The Central Plains region of Manitoba is facing a significant shortage of hockey referees, prompting local officials to actively seek new recruits, particularly female referees and adult officials. Corey Dowd, the chief of officiating for Hockey Manitoba's Central Plains area, talks about the ongoing challenge.
"This has been an ongoing battle, not just in the Central Plains, but all over Manitoba and Canada. We're always actively trying to recruit more officials."
Dowd explains the importance of increasing the number of female referees in the region.
"What I would really like to do is target female officials because there are a lot of opportunities for development. We are lacking that in our region. We have a lot of female programs and opportunities for them to officiate games."
He noted that the shortage is particularly pronounced among referees in their 20s who have recently finished playing hockey and are looking for ways to stay involved in the sport.
When asked about the common apprehension about becoming a referee, given the often heated nature of hockey games, Dowd acknowledged that there can be challenges.
"It can be a stressful time, but we invest heavily in development and training. Rod Sveistrup, who oversees minor hockey development in the Central Plains, he helps new referees build confidence."
To facilitate this recruitment, the region is organizing clinics, including one scheduled for October 20.
"We had one already and we had great attendance from Portage, but I'm looking at MacGregor, Gladstone, Oakville, and Elie. In the rural areas, we are really looking at finding more people interested. There's lot more travel and mileage for those teams because they don't have enough people to officiate the games."
He encourages interested individuals to register on the Hockey Manitoba website before the deadline.
"There is some pre-course work to do, but once you get started, it actually goes pretty smoothly."
For anyone interested in becoming a referee, Dowd invites questions via email at cddowd@shaw.ca. Dowd remains committed to recruiting both male and female officials and ensuring they have the support needed to thrive.