Interacting with On-Ice Officials in Adult League

[IPv6Freely 2087]

The coach has to go, and will probably get suspended, but as an official, it's still funny :)

http://youtu.be/7JPeeRG2HGo

Coach listed as 2nd star on the game sheet:

[flaming_june 2]

You serious? i saw that clip a while ago and had a chuckle but having him as the 2nd star? OMG.

[Stodgy 8]

Also, head coach got 3rd star. Outstanding.

[Chadd 916]

That is sad, on so many levels.

[fogelberg 9]

At this point in my 'career' I don't bother the officials. I joke around with the guys I know are cool and otherwise, I just don't say anything to them. No good has come from it. In our leagues, a lot of them are just there to collect a paycheck. What I don't like is when the ref chirps me and I haven't said anything to him. I got hooked really hard and fell down, mostly because the guy caught me off balance. No call, and we were already short-handed. It made no sense to me and I don't buy that the ref didn't see it since I was the puck carrier. Where else was he or his partner looking? Anyways, I knocked the guy down later in the play and got called for it. I just skated to the box. I never said a word but some of my teammates did. Then the guy says to me that he should have called me for a dive. That really pissed me off. I almost never take penalties and I'm a good skater. I don't dive. Never have. I can understand that he probably didn't want to hear it from the bench, but how does that justify saying something like that to me? I did tell him to go pleasure himself after that. In general though, I just don't say anything. It's not worth it.

[chippa13 1844]

Refs like that are the ones who'll tack on extras when you react to them. Basically, they believe that they can run their mouths but you can't. There was a ref a few years back who was like that in our league. Anytime I saw him I knew the night was going to suck.

[Neal 41]

We have a ref like that in our league as well. He will not only comment on plays around penalties, he'll critique your play. Little comments like "Gotta kick that rebound out, goalie!" or "off the glass and out, no fancy dan stuff".

[fogelberg 9]

Refs like that are the ones who'll tack on extras when you react to them. Basically, they believe that they can run their mouths but you can't. There was a ref a few years back who was like that in our league. Anytime I saw him I knew the night was going to suck.

I hear you! He's one of a few that are exactly like you describe!

[Chadd 916]

We have a ref like that in our league as well. He will not only comment on plays around penalties, he'll critique your play. Little comments like "Gotta kick that rebound out, goalie!" or "off the glass and out, no fancy dan stuff".

I always tell guys "nice play" or "good work", anything to keep it positive or upbeat. You can't be a critic when you're wearing stripes.

I had a guy that just wouldn't shut up the other night. Just before a faceoff, I looked over at him (playing D) and said "come on man, that's enough", then turned to drop the puck. His response "Bullshit, I'll tell YOU when I'VE had enough."

[chippa13 1844]

There was a peewee coach like that who just never stopped the whole game. Finally, one game I had him so before a faceoff inside the zone near his bench I just turned and asked him, "You done?" and then turned back and dropped the puck.

[chk hrd 164]

A couple of weeks ago I got a game misconduct for blowing up at a ref. we were in a tough game, the other team takes a 5 minute major and the player gets kicked off the ice. The other team doesn't put anyone in the box to serve. I politely let the ref know if someone doesn't go in the box before the 5 is up then they are suppose to get another 2. The other team gets 2 more penalties and still never puts anyone in to serve the 5. I let the ref know when the play stops and he just skates away ignoring me. I tried to be nice about it but after getting ignored for the third time I snapped.. This ref has a bad rep for just showing up and just being awful. It may only be beer league but we are still trying to win and the penalty was straight forward, black and white, not a judgement call

[215BroadStBullies610 434]

This (all too-common) stories are the fault of the assignor(s). They either have their 'boys' working the games or just don't have much to choose from because of the time of night. It's a shame because we all pay to play. That's why when I officiate adults, I make sure to give a good effort. No one is asking an official to go all out for 45 hockey minutes. Just care as much as the players and USUALLY everyone has a good time.

[wrangler 157]

An honest effort, and reasonable competence, should be all you need.

[Vulcan7905 88]

Last night I asked a ref in a shitty way why the other teams player wasn't getting kicked off the ice for three penalties(League rules here). After he gave me the look, I said sorry to him and calmly asked him the same question and reasoned with him that that was the league rules. After a good minute or discussion he was kicked off the ice. It's just a matter of showing them respect and talking calmly to find out the call. I usually end up saying a thank you if I have a question on a penalty or need a clarification.

[MN old and slow 92]

Played in the >40 senior fat boy tourney in River Falls WI 3/23/13-3/24/13. Don't let the name fool you they were high skill games. Refs marginal seems like the teams that complained got more penalties. Human nature I guess. It appears to pay to shut up and play smart.

[hunt3rsean 44]

I am constantly telling teammates to not yell at the officials. It doesn't accomplish anything. And depending on which official we have it sometimes ends up with us getting a bench minor.

One question I have to those who are officials. . . .what is usually your response time when a team is calling for a timeout? It's almost garanteed that when we attempt to call a timeout there is a 20-30sec lag time before the timeout is recognized and clock is stopped. And, of course, we never get those 20-30sec back. The most recent being frustrating as we were down 1-goal and just about to get on the power play. Since it usually takes the officials 30sec or more to get the penalty worked out we wanted to stop the clock. There was only a few minutes left in the 3rd period....we needed every second to try and tie it up. So we lost 30-40sec of game time by the time the timeout was recognized and clock was stopped. Now, I understand one official was relaying the penalty information and making sure the right guy got in the box. However, when there are 3 guys on the ice calling for a timeout....it has to be noticed right?

