything other than Major Juniors or some form of the pros is just wasting energy.

[Spreedizzle 1]

Sidenote: Anyone fighting in anything other than Major Juniors or some form of the pros is just wasting energy.

Absolutely agree