The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Town league to develop own officials
by West Elk Hockey Association
Town League Hockey is unique to Crested Butte. Those who play it, love it. Nowhere else can beginners benefit from their experience playing with expert players. It is the most fun organized team sport the town has to offer in the “dead” of winter.
Like any organized sport, town league relies on its participants to help make it a unique success every season. Officials are the only way town league and youth games can play in Crested Butte. Many players realize this and want to volunteer to help. But in the past, seminars are at inconvenient dates long before the start of town league or local youth games in January.
Officials travel up from Gunnison to help, but there are many youth and adult games to cover in Gunnison. Driving up to Crested Butte to officiate games is difficult due to driving conditions and other factors, so they would rather work and play at their own rink much like Crested Butte participants enjoy their own venue.
The shortage of officials in Crested Butte is getting very serious. The players of town league need to step up to officiate games. Many players have offered to step up—great! Here’s the chance! The process can be arduous, so the local hockey association and officiating organization have teamed up to make it easier for town league to develop our own refs.
The certification process opened earlier this year to get the online portions completed. A seminar in early October is available for Crested Butte participants. A later seminar might be added if there is additional interest. After you do several games in the season most of your fees are reimbursed, plus it is a great way to make some extra money. Can you think of a better way to get ice time, learn more about the game and earn extra cash?
Anyone who wants to help town league hockey by becoming a certified ref should sign up now (yes, in June) and get started with the online modules. It may be hard to think about hockey when mountain biking and hiking are going strong, but hockey will be here before you know it.
Sign up and get started at usahockey.com/officialsmembership. Learn more at wehockey.org/townleague or contact WEHA at wehockey@gmail.com.