[chippa13 1844]

I'd say you're bigger problem is the league playing with running time. Get that changed and you'll be better off.

[hunt3rsean 44]

I wish. But it won't change. They try to pack as many games in as possible each night.

[Meals 2]

I play in a mens league, its not the NHL and its for fun....oh and a cold beer after. Sure bad calls come and good. I got called for hooking last night, was it hooking...no, during intermission I asked him nicely what I did. He told me what he saw, I said okay and thanked him for his time. The result, well I watched my play in a situation where he might call a hook, if he even saw it.

Oh then I gave him a beer after the game, I think that helped too!

[215BroadStBullies610 434]

I am constantly telling teammates to not yell at the officials. It doesn't accomplish anything. And depending on which official we have it sometimes ends up with us getting a bench minor.

One question I have to those who are officials. . . .what is usually your response time when a team is calling for a timeout? It's almost garanteed that when we attempt to call a timeout there is a 20-30sec lag time before the timeout is recognized and clock is stopped. And, of course, we never get those 20-30sec back. The most recent being frustrating as we were down 1-goal and just about to get on the power play. Since it usually takes the officials 30sec or more to get the penalty worked out we wanted to stop the clock. There was only a few minutes left in the 3rd period....we needed every second to try and tie it up. So we lost 30-40sec of game time by the time the timeout was recognized and clock was stopped. Now, I understand one official was relaying the penalty information and making sure the right guy got in the box. However, when there are 3 guys on the ice calling for a timeout....it has to be noticed right?

It should be noticed. As once as the official conducting the faceoff blows his/her whistle, neither team can call timeout until the next stoppage. Prior that whistle, timeout can be called. I don't see why it would take that long for 2 officials to assess a penalty and administer a timeout. Seems like way too much time for adult hockey.

[Souldriver 64]

Referees are the only people who are paid to be on the ice, and they should act like it.

this x1,000,000

too many times especially in the lower league games do i find myself getting hit, elbowed in the chin from behind in front of the crease once, and refs just look at you. the worst call was i was in front of the net and a guy was was legit whicking me across the chest (this was roller so no shoulder pads) and eventually the player hooked across my body and under my arm. i didnt do much bc i was scrambling to get the puck and he wasnt strong enough to throw me off. the puck went into the corner and i jetted to get it and the kid dropped his stick and i got called for a holding meanwhile he was trying that underarm hook pull. my hands were on my stick the whole time. when i was in the box i tried to show the ref the marks from him whacking me but he wouldnt hear anything of it.

sorry i dont pay to be treated like that in a rec game.

[hardflip177 1]

Depending on what level you are playing in, I find it ridiculous that someone would get a misconduct with an interaction with a ref. I understand that its a physical game and that you may scrap a little with an opponent (fighting seems like too much) but with a ref that means you are going to far. Most of us have families, kids, jobs, and other things going on to where playing hockey is much less important in the grand scheme of things.

We all know how far is too far when it comes to riding a ref. Golden rule: treat them how you would want to be treated. You may get the same in return.

[Zjack38 46]

This past year, I had a game in Columbus, Ohio. (If you ever have to play their I'm sorry for you, cause they have always had the worst refs every game I've there which has been around like 20-30.) Well anyways we had by far the worst ref in the history of refs, we had a short bench already around 12-14, and at one point in the game we only had 1-3 guys on the bench. He wasn't calling it both ways at all, this one time this kid was blatantly slashing me when I had the puck and I slashed him back once, and I got called? He didn't even call both of us just me. And then I was skating to the penalty box a different time to serve a to many men call, and he said if I didn't speed up he would give me a delay of game penalty, can they even do that? Give you a penalty for skating to slow to the box? At that point I was really wondering what the hell was wrong with that guy. But still I kept my mouth shut because I only average like 2-6 penalty minutes every year and didn't want to break that streak. In the third period our coach sat half the team so they wouldn't get suspended for the next game, so I was out on the ice for about 13-of the 15 minutes in the 3rd period

Here's a link to a photo, and this isn't my Facebook account so don't like friend request my mom or anything.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4880465223575&set=pb.1655883460.-2207520000.1374457043.&type=3&theater

[Souldriver 64]

i see a lot of people are saying about $50 is the norm per game for refs. around here the rinks will give you $20 if youre lucky. its real sad bc the main rink used to be good and well known nationwide, and had a big 2 rink facility that national tourneys went on at all the time. my friends used to ref and it was good and fair (legit fair, they wanted to catch me more than anyone else) now its guys that hardly make teams and just dont care for anyone but themselves. the rink also has fallen behind a lot, they make a tone of money and arnt putting any of it back into the business. i mean their pro shop still has a mission m-1 stick for sale for the same price as it was when it debuted.

[shooter27 116]

I wish. But it won't change. They try to pack as many games in as possible each night.

You should push for the league to have the last 10 minutes be stop time (as long as the game is within 3-4 goals). That's what we do here and it works better than if it was straight running time and it only takes up about 5 extra minutes in real time.