With roughly 35 years experience in the hockey refereeing business, Williams Lake’s Roy Kozuki is a treasure trove of knowledge for fledgling officials.
At 73 years of age, Kozuki can regularly be seen zipping enthusiastically up and down the ice performing his craft at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex.
“I enjoy the fact that it’s a good way to keep yourself physically fit,” Kozuki said. “I used to play oldtimers hockey and all that, but I find I don’t need to do that anymore to stay in shape. Refereeing keeps me fit.”
Kozuki is a mentor to the Williams Lake Minor Hockey Association’s younger officials and always makes himself available if they have any questions or need advice. He also encourages young refs to keep at it, despite some of the job’s difficulties and challenges.
“The thing is with the young fellas, once you get more into the job and stay at it and, if you enjoy it, then do it,” he said. “You’ve got to have thick skin to do this kind of work, but if you can overcome that it’s really quite simple.
“I try to help the young ones out. I try to profess that if there is a problem with say, a coach, don’t get too up tight about it.”
He said he’s seen many young referees quit the job due to altercations with coaches, parents or players, however, added the job is extremely rewarding in the long run.
“We find that some of the young guys, they just say to themselves: ‘I’m not coming back and putting on the stripes, or the armbands,’ because they’ve had a problem with coaches or players, or possibly parents,” he said. “You’ve just got to let it go and go onto the next assignment or game. I find in most cases it’s all forgotten once the game is over.”
With five years work experience under their belts, WLMHA teenage refs Patrick Kniec and Logan Penny have learned to roll with the punches.
“The coaches just want the best for their team,” Kniec said after refereeing a playoff game recently.
“We obviously see things differently.”
For him, Penny said dealing with aggressive coaches has definitely been a challenge, particularly as a young ref just starting out.
“It used to bother me but I’ve gotten a thick skin,” Penny said. “But it’s what scares most young officials away.”
Both refs agree, though, that the job has its advantages.
“I know how to speak confidently now,” Kniec said.
“It’s made me a better speaker and more confident,” Penny added.
Kniec and Penny both said aside from dealing with the odd difficult coach or parent, being a ref is a fun job that builds confidence and provides valuable work and life experience for the future.
“All and all this is probably one of the best jobs you could ever have,” Kniec said. “As long as you know the rules it’s easy.”
Throughout the years, meanwhile, Kozuki said he’s seen the behaviour of coaches, players and parents improve drastically.
He points to educational coaching clinics and refereeing clinics as helping to enforce a zero tolerance for poor behaviour.
“I find they’re really good on the bench now,” he said. “Especially in the last several years it’s been really good.”
As for young referees doing their job on the ice, Kozuki said they all do a fantastic job and should be proud of their work.
“Young referees don’t make bad calls,” he said. “They make good calls and, if there happens to be a dispute from the bench for coaches, I’d advise young referees to listen to what the coach has to say and when he’s done tell the coach what you saw and keep your head above water and stay with the call, explain why you made the call and why the penalty was assessed.
“Don’t give up on reffing because of one little altercation. I like to see the guys continue. If they can handle it, they’ll be reffing many years and become adults, parents and they’ll still be doing it and having fun.”