Referee-in-Chief Eddie™ · Lesson 36 of 50
Who this lesson helps: Associations building sustainable officiating programs.
Referee retention deserves attention after registration, not only during recruitment. New officials need appropriate assignments, useful instruction, workable schedules, and a credible response to concerns. A welcome email cannot deliver those conditions by itself.
A Situation You May Recognize
An association celebrates a large beginner class but never checks who is still accepting games. Several leave quietly. The program needs a way to learn where participation changed and why.
Referee retention: Practical Steps
Track registration, assignment acceptance, active participation, and return intentions. Speak with officials who reduce availability. Look for recurring problems in mentoring, workload, payment, transport, or behavior at the rink.
Avoid This Common Trap
Do not infer that every departure results from abuse or that every return proves satisfaction. School, employment, family, and changing interests also matter. Ask before attributing the reason, and protect personal responses.
Your Next Development Step
Run a brief midseason check-in with clear questions and a named follow-up contact. Report aggregate patterns to leadership. Then tell officials which practical improvements the association is making.
A Short Video Script for Eddie
Proposed spoken script for this lesson; the matching video has not yet been recorded.
Recruitment gets referees started. Retention helps them stay. Check their assignments, support, schedules, and concerns. Ask why participation changes, then act on the problems your program can improve.
Use the Right Rules for Your Assignment
This is original development guidance from The Hockey Resource™. Confirm requirements with your Referee-in-Chief or assignor. Game rules, certification, reporting, and permitted procedures depend on the governing body and competition; the age of an official is separate from the age division of the Players.
For Canadian assignments, use the Hockey Canada officiating resources and your Member’s instructions. For USA Hockey assignments, consult the official rules and casebook. These resources support verification; THR lessons do not replace required training.
Continue with Eddie’s advice for new Hockey referees. Bring one question from this lesson to a qualified mentor and agree on one action for your next assignment.
DISAGREE WITH THE CALL. RESPECT THE PERSON.
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