Who are the best high school refs in the Metro?

[cliff77]

OK Ref101,<br><br>I'll put my money where my mouth is. I would be willing to pay more for admission to these high school games if it would contribute to higher caliber refereeing. More money should help attract new blood into the profession and also contribute to more in-depth game review and continuing training programs.<br><br>I know you guys don't do this just for the money. But something needs to change. Almost every varsity and jv coach I have spoken to in the past two years have complained about the deteriorating quality of high school refereeing in this state. <br><br>I don't know who you are, ref101. I will assume you are a good ref, take your job very seriously and are probably not one of the guys I am referring to here, but please offer some solution rather than challenging me to put on my skates. (By the way, in my younger days I refereed hockey up to the bantam level and I umpired baseball at the Babe Ruth level. I understand how difficult a job it is.) <br><br> <p></p><i></i>

[ref101]

Rulebook, test, and a fall meeting... That's all we get for direction. <p></p><i></i>

[ref101]

Cliff,<br><br>Ya hit a sore spot with HS hockey in this state. Your right, we all don't do it for the money, but I have yet to find anyone who officiates for free. In the last 10 years or so, the pay for HS hockey officials have fallen way off (school funding in general). USA hockey has moved their level of pay up, and college hockey pays very well too. At the HS level it's been very difficult to recruit new, younger, good officials. They can make more money working the youth, and still be home for the 10 o'clock news! The entire answer isn't the money, but you can see where officials might migrate to if they have a choice on a given night... <p></p><i></i>

[cliff77]

ref101,<br><br>I appreciate your candor. Don't think there isn't enough money to pay officials. The MSHSL is an independent organization and is not funded by any one school budget, and it has plenty of dough. If a little more money would really improve the caliber of refereeing, the MSHSL could find it. <br><br>The MSHSL has their heads up their butts in many areas, including HS hockey refereeing. They have screwed up just about every high school championship in just about every sport. Not showing replays at this year's State Tournament is just one example of how screwed up they are.<br><br>MN High School Hockey, other than the State Tournament is considered a joke by many D1 and NHL people. MSHSL could do so much more to keep the sport competitive at the MN high school level, including improving the caliber of high school refereeing in this state.<br><br>Keep up the good fight ref101! <p></p><i></i>

[StarsFan]

Taylor scored in a one point game. <br><br><br><br><br> <p></p><i></i>

[kerryfraserguy]

I think Pat reffed the tourney and is one of the best in metro.....the red-headed one is Jim who also does the vikings and wild....<br><br>They worked the championship when my Blaine Bengals won it all in 2000.....cause their picture is on my wall when Bochensky and crew were celebrating their title...<br><br>I went to some lake games.....I think Lancettey is a good ref....they have a great feel for the game<br><br>Lake refs are usually the best.....I watched a lot of games this year where I didn't notice the refs after I moved to Rosemount...not true when I went to every game back in high school up in Blaine's conference...can you say weeee-ak <p></p><i></i>