Hockey Canada summit held in Greater Sudbury

The people who run the most powerful minor hockey associations in the country have committed to letting front line volunteers have more say in how the game is played, rules are enforced and policies are set to ensure the game remains fun for youngsters.

Hockey Canada has put forward funding to organize minor hockey summits across the country.

A group of about 20 volunteer coaches, officials and administrators from minor hockey associations across Greater Sudbury attended the inaugural Ontario Hockey Federation Minor Hockey Summit Sunday morning at the Howard Johnson Hotel.

"This is an initiative of Hockey Canada to allow the people at the grassroots level to tell us which directions they want the game to go," said OHF facilitator Steve Wallace, who has been involved in minor hockey as a player, coach, referee and administrator for 45 years.

Wallace and fellow facilitator Shawn Nesseth, a Level IV referee originally from Sudbury, led several sessions for volunteers, including discussions on coaching, officiating, rule changes and strategies to make the game more fun for players.

"We let the volunteers set the agenda at each summit for what they want to discuss," said Wallace. "This is the first time we've held these summits, but we've found early on the subjects brought up are pretty much universal...and include coaching and officiating."

Hockey remains "Canada's religion" and contrary to some reports, Hockey Canada registration remains stable at around 550,000 registrations this year, said Wallace.

"We can never lose sight of the real objective and that is that hockey is a game and kids want to play to have fun more than anything," he said. "I can tell you from attending only a couple of these summits that the passion for the game in this country is as strong as ever."

At Sunday's session, the hot topic of officiating caused serious debate.

After group sessions on the topic, Andrew MacDonald, president of Nickel Centre Minor Hockey Association, told participants far too many coaches, players and parents believe they have the right to verbally abuse and harass young officials simply because they get paid.

"They attend an eight-hour clinic, write a test and then we throw them (referees and linesmen) out there and expect them to do a great job.

"Everyone in the arena seems so quick to point out their errors and get mad at them, but they're not quite so fast to show them what they're doing right," he said.

There is not enough money in the minor hockey system put into mentoring young officials or spending time with them off-ice to show them how to make better decisions in the heat of a game, said MacDonald.

"These officials are part of the game and we need them," he said. "Just yelling and screaming because they're the only ones in the rink getting paid isn't helping anyone or helping the game.

"If we don't have officials, we don't have a game."

MacDonald's group recommended more money be put into funding so young officials can attend clinics and supervisors can spend more time mentoring them.

Most coaches in attendance agreed with MacDonald's assessment, however, many suggested the attitude of young officials is the root of many problems.

"I've been coaching for seven years and I've never seen anything like the last two years when it comes to the officials...it all boils down to their attitude," said one volunteer coach. "It's come to the point you can't question any call or even talk to the officials."

Another coach agreed.

"I'm very frustrated with the attitude I've seen by many officials," he said.

A third coach with 27 years behind the bench didn't agree.

He said many coaches believe it's acceptable to "yell and scream", even when they're coaching very young players, and young officials don't deserve to be verbally abused at any time.

Most officials have no problem talking to a coach about a call when he or she is calm, cool and collected, he said.

"I've learned over the years these officials are more than willing to work with you as long as you're not upset," he said. "Maybe some coaches who don't get along with officials should ask themselves 'what can I do to help the referee instead of just crapping on him all the time'."

Wallace said he was pleased with the results of the Sudbury summit and he has no doubts further events will be held in coming years.