Cumberland Area Supervisor Report

April 2003

 

The 2002-03 season was an extremely busy one in the Cumberland Area with over 900 assignments handed out.  15 officials were registered, 11 of which worked on a full-time basis.  One new member was added this year, but it continues to be a struggle to retain female and younger officials as they relocate to other areas to further their educations.  We are fortunate to have the experience of three Level 2 University officials in this area.

 

Although the number of games continues to increase in Cumberland County, the quality of games has been on a steady decline over the past three seasons.  It is becoming more and more difficult for officials to find competition that is challenging and at the required high level for assessment/advancement.  It is my recommendation to the NSBO Executive that we develop a strategy for officials from this area to work Division 1 or ACAA (Mount Allison?) games on a regular basis, as we are at an obvious disadvantage without this level of competition.

 

From an administrative standpoint, the 2002-03 season did not pass by without incident.  One player ejection was reported to the NSSAF and it was dealt with to our satisfaction.  There were no coach ejections.  There was one minor discipline issue, it was dealt with informally and the official used it as a positive to turn his season around.

 

The major issue that was dealt with in this area was the decision by a BNS team to use non-NSBO officials for a large 3–day tournament.  This was not taken lightly and the issue was addressed at the provincial levels of both NSBO and BNS.  NSBO took a stand that this was not an acceptable practice and that the team would not benefit from our services anywhere in NS should this be tried again.  The remainder of the season was completed without incident.

 

The following additional items of interest should also be noted:

 

  • Reg Jewkes conducted provincial evaluations in late January.
  • An award of appreciation was presented to David Reid of Pugwash for his contributions as a coach and referee.
  • Andrew Wallis will return in the role of Area Supervisor.
  • Reg Caulfield will re-offer as Provincial Supervisor and Sam McNeish will re-offer as Vice President.
  • It was recognized that the Pugwash area would benefit from new officials and a plan of action was formulated to address this need.
  • Local officials donated approximately $700 back to various programs during the course of the season.
  • Better lines of communication will be forthcoming with regards to using referees from outside areas.
  • Additional consultation will take place in the region with NSSAF reps with regard to scheduling.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

Andrew Wallis

Cumberland Area Supervisor