Pandemic leaves Manitoba Soccer Association with referee shortage
With Manitoba's outdoor soccer season underway, the provincial soccer association is feeling a pandemic pinch – there are not enough referees for all the games.
The Manitoba Soccer Association said the province is experiencing a referee shortage.
In a statement, the association said in 2019 it had 120 senior referees and 400 youth referees. It said each year it would lose about 30 per cent of its referees in the youth system, but would be able to recruit the same number of new referees.
"Coming out of the pandemic has not been that easy," Héctor Vergara, the executive director of the association, told CTV News. "The reality though is that during the pandemic, many referees were not active. Many young referees found other things to do in life, moved on from refereeing."
He said over the two years of the pandemic the association was not able to recruit new referees to replace the older referees who left the system.
This year there are only 89 senior referees and 216 youth referees, leaving many games without a referee or having to use an untrained volunteer instead.
"We're doing the best we can with the number of referees that we have," Vergara said, adding the association is booking every available referee and in some cases is double booking the refs to cover two games in a night.
"At the end of the day, we all want the same thing – we all want kids playing, we all want coaches coaching, we want referees refereeing the game and enjoying it."
Vergara said the association is forming a Referee Task Force to find ways to address the shortage both in the short and long term as quickly as possible.
"We encourage people out there to be patient. We know that there's not going to be an overnight solution," he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Donald Trump was the subject of 'an assassination attempt,' FBI reports
The FBI said Donald Trump was the target of “what appears to be an attempted assassination” at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday.
LIVE UPDATES 2024 Emmy Awards: 'The Bear,' 'Fargo' and 'Hacks' win acting awards
'Shogun,' 'The Bear' and 'Baby Reindeer' at the topo of the queue as the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards arrive on Sunday.
B.C. to open 'highly secure' involuntary care facilities
B.C. will be opening “highly secure facilities” for people with addiction and mental health issues in the province, officials said Sunday.
Calgary police honour 3 Calgarians who helped save Lanny McDonald’s life in airport incident
The Calgary police paid tribute to a trio of Calgarians who saved the life of Lanny McDonald at the airport in February, 2024.
They came from Jamaica for work, now they're homeless and out thousands of dollars in lost wages
Abuse of Canada’s temporary foreign worker program has left a group of carpenters from Jamaica 'destitute' after an Ottawa company refused to pay them for nearly half a year of work.
Montreal bars, restaurants react to Quebec bill to regulate merchant tipping requests
Quebec tabled a bill on Thursday that would regulate how merchants determine suggested tips, forcing businesses to calculate them based on the price before tax. Restaurant staff and management are divided on the policy.
Greater Sudbury resident dies in 5-vehicle crash involving 3 motorcycles near Port Dover
A person from Greater Sudbury died and two other individuals were transported to hospital after a five-vehicle crash near Port Dover, Ont., late Saturday afternoon.
Queen Victoria's favourite Tuscan villa for sale for more than US$55 million
Once a favoured holiday destination for Queen Victoria, and reputedly described in one of the greatest works of Italian literature, the Villa Palmieri is steeped in history and could now be yours – if you have more than €50 million (US$55 million) lying around.
Liberals will let Conservatives hold non-confidence vote 'fairly soon', no intention of proroguing Parliament
The Liberals have no intention of using procedural tactics to delay the Conservatives' promised non-confidence motion, and they have no plans to prorogue Parliament to hold onto power, according to Government House Leader Karina Gould.