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26-The Canadian Champion, Friday, December 20, 2002 Ilefereeing ranks dropping locally, and across Ontario EILTOI'S WAY TO KEEP YOUR VUUCLES LOOKING NEW. COW ON AID RUST CONTROL EXPERTS ~4 ~ NOW IS THE W ~ TIME TO Body Maintenance BEAT THE RUSH! IA ts /lt oes tèht coults/ " Compete Rust Proofing " Lubrication of Wiring, Hinge Tel,~ Assembles and More " Ask about our "Locked In' Prices 905 878-9273 $ON 115mI(LT loNNIc PREVIOUSLY SUPREME AUTO COWISION ca£vb lau rla W Qagd«y &W CmbVzw 908788883 AferI/or:905-845-9211 Abuse of officiais chief cause for ongoing decline By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion Most hockey' enthusiasts have probably seen it dtîring a recent visit to iheir hometown areria. Gracing the lion's stiare o! mninor league hoîckey hult letm boarcds liese days is a poisteireading 'Yclling at the rets ssviI! bclp ',ouir teansisin - cause they realîy tike ibai., Thlic sarcaisnin usariabtv Lct,, a clhîickle ---îr ai least a snîlc --Iruin iIus reiders. But wht's fltnieartl as arnusing is uth îercsnierîtfor ttîîs kînd of mes- sage. Scasýot aller seaisiin. ftic nuniber ot miniir lc;igue oifficials, nDOntai icicontinues iii dimniish. And! Miltonî is certainîs' nou eeption. bn lac tîs sear alotie.ithe ta sreleceiiug ranksý bas ,e cli îppcct bs' ieartv a thirto ti410t Yîuiof tficials ti jalc IIîAr.ba bein iît tt uilt Ioirecruit andîtes ci tougher Ioliniaintini - iithe nliiariis baning l. s', im a tess'monIibs. Su ss liai sihe pri leil wtt itîesn't take als1uuirI.s expcrt ici figure îîîîi lat vecrbal.abuise uot rteteues- -primuai iJL tii im tans li-as; becc'ine ian ellt cii s eterru'îîi I dniing the ,tripe,, "'hcs\iîig<I.itîetciitk l' adlua reterece uitfie! Rav Nuis liii. retîrrn ulo fic a c oft iniljtsanid uitiit .iciiC ' iîcIs ial lt kîiî adtiiius:ýic'iecl h\ iockeN iieiits'. ofiu.il iic'ni iliii't .\ssisit:inI Niinni\ i'i i. iil ha eti ofgu iltîîîîs Ii.iie iitiiïciatirii,' a'es ss le uisîîîts,asoiecd releres ire ablc' ii s \eaîtîitc ihiiipicalî aspect îîf t! c oh. ia's fluot soe;lcasfi ii 'n ieus epciais\a ien itietabuse s eîîîuîîîg trîirnpeople' îîuîctî îlcetc'han îtîî nandc occasîonalls' esc ates iii lieaied lace-to-lace (c(il- lr(iiitiat ioiiis.' He remarked. -Ilt iby'rc not useci 10heiîîg yelled ai ai home, il'S iough io dca! witb.'* While boib admit iliere's beeri a lt less abuse trorn coaches and players in recelit years due iii no srnall pari 10 the iînplemeniation of a zero leîrance policy tbecy rccognize ihaithtbngs bas eni rcally inproscd mucb in the stands. Mark Droge, M/itins only Les et 4 retcee (wbiclb alto\vs bim I ottficiate any ganie. inciuding inteira- toonal ciîmpctiiion)x nîys that retcees do in fact have coimiiol ove, ativ iy in the stanids as %vcll as on the ice aod rccalled one occasion ssheic hie had to ejeci a surI','J'an. Hohe\,er. lie docsn'i cxpcci att \Young officiais 10 be contfident cnough to exereise that degree of autbority, addiîig "Tiev're just geting their lceitScI.- And while Young oticials are cncouragcd 10 seek suport anîd guidance fioni iheir more experieneed c0unterpis about troubting situation. many frustiai- cd icens <ot utiizti iatservice -but înstead pack il ini altogetier. Both NossLin and Kerwsina\ ibai the number of' Young rets wbo've quit in recent years far outweiglis ihose wi'se souight counsýel rcgarding problemnattc coaches and parents. Droge satd seiting the îîîne for a gaine carty on aînd adînutting one's misiakes cari go a loîng way twr beiîcring, onesrcrcîreig gaine. but again recognmiies that not aIt Young peopte arc incntattv equippcd Io a ithsitanît constant second gîicssiog. )0lInn 's 10 abte a iîh a tac k cilincoming cfficials. Niwa Ln siresseît. is oîity oing toii inensify as the corn iiiunity --and minor hockey aili ilt-- rows. ButIc 1leiil'\ ic l he chic! caii1ýç tor deetining num- liers s, a ss bote loi cisier ilian rectii\ ing ttie situationi. Litoge siiggcsts that a hile iberes ý oiquiek-fix 10 ret- erc abuse. the ansse ites iin educatioti- as ssci! as securîiiuzmore suipporit roi i ocfihes,. And tii ansone \,%ho's, eser taken ibeir crîticism o ait oiffic'ia] a bit butoi ar-- Miltin's top referees offer a h iendis reminder. Said Kerain. -We's'e got to make sptit-second dcci- sions ouit ibere. andî none of tvs ne peicet." PleUnase fax your team reports and sports story ideas to Steve LeBlanc at (905) 878-4943, or e-mail reports to sleblanc@&haltonsearch.com.