The whistle blew as fans boo at the referee because they believe the wrong call was made against their team. 

One side of the story that was rarely talked at the Alberta Collegiate Athletic Conference championships was the referees. The officials are as much of a game-changer during the game than the players are, in many accounts. 

With two referees in each volleyball game, as well as two line judges, there were plenty of opportunities for players, coaches and fans to potentially be upset with calls that were made throughout the matches. This adds immense pressure for these referees to make the correct calls.

“It’s fundamental right. These players spend 8-10 hours in the gym a week minimum and the referees have to get every calls right to make sure all that hard work for the players pays off,” said Jim Merrick, a referee for Volleyball Alberta Officials. 

 The official added referees have to ignore the criticism that comes with being a referee as he said if you make calls based on the reaction around you, it will only continue to make more people upset.   

The ACACs had two separate referee teams for the ACACs as they split the morning games and the night games into two sections. 

Merrick believes the referees can change the game of volleyball in many different ways as one bad call can change the whole trajectory of the match. 

The referee said the ACAC championships are the most competitive in Canada, as he has been able to ref around Canada with Volleyball Alberta.  

Merrick, who did not ref during the ACACs himself, added the refs at the championships needed to have fun. They earned the right to be there, just as much as the players and coaches. 

Coaches and players have always been known to argue with the referee when they believe the call doesn’t go their way, but players and coaches understand the importance of referees in the sport.  

“They are super important to the game of volleyball as they can control what happens to your team, so I think everyone respects them. Doesn’t mean that we won’t argue with them at some point, I think it’s a great love-hate relationship,” said Greg Gibos, head coach of the Lethbridge College Kodiaks volleyball team. 

The Kodiaks head coach and his team came second in the ACACs but had some controversy with the referees throughout the championships. During the third and final set against the SAIT Trojans in the semi-finals, the Kodiaks appeared to have won the game as the crowd ran onto the court to celebrate. In a turn of events, the referee said the Trojans instead took the point and the set continued. Even though the Kodiaks won the game four plays later, the crowd disagreed with the referee and showed their discontentment. 

Gibos added he feels terrible when referees get ridiculed by fans who could potentially have never had put themselves into the ref’s shoes first.  

The referees were busy as they looked to keep the attention on the game, rather than the calls that they made on the stand.