Referee Maltreatment Definitions
These are the definitions that HWRD will apply at the minor hockey level. The one in red needs to stop and the ones in green need to happen more often. Referee maltreatment is never appropriate in any circumstance.
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Referee Maltreatment: Any circumstance in which a fan, player, or coach seeks to intimidate, manipulate, coerce, threaten, or degrade an official regardless of circumstance, perspective, or disagreement with the official's interpretation of a rule or resulting call. This is what is discouraged.
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Seeking Information: An inquiry* in which a player or coach asks a specific question to better understand what is being called and why the call is made for the purpose of adapting style of play to reduce chance of taking a penalty.
*Inquiry: 1) Player/Coach asks a question, 2) Referee answers question, 3) Play resumes.
Note that if the conversation is respectful, it may last a little longer (i.e. the coach/player asks a clarifying question) but the goal is to get play going again. The goal of hockey is to play the game not discuss rule interpretation.