AIHL Jamboree

Another AIHL Jamboree gone by, still the same issues.

First off, for the most part, it was a great weekend. Got to see a lot of great teams and players as well as play a few of them. 495ers pro team looks insanely good. I enjoyed watching them, a TON of talent, size, and more important, a very smart team.

Anyways, on to my rant...

Every year in these Jamborees, the officiating is always WAY off. It seems as a whole, they ask all referees to tighten down on all calls for this weekend. I do not understand why all season long they let you play hockey, then when it comes jamboree time, the style of play is that of a 10U houseleague game. Some teams travel so far to play these jamborees, just to get there and see the entire style of the game changed. This weekend, if you were 5'4 103 lbs, you had the advantage. You could not touch anyone with a stick, or even bump someone with a body. If someone had the puck in the corner, you could not press them in the corner or fight for the puck...that would be a hold or roughing. If you did not intercept a pass, or get a rebound, you could never get the puck without getting called for a penalty. If this is the correct calling....then why is it during finals weekend, playoffs, and rest of season, none of this is called??? If this is the way roller hockey is suppose to be played, no wonder Ice hockey players make so much fun of this sport.



The game I am most referring to, was Richmond Robins minor vs Long Island 495ers minor, however, it pretty much happened all weekend. Richmond took this game 5-4 in OT. I feel that mentioning the fact that we won that game, does not make me look like a pissed off poor sport. This game was a rematch of last years Eastern Conference Finals....LET US PLAY HOCKEY!!

That being said, the game is 24 minutes long. This game consisted of 14 individual penalties, equaling 28 minutes in penalty time. There was not a single penalty that would be considered dirty. A lot of the penalties, players only did a simple stick check, or a small bump fighting for a loose puck. One call they made against 495ers with only minutes left in the game, the guy was called for hooking me as I skated by him......he never even touched me with any part of his stick or body. I went on to score the PP goal to take the lead 4-3 with only a few minutes left. Yes, this went in our favor, but SUCH a terrible call. I even told the ref that the guy never touched me (after the game of course), he said "He viciously tried to hook you" .....I never realized that an ATTEMPTED minor penalty IS a penalty...

This is a GREAT league, with a TON of great players. The referees should NOT determine the outcome of the game. These games should be won by the teams themselves. The games are short enough as it is, they need to lighten up the calls, or not make the penalties 2 minutes.


The only reason I am even posting this is, I spoke with 495er players during the game, and they felt the same way we did. Let us play hockey!



Shawn Rogowski #2

Most rulebooks say that contact doesn't need to be made for a penalty to be called, but i think that is more for a swinging slash.
Besides that completely agree. Refs at the college level love calling stick lifts as hooks especially with 1 minute left to decide a game. I cant count how many times ive seen a game decided by a questionable call. Usually the refs are pretty good except in crunch time.
But the refs in the AIHL should really only be calling injury, scoring chances or change of possession. Meaning, if a guy hooks someone but the player isnt affected by it, then play on. Let each other push each other in a corner. As long as its not to the head or from behind let them beat the hell out of each other.(I think youre allowed to do that in 12u ice hockey even though theres no checking)
At that level the players should be able to control the game. If you can't handle getting bumped there are plenty of house leagues.
If the refs talk "stick down" "hands down" and you keep doing it, dont complain. If the refs communicate and not act like arrogant then it'll work. Also, if the ref is willing to talk to a captain (not the coach, we are big boys) then the other players shouldnt be chirpin and the captain can have a conversation.
Overall, communication is key. During the game and even more importantly before the season, see how the teams and refs want it called.
Also, keep in mind that different areas have have different refs, with different backgrounds.

I did not mind the standard of play that was called, what i did mind was the lack of consistency.

There were a few veteran AIHL refs there calling the same way they have for the last few years but several newer refs that were not calling the same game.

I think that is more of the message we have to give: regardless of the standard of play, call it consistently.
currently that is not happening.

Yeah, every jamboree it is like this, where it is very inconsistent. Please do not take this as me BASHING the league OR the refs. I am simply bringing up what i thought was an issue at this and previous jamborees. Many other teams, coaches and players were all saying the same thing.

Zuba, I agree 100%, Consistency is EVERYTHING, but i do wish they would let us play a little more. A few refs were consistent in letting us play good hockey, and a few were consistent in calling a 10u house league game. Going from a game with 4 penalty minutes, to a game with 28 penalty minutes is ridiculous. Especially when the style of play never changed.

Oddly enough, we went 2-2, and the two games im complaining about, we won. Regardless of winning, It just was not fun hockey. Last years finals weekend, I thought, was reffed very well. They let everyone play, every game. I hope it is that way again this year. If we make it that far, I would hate to travel to the other side of country to have my championship hopes rely on that of a non player. Let the teams determine the winner. The powerplay is soo LETHAL in roller hockey. Powerplays should only happen when someones progress is impeded, or when a penalty has resulted in the loss of the other teams scoring opportunity. Let the players fight for the puck in the corners, let the players fight for position in front of the net. This is a professional league, they should be calling every game like a Torhs or Narch national.



Shawn Rogowski #2