Aged 15, Félix Savage does not dream of one day refereeing in the National Hockey League. He would rather become a police officer, hence the idea of raising awareness among the population about what he experienced a few weeks ago when he left an ice rink in the Quebec region.
The teenager was paid a little less than $30 that day to be the head referee of an M13 C level match, commonly called pee-wee C, at the Marc-Simoneau Sports Center in Beauport. Insulted by some parents of players during the game, he could not contain his emotions and burst into tears after the match.
“The most important thing for me, as a referee, is to ensure the safety of the players on the ice,” he said, spontaneously. I am a calm and respectful person on the ice. I expect the same thing from coaches and parents in the stands… Because behind the referee, there is someone who has feelings and if there is no referee, there is none in hockey.”
Félix’s story is unfortunately not unique, but calls for respect and civility towards referees will never be too numerous for certain coaches as well as for certain parents. The subject of the shortage of referees in Quebec has been recurring for several years and does not only affect hockey.
Verbal violence
It was Stéphanie Denis, Félix’s mother, who first contacted The newspaper to recount her son’s recent misadventure. Living in Sainte-Brigitte-de-Laval, the teenager loves hockey, but he also has other interests similar to those of young people his age. A student majoring in music at La Seigneurie secondary school, he says he likes everything that concerns creation, including the popular game Minecraft.
“As a human being he can make mistakes, but is it so bad? asks his mother. Personally, I do not think so. He often has to deal with the frustration of coaches who, unfortunately, lack respect for him. It’s important to remember that he’s only 15 and just starting out in this field.”
“During the last match I attended, I was deeply disturbed by the comments made against my son,” she adds. A mother, visibly unhappy with the defeat of her boy’s team, attacked him inappropriately. This goes beyond simple discontent and hearing such comments about your own child is heartbreaking for a mother.
To have fun…
In addition to verbal violence, Félix was allegedly the victim of physical threats from the mother in question.
“We do our best as a referee,” declared the young man. Like the players, we are still developing. What bothers me is that there are parents who sometimes want more than their children and they forget that the main goal is to have fun.
Félix is categorical: it is not one or two more difficult matches that will prevent him from continuing to referee. Rather, he hopes to use this role to build his confidence, he who, he admits, sometimes tends to doubt himself. All he asks in return is a modicum of respect.