Paul Stewart: Recruitment and Retention Crisis Is Bad for Hockey

This is an enormous problem and it cannot be overstated. As an assignor for youth hockey in New Jersey, we are consistently working on recruiting and retention, only to suffer from constant turnover. The abuse from anyone with an opinion is exhausting and wears down down young officials very quickly. It's quite intimidating to a 14 year old, level 1 official working a squirt game at 7:00am to get yelled at by an adult, most likely about a difference in opinion, one biased, one neutral. The Zero Tolerance policy must be adhered to, but lets face it, it's a tough call for the 14 year old to dish out progressive penalties to an adult on the way to getting a game misconduct. I believe there is an effort in place as well as tools to improve and help eliminate the issue that causes officials to stop their career in the early years, the problem is, we are relying on those that rules are set to protect, to enforce them. I wouldn't want me 14 year old to be our there...

I am sure it must be terrible to have to deal with the parents. It might eventually get to the point where they will have to watch the game in a separate room with a window over the ice, rather than from the bleachers. Either that or have cops ready to throw them out.

It would be kind of amusing to see how they would act in a game that is actually attempted to be played without refs. The players and coaches would have to "self-officiate" and agree on all calls by consensus. Of course, such a game would never actually complete because with the first difficult call both teams would devolve into interminable arguing, with neither side giving way. The effect this would have on the parents would probably be all-out brawling. Maybe when that "experience" is over they might appreciate having a neutral party decide on the close calls and recognize that he is imperfect and give him the benefit of the doubt.

This is common place in Canada where I'm from. I wonder if these parents coming out more and more is due to the high prices they pay and feel they need to ensure their kid "gets their monies worth". Or that they feel their kid is going to be a star in the NHL because they spent X dollars. If prices came down could it make it easier? Maybe.

The way forward is strict enforcement of zero tolerance rules by ice rinks and leagues. That kind of bad behavior needs to be spelled out as unacceptable on signs before you enter every rink and facilities can’t be shy about enforcing it.

What's the deal with refs now being so snow flakey about cuss words? In the real world people cuss, period. Whenever someone hears freaking call it both ways said in a straight forward manner, not yelled, does this deserve a ten minute?