Stop Ref Abuse

Zero Tolerance on Referee Abuse

Purpose of the Guideline

Development is a central focus of the Coquitlam Minor Lacrosse Association (CMLA).  This includes development of Lacrosse players and Lacrosse referees. We need to provide a Safe, Fair and Fun environment for players as well as referees.  Only Positive, Instructive and Encouraging comments are allowed to be directed at players or referees, youth or adult.  The purpose of these guidelines are to make clear that verbal abuse of referees is as unacceptable as is verbal abuse of players and to adopt basic standard sanctions for improper conduct.

This guideline is not intended to imply that youth referees are always "right" and the adult spectator or coach is always "wrong".  Just as players will make mistakes during play, referees will make mistakes in officiating, particularly in the younger divisions where they are learning how to referee.  In addition, sometimes referees are "in over their head" because of a particularly challenging game, an assignment beyond their experience or comfort level, etc. 

The CMLA is taking a leadership role in this regard.  It is the association belief that it is never acceptable to abuse referees verbally or otherwise, in any situation.  Coquitlam Minor Lacrosse will not tolerate any verbal or other abuse or criticism of a referee by any coach or spectator.  Abuse includes, but is not limited to, any verbal or non-verbal conduct which questions the referees authority, derides the referee or questions his/her judgment in making/not making calls during the game.

To help stop referee abuse the CMLA is instituting a “Yellow/Red” card policy for spectators.  The program will work as follows:

• CMLA teams will be given a supply of these Red and Yellow Stop Referee Abuse Cards.
• Two parents from each team will be selected that the beginning of the season to hand out the cards.
• Yellow cards will be given to a spectator whose conduct is deemed abusive as a warning.
• Red cards will be given to a spectator whose conduct is deemed excessively abusive and will be asked to leave the game.
• This processes is for CMLA team spectators at both our home and away games

In the event that a “Red” card is given to a spectator, the team manager of the team that handed the card out will inform the 2nd VP for follow up.  The information given should be

• Team involved
• Coach
• Spectator
• Opponent
• Ref name (if known)
• Some details of the incident

Any Executive Member, Division Coordinator, Team Manager or certified adult referee shall, if necessary, intervene if any spectator, or other adult is abusing a referee, verbally or otherwise and may take immediate appropriate action, up to and including directing the offender to leave the site, and/or to suspend, or terminate the game.  Handling general dissent is part of a referee's job.  If the offensive conduct constitutes dissent rather than abuse and the youth referee appears to be managing the dissent appropriately, no intervention is necessary.

There are appropriate avenues for coaches or spectators to share concerns about the quality of officiating.  The CMLA welcomes constructive comments about referees.  However, any criticism or critique of a youth referee's performance may only be communicated to the referee by the Head Referee or the Referee Allocator.