On the subject of referees.
The main concern with Referees is the lack of applicants for the jobs.
This creates a problem when people retire or even just pack the sport in, as you need at least 3 stripeys in an EIHL game (it actually needs 4 now) some guys get fast tracked to a league above their stature which is not their fault it's just they are actually available.
Again a problem raises it's head......experience, it doesn't matter how many times / years you have been on the line when you move to the centre it is an entirely different ball game so basically you start your apprenticeship all over again.
What people will not grasp is how different the game is on ice compared to elevated seating in the stands, it is much faster than you think, bodies get in your vision lines, instant decisions have to be made and hockey players can be very sneaky at times.
On a personal side be prepared to be without your family / friends at weekends, like travelling and spend many unpaid hours doing the road trips.
After all that is said and done I would urge anybody that would like to be involved with the sport to give it a go, it can be a lot of fun, exciting and rewarding (not overly finance wise for everybody).
On the finance side I found it funny when being shouted at by an over adoring father that I was only in it for the money once, the payment for that game was £10, I left Glenrothes at 1pm to travel as a passenger (no expences)to Inverness, done the game then to a chip shop for 3 fish suppers for us and it was my turn to pay so £21 lighter and home for 1am .......total losses £11 for a 12 hour shift.
Also in the minus column.
People also forget that a referee needs kit as well as a player so all new at todays prices that's circa £1,000 including skates but those items will last 2/3 years and you will recoup some of that over a period of time.
So there you go..............get involved with the greatest team sport in the World then we can all shout and roar at you from our advantageous seats, you know the ones........where all the experts sit..................lol.