Pierre Mélançon is known in the region, especially for his 30 years of refereeing in baseball. This fall, at age 54, he made the decision to referee in hockey to give his time to young people and to make up for the lack of personnel, without knowing what he really expected of him…
Last week, the Shawiniganais made an exit on his Facebook page. He seeks neither congratulations nor sympathy. He just wants to open people’s eyes.
“I had never refereed in hockey and I started because there is a lack of referees in Mauricie, especially since the pandemic. I met Dan Béland, by chance in Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade, and he told me about the lack of personnel. I am also the father of two hockey players so I was tired of canceled games or moved games, ”he confides from the outset.
“I often play nine games a weekend, in six different arenas. Often, I cannot see my sons play, but I allow young people to be able to play their sport. »
However, Pierre Mélançon was far from suspecting what he was going to witness in the stands.
“One Sunday night I was refereeing a game and saw a parent come up to the bay window, yelling at my 13-year-old son, who was acting as linesman. He was yelling at him, but a linesman has nothing to do with penalties! I took a moment and started thinking. I went to the parent’s coach to let him know. I said to myself that now, I make it my duty to make it stop, ”he testifies.
“A parent, you can’t really control him compared to a coach who you can give a bench penalty or send off. As far as parents are concerned, it has to stop. When I was a player’s parent, I wasn’t always good either. Today, I’m on the ice and I’m paying the price, but I understand better now and it has to stop. »
Indeed, Mr. Mélançon makes it his duty to resolve the situations over which he has control, if only by meeting the coaches of each clan before the match, and sometimes even after the match.
“Whether the referees are 13 or 20, the parent is crying. They have no awareness that there is a person behind the job. He gets paid to do that, they tell you. Without a referee, there can be no match. People don’t realize that the referee is a person first,” he adds.
“I played nine games in six arenas. Why? To allow the young people of these parents to be able to play. I am 55 years old and have a career. Am I here for the money? No. Am I here to climb the ladder, at 55? No. I tell you, people have to open their eyes and understand that each referee has his story. This season, we don’t even take the ranking into account! »
Very smart who could predict for how long the father of the family will be able to devote his time to the young people if things do not improve.
“I can understand it a little more at the Cataractes or in the National League, because there are stakes and series. These are high levels of hockey and the salaries are higher too. But to be lectured in a caliber of minor hockey where there is no ranking issue? Parents really need to start asking themselves the question, ”he insists.
“Sunday, I will referee at 8 a.m., in Saint-Boniface, so that my guy can play. I will notify the coaches before the game that my son is there, but I will remain impartial. Then, I referee a match with my oldest and we continue our day in Quebec where he is going to play in the afternoon. I ask you the question. Do you think I’d like to go to Saint-Boniface at 8 a.m. on Sunday? To probably hear blubbering? But I do it for young players. »
Hockey is a sport of speed and mistakes are always going to happen. Hockey is an action/reaction sport.
“The parent has to stop yelling and understand that the referee is doing his best. All referees do their best, in the circumstances, where they are called to be. It may be his ninth game of the weekend, but understand that he dedicates his time so that your young people can play, ”he concludes.
The problem of shortage of referees also results in young referees being thrown into game calibers that they would not have had to referee until three years old, sometimes. Mr. Melancon, who blew out his 55th candles on Feb. 24, had given up his career as a baseball umpire when he lost his temper after 30 years of loyal service. It remains to be seen if he will be able to find this flame, this time, on the rink.
