Lodging an official complaint about a referee?

[Pez68]

What is the proper way to address a complaint about an official? I assume through USA hockey? They would have to be registered referees through USA hockey to ref a USA hockey men's league game, right? Has anyone ever had to deal with a referee that was so intolerable that you needed to file an official complaint? If so, what's the fastest way to get it done? We are already approaching the league director to make sure this guy doesn't ref any of our games again, but his actions require more discipline than that, IMO.

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[mbeam]

What sort of league is this?

 

[Pez68]

Men's league in the Chicago area. Have to have USA Hockey registration to play, so I assume USA Hockey sanctioned league.

 

[mbeam]

Hm, I'm not sure how that works in the states, if theres a Reffing Union or something that you can go to. Since you already spoke to the director I'm not sure what else you could do. Maybe the USA Hockey website will have some contact information for this sort of thing.

 

[DJnet65]

Just out of curiosity what did this official do that was so bad that you don't want him officiating any more of your games?

 

[jwitz04]

Just out of curiosity what did this official do that was so bad that you don't want him officiating any more of your games?

ahh man you beat me to it

 

[Pez68]

Just out of curiosity what did this official do that was so bad that you don't want him officiating any more of your games?

Derogatory comments towards a player when someone asked him about him seeing a holding penalty that he didn't call(homosexual in nature). Trash talking players. Threatening to give people 10 minute misconducts for things like...spitting on the ice, or taking a helmet off during intermissions. Just being a giant ********* towards our team, basically. Oh, and he is the worst official I've ever seen in 20+ years of playing hockey. Just wants to show up, collect his money, and leave, as quickly as possible. Guys are put into dangerous situations because of penalties that go uncalled, and it's only a matter of time before someone gets tripped head first into the boards and gets knocked unconscious, or ridden into the boards head first because he refuses to call holding penalties. Had a situation tonight where, if I wasn't a strong skater, I would have taken a header off the glass because of a guy riding on my back as I went into the boards to grab a puck.

My general ignorance on how to file a complaint about an official is probably a good indicator of the fact that I'm not one to complain about refs, especially in men's league. This guy just has no business reffing hockey games. He has a very obvious loose screw up top.

 

[DJnet65]

The best person to send your concerns to would be the scheduler of the Officials. that would be the person who decides which officials work which games.

This is USA Hockey's list of referee's in chief for your district. Alot of times the Referee in chief is the scheduler but I don't know if that is true for all districts. I am only familiar with IHONC.

http://www.usahockey.com//central_ric/default.aspx?NAV=AF_10&ID=85622

This is the website for Illinois Hockey officials Association.

http://www.ihoa.com/

If you play in a USA hockey sanctioned Hockey League in Illinois i imagine that the Officals are a part of this association. You would have to find out through your League director of Referee in Chief

They have a site to report a referee here

http://www.ihoa.com/referee_report.asp

Hope this helps.

 

[Gino 14]

Derogatory comments towards a player when someone asked him about him seeing a holding penalty that he didn't call(homosexual in nature). Trash talking players. Threatening to give people 10 minute misconducts for things like...spitting on the ice, or taking a helmet off during intermissions. Just being a giant ********* towards our team, basically. Oh, and he is the worst official I've ever seen in 20+ years of playing hockey. Just wants to show up, collect his money, and leave, as quickly as possible. Guys are put into dangerous situations because of penalties that go uncalled, and it's only a matter of time before someone gets tripped head first into the boards and gets knocked unconscious, or ridden into the boards head first because he refuses to call holding penalties. Had a situation tonight where, if I wasn't a strong skater, I would have taken a header off the glass because of a guy riding on my back as I went into the boards to grab a puck.

My general ignorance on how to file a complaint about an official is probably a good indicator of the fact that I'm not one to complain about refs, especially in men's league. This guy just has no business reffing hockey games. He has a very obvious loose screw up top.

Stick to the issues you can prove and not the one you can't. If he's making comments that are racist, gender biased, and you have more than one person that hears it, go with that. Trash talking is going to be tough to prove, as is not making calls you think he should have, and your opinion that he has no business reffing makes it look like a personal issue between you two. If you're going after the guy do it in a way that is correct. If I had someone come to me with a complaint about an official that didn't call penalties or that was trash talking, I'd probably not look into it too closely, tell me my refs are using racist comment and there will be an investigation, USA Hockey can't afford that type of publicity.

 

[Fleuryoutside29]

Stick to the issues you can prove and not the one you can't. If he's making comments that are racist, gender biased, and you have more than one person that hears it, go with that. Trash talking is going to be tough to prove, as is not making calls you think he should have, and your opinion that he has no business reffing makes it look like a personal issue between you two. If you're going after the guy do it in a way that is correct. If I had someone come to me with a complaint about an official that didn't call penalties or that was trash talking, I'd probably not look into it too closely, tell me my refs are using racist comment and there will be an investigation, USA Hockey can't afford that type of publicity.

I agree. Unless there is a league wide consensus that this guy is putting players in danger and you can have multiple people from multiple teams attest to it, I'd just stick to bringing up the inappropriate comments he makes.

 

[WeWillWinTonight]

You most likely wont be able to do anything. You should make a direct complaint with the league.

The leagues around here complain about refs every single games. I couldn't imagine all the complaints USA hockey deals with.

 

[nukethewhales]

Just don't ask Alex Burrows.

 

[Pez68]

League director was great about handling the situation. As long as I don't have to see this guy ref our games ever again, I'm happy. Some people just take the slightest little bit of authority, and lose their minds.

 

[Gino 14]

League director was great about handling the situation. As long as I don't have to see this guy ref our games ever again, I'm happy. Some people just take the slightest little bit of authority, and lose their minds.

So what was the outcome?

 

[shaynexbruin]

there should be some way to file a complaint on the USA hockey website. I think you need the Ref's USA hockey number though. You should be able to ask the scorekeeper for it, or ask a league/rink employee for the contact person of said referee. Ref's have bosses too.