So, here we are, getting ready for the season... building teams and thinking about schedules.

One thing I'm wondering about is the AHA ref situation. I had heard that the AHA has no authority over which refs the league uses, and I'd also heard that if they say no to a particularly problematic one, none of them will work an AHA game.
I'm fully aware this is hearsay. Anybody know FACTS?

Also--I'd heard the league was going to TRY to implement some kind of feedback system for refs so captains (and only captains) could comment. And the idea was that they would start to track which refs had consistently bad feedback (like lackidasical attitude, mocking players etc).

Of course, the ref pool (like JMS, or the AHA) has a huge number of GOOD folks who behave and don't cause any issues. Not all refs are like the jerks... but right now I'm thinking about that small population and wondering how they're getting addressed.

The person who schedules the AHA refs for games is not affiliated directly with the AHA. They are in entity on to their own (as far as I know). Refs who are eligible to ref Adult league games, by tier, sign up for days and times they are available on a special website and then are assigned a schedule by this person. You have a certain amount of time to accept or decline games to ref. Anyone who is eligible to ref an AHA game, can ref one. But you also have to be approved for the tiers you can ref. I could only ref D2 games since I have yet to ref a game. You can ref higher as you gain experience. Newbie refs start out with a mentor (usually)...and occasionally you'll find a game with 3 refs...with one being the mentee.

As for refs being refused service by the league, it HAS happened. The league has refused at least one ref, maybe more than that. And I think it may have been a direct result from the ref feedback form that was initiated on the league website last season. (Only CAPTAINS of teams can fill this form out).

I think the reffing has improved over years past. What has not improved is the players conduct. I thiink player conduct on the ice has gone south more than the reffing has.

I've scorekept a LOT of games and in talking to the refs, they make one valid point. The majority of refs also ref high school games and other levels of hockey. Those other levels of hockey are allowed to get away with more contact and rough play on the ice than the adults are supposed to, and sometimes the refs have a difficult time remembering that. If you speak to most refs, they've probably already done games earlier in the day (on weekends, anyhow) before their 2 or 3 set on a Sunday night. This is a reason they may momentarily get confused on the Red Line/Blue Line icing calls. Different rules for different levels of play.

Just offering a perspective.

My favorite refs are Heckyll and Jeckyll. Once chided as horrible refs, I love when we have these two. They keep a good game, make calls relatively well... but also know the rules. And their good guys on the ice if your not getting in their face. If you're just out there to compete and have fun... they're great on the ice. Probably the funnest refs we have, in my opinion anyhow!

What Rob said. The AHA has some quality control over who gets to ref and there is a new feedback form that captains can fill out (if anyone on the team has an issue, send it to the captain, captain reports it). The reason it's the captain is so that each game doesn't receive 30+ perspectives on the officiating.

What he said. I think we adults act pretty ridiculous a lot of the time. I honestly don't understand why any ref would want to do adult games.

1 Someone slashes/pushes/checks you - skate away.
2 Ref calls a penalty on you - go to box, keep mouth shut.
3 Ref misses a call, deal with it and play on.
4 Let the refs call the game. No reason half the bench has to scream out the offsides.

Go to some high school games and see how well the kids do all of the above. We should be able to as well.

Personally, I am targeting these 4 things this year in my quest to become a better hockey player.

Kudos to Cam. Good for you.

It's an old point - but it's a near and dear topic .... the 165 pound tough guys behave the way they do because it's no-check. They wouldn't be slashing, then glaring like they want to fight, if they knew they'd be at live speed when the ref drops the puck in 45 seconds.

The best solution I have: you know who the tools are, run them off.

5 or 6 tools will be unhappy. Boo hoo. But the remaining 200 or so folks in the tier will be happy. Seems pretty simple to me.

(reference to Barb's Blog: 'you know...' means the Captain. If you don't have character to tell a 63 PIM to beat it, you don't deserve to be Captain. (he, for example, isn't just having a 'bad Summer' - it's the same story year after year after year) If the Captain doesn’t do it, AHA should remove the player and replace the Captain.)

Post-script: after posting, I notice his Captain is there on the leader board just a couple spots down. Hmmmm ... (yes, he's been my Captain before. And Austin's. And Cam's. And Robbie has played against them for as long as I have. You guys tell me if I'm being unreasonable.)

There is a big difference between a couple dozen minors and a Major / GM and someone running their mouth at refs (resulting in the bulk of ones PIM). But it would be nice if Player A didn't flirt with / surpass the PIM thresholds every season, or if Captain X actually tried to settle them down.

The refs job is a thankless one. Few other professions put you in a position to hear what a horrible job you are constantly doing.

I believe a system to weed out the bad apples will be in place soon.

I think this penalty sheet speaks EXACTLY to the point being made... I think this was the AHA Summer Level 3 Championship game just a few days ago. This is the losing team, who lost 6-1, and the game was basically over well before the late 3rd period ejection and game misconduct this player received.

Player Period Minutes Offense Start Expired
Raiche, B 1 2 Cross Checking 07:09 06:03
Jacobson, D 2 2 Holding 10:47 08:47
Boche, T 2 2 Cross Checking 05:58 03:58
Storey, M 2 2 Roughing 05:20 03:20
Boche, T 3 2 Tripping 13:00 11:00
Jacobson, D 3 2 Roughing 08:41 06:41
Raiche, B 3 2 Roughing 04:44 02:44
Raiche, B 3 10 Game Ejection 04:44 00:00
Raiche, B 3 10 Game Misconduct 00:00 00:00

Obviously this person is someone who cannot accept losing. Exactly the type of player who needs to be put on watch. The player in question ended the Summer season with 52 PIMs in 13 games.

Yeah, it was ALL the refs fault. Yep. Sure.

Perhaps what the league should do is if you receive a GM or Ejection in the last 5 minutes of a game your team is losing, you are AUTOMATICALLY suspended for a game or two. Perhaps that could calm some people down a bit if they know there is immediate consequence more than getting out of the parking lot early.

Or how about ... if you get a GM or a Match - anytime for any reason, you're gone. Banned. Forever.

Sounds scary?? I played HNA/AHA for 11 or 12 years. Zero GMs. 99% of the players in AHA have zero GMs. It is not difficult.

If I get angry at work, I don't slash anyone. If I get angry at my 4 year old, I don't board her.

If self control is a challenge, you should spend time growing a life instead of playing hockey.

Fine ... life happens ... so I'd (reluctantly) allow the right to appeal to the Discipline Committee. Except, if Brent overturns the ban, he thereby agrees to be the offender's linemate for the next 2 seasons - Lord knows there aren't already enough tools on his team.

Is saddling anyone with Brent really that fair?

Respect for the refs is the key. I have found they will speak to you very calmly if you calmly ask them a question. Several times I did not see an infraction, or the scorekeeper did not put a penalty time on the scoreboard. My tone is always conversational when I ask the ref "What's up?"