OLA at odds with its referees once again
Refs want refunds for clinics they paid for, but couldn’t take due to pandemic precautions
A dispute over registration refunds is the latest rift between the Ontario Lacrosse Association (OLA) and referees.
The OLA board of directors rejected a refund agreement struck by a committee comprising three OLA representatives and three Ontario Lacrosse Officials Association (OLOA) members. The OLA board approved a different refund structure.
OLOA president Ryan Wilson took the rejection of the committee’s proposal as a sign the OLA never took the process seriously.
“A lack of faith, transparency and communication continues to erode the relationship with the officials and the OLA,” said Wilson.
More than 750 referees paid between $90 to $175, depending on their level, for 2020 registration clinics. Some completed the clinics and some did not prior to the OLA cancelling the season Wednesday because of COVID-19.
The negotiations were to determine how to cover costs of clinics and the registration portal. Marion Ladouceur, president of the OLA board, said the committee’s work was valuable.
“It was a starting point,” she said. “We don’t believe it was a waste of time … We think they’re in a better situation than they were with the committee’s recommendation.”
The committee’s proposal was a full refund to all officials minus $15 to cover costs and $45 to first-year officials for jerseys.
The board approved a different refund. Those who completed the clinic get a 90 per cent refund minus costs and those who didn’t get 100 per cent back minus costs. The costs differ depending on the level. First-year officials also got their $45 jersey fee back. Officials were offered an option to defer the refund and apply it to 2021 registration.
Ladouceur said it’s more consistent with coaching certifica “What tion refunds.
“We felt that was more fair and equitable for all the referees,” she said.
She said the OLA was trying to recoup costs paid out in preparation for the 2020 season.
“Purchasing jerseys, rule books, using school classrooms, paying instructors and the portals for which they do the registration through,’ said Ladouceur.
Wilson and veteran referee Ian Garrison said the OLOA’s issues with the OLA run much deeper.
Garrison is concerned the OLA isn’t doing enough to develop, advance or retain officials. He says he’s one of only six Level 5-6 officials capable of refereeing Major Series Lacrosse. He said four veteran officials left or were forced out in recent years putting a strain on referees at that level.
we’re seeing is a decline in senior officiating due to the governance of the OLA,” said Garrison. “We don’t get supervised. We don’t get evaluated. We don’t really get considered for promotion. That’s a real concern for our staff. The problem with that is we’re paying a significant amount of money to be certified and that money isn’t routed into a referee program.”
He’s concerned the day is coming when there won’t be enough referees to cover junior and senior games.
“I can sympathize with the Lakers faithful in Peterborough who think, ‘Oh, my god, Garrison is here again,’ ” he said. “It’s a matter of who else is going to go in there who is qualified?
“It’s time for substantial change within Ontario lacrosse, but it appears the association is more than OK with watching this rot.”
Wilson said the OLOA had to strike during last year’s playoffs to get the OLA to address their safety concerns following violent incidents against referees.
“The officiating staff at all levels, represented by the OLOA executive, has lost all faith and confidence in the senior leadership of the OLA,” said Wilson.
He said he’s not had a supervisor at his games in five years. He says the OLOA has requested an accounting of how its registration money is being used for referee development but the requests have been denied.
“We have no say in how to make the program better yet in our contract we’re charged mutually with the betterment of the referee program,” he said.
Ladouceur doesn’t agree and doesn’t think all officials do either.
“We’ve bent over backwards to work with them. They just have misunderstandings over how things happened,” she said. “I understand what some of their issues are but what they’re feeling is not what a lot of the referees membership is feeling. I don’t want to get into a dramatic thing about whether they’re happy. We understand there are members who aren’t happy.
“I honestly feel we have been more than fair. We negotiated a contract three years ago that was more than fair. I don’t know where it all stems from. I think some of it stems from personal feelings. I don’t want that. I don’t want to start that. They’re an association we get to referee our games. The clinics are an OLA clinic we get them to help us with. That’s basically where we are.”