Thank you - good season

2009-03-11

I'd like to thank all the officials for putting up with my mistakes, helping me avoid problems and working as a team to get our job done. Complaints are way down from last season and I have not received a valid complaint all season.

Over the past week a few strange things have happened and they have brought to my attention how much you guys have helped me.

Officials from another association showed up to work one of our games.  According to their assigner, the game showed up on his assigning program so he assigned it.  I recall early in the season that some Bedford games at the Sportsplex showed up on my list and I assigned them, but we caught it before the games so we didn't have the embarassment of our guys going to someone else's game.  One night, due to a glitch in the assigning program, I had two sets of our officials assigned for the same game and they guys caught it and we got it fixed with mere hours to spare.

Another oddity we recently found in another association was that a sibling of a player and coach worked the lines for some of their games.  I have made this assigning mistake as well.  However, the Whalers officials declined the game and told me why.  I've made this mistake more than once but you guys kept me from breaking the regulations. 

I ahve been more flexible on reassigning after acceptance and last minute rearranging of games.  Changing assignments around is a tedious process but I believe that pain for me has resulted in everyone working together better.  I have not had to turn a team down yet this year, even when they have come to me with 24 hours notice.  This could not be done without teamwork among the officials.

Not that we want everyone coming to us at the last minute, but it happens.  Especially this time of year when playdown games and CMHF semi-final games get scheduled and unscheduled at very short notice.

Thank you once again.

We have about 3 weeks left.  This time of year is a mixture of playoffs in DWRHL, SCFHL, and CMHF, tournaments, provincials on Mar 27-29 with a few exhibition games thrown in.  It will be hectic and trying at times.  Please keep up the good work and teamwork.

Look good on the ice!  Remember our job is to keep the game fair, don't allow a player or team to get an advantage by breaking the rules, prevent injuries by stopping dangerous play and keep control.  That being said, the game is for the players, let them enjoy it, Fair Play is about putting your ego aside for the good of the game.  By doing this we are better people and the game is better.

Let's not let the great season we have had cause us to let our guard down, keep up the great work!

Chris