Your community and minor sports association has the opportunity to get involved in a new and exciting program initiated by the SHA Referee’s Division. The “Referee Mentor Program: has been developed to address a number of concerns associated with minor hockey officials.

Concerns such as:

• Verbal abuse by coaches, players and fans towards the officials.
• The development of officials.
• The supervision of officials.
• The recruitment and retention of officials.

These are concerns that every community and minor sports association faces year in and year out.

This is how the program works:

OBJECTIVES
1. To develop a community-based coaching program for young officials, 17 years of age and younger, in categories of Novice, Atom and Pee Wee Hockey.
2. To provide positive feedback to young officials to build personal confidence and create a feeling of support.
3. To encourage the necessary adjustments in performance to enhance the development of young officials.

THE PROGRAM
1. A local program head recruits mentor to assist with the program.
2. This group of mentors will attend an organization meeting which will be held in your zone this fall to receive guidance on how to provide the necessary feedback to young officials. (Completing development forms, proper procedures, new rules, etc.) There will be 2 organizational meetings in each zone.
3. Provide as much assistance as possible to young officials during the season.

LEVEL OF COMMITMENT
1. To be established by each individual mentor (1 game per month or up to 10 games per month).
2. Complete development forms for games attended and submit them to the local program head who will forward all forms monthly to the zone coordinator.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED AND YOUR ASSOCIATION’S KEYS TO A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM
1. Ensure a commitment from your local association to be involved with this new program.
2. Recruitment and retention of officials. Actively encourage young officials who officiated last year to return, and actively recruit new officials to get involved.
3. Approach a senior official in your community who is known and respected to be the program head for your local association.
4. The program head must approach the most suitable people (officials, players, coaches, hockey administrators) in your hockey community to act as mentors to be involved with your program.
5. For more information contact your SHA Zone Representative or your SHA Referee Zone Coordinator.

It is our belief that the “Referee Mentor” program is a step in alleviating these concerns. Without your help, this program will not succeed in your area. Commitment and dedication by all parties concerned will make for some very positive changes in the building of this program. The framework has been thought through and laid out in a very informational manner. The whistle has been blown and the game has begun.

“Good Luck” in your program.