'Hopefully we can grow the numbers': Windsor referees and officials needed

It’s a critical time of the year for local minor sports.

A shortage of referees and officials is weighing on organizations planning for their upcoming seasons.

The number of football referees has dropped to its lowest point.

“They don't need that abuse,” Byron Griffith said of young referees. ”It's not like they're paying a mortgage with this money.”

Griffith is in charge of retaining referees for the Windsor District Football Officials Association and says the number of officials has dropped from a pre-pandemic high of close to 90 members to just 27 right now.

“One of the biggest problems is the coaches and the fans who tend to ride the younger officials,” he said.

In the hopes of increasing membership, the association is hosting a level-one clinic at acumen stadium at St. Clair College Sunday to try to recruit some young blood.

“From 9am until 4pm and we're going to be initiating our first-level officials so that hopefully they'll be on the field for high school this coming year.”

The ball is fumbled in the baseball community as well and for the same reason.

“Parents are the number one reason,” said Steve Gomes, president of the Windsor and District Umpires. “The pressure the parents are putting on the umpires it's just not fair. some of the things our kids are having to hear.”

Clinics are being held across the region including one at Riverside Minor Baseball April 13 from 9-1pm. Gomes says other associations offer kids opportunities to be an officials as well.

“Just join with your local association and that's kinda where you wanna register.”

The Elite Soccer Referee Association has also taken a kick from verbal abuse. It’s a scenario see across the province and has Ontario Soccer starting a pilot project this year that would see referees wearing cameras.

In the meantime, an on-field referee clinic is being held Saturday to help increase their membership.

“We're trying to give them more mentorship to try to keep these younger referees in the game,” said Angelo Gertsakis, president of Elite Soccer Referees Association. He points out, as of Wednesday, only about 100 referees have signed on for this season. There were close to 300 refs pre-pandemic

“Remember some of those kids are only 12-13 years old,” Gertsakis said. “We're not all FIFA World Cup Soccer referees at that age so be kind to them and hopefully we can grow the numbers in Windsor.”