Rivers Banner

Ref Memories

    Somewhere along the line I became a mentor to some young officials. This was fun watching them develop into referee and linesmen in games. I worked on the ice with them as often as possible doing the two-man system as well as the 3-man system. These guys worked hard on their game and became top notch officials.

    In Kenton there was Darren Good, Lance Routledge and Troy Smith. In OakLake there was Jeff Enns, Scott Clark Stacy Dickson and of course, Kerry Smith. Smitty worked with these guys as well, so not all the credit to me.

    These young officials developed quickly but not without trials. This way you learn the game. They were great because they were getting phone calls to go to other towns to officiate. I know they did a lot of games in Birtle so they spread their wings too.

    You never know at what time you make an impression on someone, but here is a little story.

    Troy Smith actually just told me this story this summer.

    Troy was the head referee in this game, and I was doing lines with another person probably Lance or Darren. We were doing a game in Kenton versus a team from Brandon. Right from the get-go the Brandon coach is being a real ass. From the get-go, he questioned Troys calls and in general was loud and annoying.

    Halfway through the second period, Troy has had enough and comes over to me and asks, Gerry if you were the head referee in this game, what would you do. I told Troy, remember the conversation I have had with you young officials. Eliminate the problem! If someone is being a problem, get rid of it. I also said if I was head referee I would have thrown him out in the first period. You are not getting paid near enough money to take his shit!

    Troy looks at me, blows his whistle just as we are about to face-off, skates over to the Brandon bench and tosses the coach out of the game. The coach’s jaw drops, and he left rather quietly. As I was escorting the coach off the ice I said to him, if you have anything else to say you will receive a gross misconduct. What is far worse than this, is the example you have been to your minor hockey team and to the town to represent. There was no other words spoken.

    Troy really gained confidence from that game and became a better official.

    Kenton Cougars senior team is playing in Rossburn. Kevin Laraway, who was from OakLake, was playing defense for Kenton. At one point during the game a Rossburn player is trying to get the puck from Kevin. The Rossburn player backs off and Kevin who had his skate on top of the puck, takes his foot off the puck. The forechecker comes at him again and Kevin puts his skate back on top of the puck. This goes on several times when the Rossburn player yells at Kevin to quit doing that to which Kevin respondes, go tell it to your mommy. The Rossburn player just turns and skates away, shaking his head. Kevin gets control of the puck, makes a pass and the game resumes. Kevin could not remember that incident but I do!

    Brian Braybrook from Virden is in a scrap one night. As the fight continues to go Brian says, can you not hit harder than that? The guy was shocked and withheld his punch which he stopped throwing. Brian did not stop and got a few extra punches in. Never heard that line except for when Brian said it and won the bout easily.

    Murray Braybrook is in a fight one night and he and his opponent fall down on to the ice with Murray on top. Murray keeps punching his opponent but is punching him in the stomach. The receiver of these punches says he is hurting me, he is punching me in the stomach. My answer was guess you should not fight then. One of favourite stories!

    Brian Mytopher, who is playing hockey with Virden, has just served a 4-game suspension for spearing and this is his first game back, and they are playing in Elkhorn. On his second shift of the game, Brian spears a player from Elkhorn and I call the penalty. “Sorry Brian!” Brian replies, “You know I have just finished a suspension for spearing, and I guess well, Ger see you next year!” Brian sort of chuckles and skates off. I think Brian was just watching too  many Philadelphia Flyer games when they were known as the Broad Street Bullies.

    Dauphin versus Oak Lake midget game. Apparently in a previous game Jason Taylor of Oak Lake had gotten under the skin of the Dauphin team and was sitting a suspension thus was not playing in the game.

    In the second period Jason comes out of the waiting room, just standing at the doorway in the corner where the exit is. Of course there is a screen on top of the door that will not bend anytime soon.

    The captain of Dauphin sees Jason and goes charging toward the door, with his team following him. They are jumping at it to try and knock it down. The only thing that gave was the players because they were not going to move that door. Jason leaves the rink and order is finally restored, but not before some serious penalties were assessed.

    I gave the Dauphin captain a Game and Gross Misconduct as well as the Dauphin best player and the coach as well for failing to control his players.

    I do not know what Jason did to them and I wondered why Dauphin did not like him. I liked Jason. I found him to be such a nice young man!

    Last one for now. I am officiating a game in Elkhorn. Elkhorn is playing Rossburn in the old North Central Hockey League. Elkhorn wins the game 19 to 1. Rossburn coach and a couple of other guys come banging on the referee door and are going to lay a licking on me. The official’s door is in the middle of the downstairs with each teams dressing room at either end. It is getting loud down there and they are pounding on the door. All of a sudden, I hear, “Hey, what the hell are you doing down there?” I hear the scuffle of feet that picking them and putting them down in a hurry. I peer out of the officials door and who do I see but the two Bowles boys Delbert and Garry standing in the hallway. Guess the Rossburn guys figured they better cut tail in a hurry or someone was going to get hurt!

    Thanks, Debert and Garry for having my back, I never forgot that! When you consider this is senior hockey and you just lost by 18 goals, yep, my fault.

    Second last one. Brian Glasman was a good player but had far too much to say. I had my run-ins with him and did not like the way he conducted himself on the ice, one night in Kenton, Donald Best of the Cougars had enough of Brian too. There was a short fight, and Brian is down in the corner, he came in second. I go over to Brian and I said, “Are you okay Brian?” Brian said to me, “Do you really care?” I said, “ No I do not care; I was just trying to be polite!”

    See you next time!