Peel Region Board of Approved Basketball Officials
By Earl Pepper
The Peel Basketball Referees Association became a reality in 1974 under the leadership of Stan Crowley, an outstanding Ontario and Canadian University basketball and football official. Stan was a Toronto Basketball Referees Board member and, as a Mississauga resident, brought his officiating knowledge and skill to the area.
I transferred my membership from Montreal in 1975, and at that time, there were approximately a dozen members. According to the 1976 International Association of Approved Basketball Officials (IAABO) membership lists, the following Peel members were listed:
Ron Belcher, Bill Condlin, Bob Cowbrough, Stan Crowley, Peter Kahro, Bob Leask, Bob Little, Earl Pepper, Hal Ridley, Stewart Schofield, Charlie Slater, Charlie Tonna, Larry Voisin. More than half of the members were teachers in the Peel District School Board. Other members who joined the Association shortly after were John Elder (Brantford) and Ross Buckle (Montreal).
At that time, the rate for officiating high school games was about $8 per game.
In the 1970’s, the Canadian Association of Basketball Officials (CABO) and the Ontario Association of Basketball Officials (OABO) were formed with the Peel Basketball Referees Association actively involved. CABO introduced FIBA rules to Canada (due to the Montreal Olympics in 1976). All provinces accepted FIBA rules (or some version of them) except Ontario high schools who decided to stay with US National Federation rules. Canadian Universities and Colleges played a version of FIBA rules. In, Peel, Sheridan College (Brampton campus) women used FIBA rules and were officiated by those Peel referees who had qualified as FIBA officials. This lasted only 2 years.
In the late 1980’s, a new constitution was written for the Association and it became known as the Peel Regional Board of Approved Basketball Officials. We applied to IAABO and were accepted as our own IAABO Board # 222. Until that time, we were members of the Ontario Board # 102.
On the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Association, PRBABO hosted the fall Annual General Meeting and Conference of OABO, and since CABO was to meet in Toronto at the same time, they joined us for part of their AGM. Ron Belcher and Jim Wilson were the driving force behind a highly successful undertaking.
The PRBABO set a very high standard for its members. Although there were no university or college games to officiate, some members joined the Toronto or Hamilton Boards to work those games. Our members who had the opportunity to work OFSAA championships or Ontario Basketball Association (OBA) tournaments have shown excellent abilities at those levels. Each year, PRBABO members have attended OABO summer camps and have developed additional skills and exposure.
From the early beginnings of 12 referees, PRBABO now has a membership of some 150 bodies. The games of some 60 high schools (league and tournaments, boys & girls), adult leagues, Mississauga and Brampton Minor League basketball games, elementary schools, Sheridan College, etc. must be covered by the Board using a high quality of officiating skills.
One of the 5 purposes of PRBABO is to promote the uniform interpretation, administration and revision of the official basketball rules by ALL officials working under the jurisdiction of the board.
By Earl Pepper
The Peel Basketball Referees Association became a reality in 1974 under the leadership of Stan Crowley, an outstanding Ontario and Canadian University basketball and football official. Stan was a Toronto Basketball Referees Board member and, as a Mississauga resident, brought his officiating knowledge and skill to the area.
I transferred my membership from Montreal in 1975, and at that time, there were approximately a dozen members. According to the 1976 International Association of Approved Basketball Officials (IAABO) membership lists, the following Peel members were listed:
Ron Belcher, Bill Condlin, Bob Cowbrough, Stan Crowley, Peter Kahro, Bob Leask, Bob Little, Earl Pepper, Hal Ridley, Stewart Schofield, Charlie Slater, Charlie Tonna, Larry Voisin. More than half of the members were teachers in the Peel District School Board. Other members who joined the Association shortly after were John Elder (Brantford) and Ross Buckle (Montreal).
At that time, the rate for officiating high school games was about $8 per game.
In the 1970’s, the Canadian Association of Basketball Officials (CABO) and the Ontario Association of Basketball Officials (OABO) were formed with the Peel Basketball Referees Association actively involved. CABO introduced FIBA rules to Canada (due to the Montreal Olympics in 1976). All provinces accepted FIBA rules (or some version of them) except Ontario high schools who decided to stay with US National Federation rules. Canadian Universities and Colleges played a version of FIBA rules. In, Peel, Sheridan College (Brampton campus) women used FIBA rules and were officiated by those Peel referees who had qualified as FIBA officials. This lasted only 2 years.
In the late 1980’s, a new constitution was written for the Association and it became known as the Peel Regional Board of Approved Basketball Officials. We applied to IAABO and were accepted as our own IAABO Board # 222. Until that time, we were members of the Ontario Board # 102.
On the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Association, PRBABO hosted the fall Annual General Meeting and Conference of OABO, and since CABO was to meet in Toronto at the same time, they joined us for part of their AGM. Ron Belcher and Jim Wilson were the driving force behind a highly successful undertaking.
The PRBABO set a very high standard for its members. Although there were no university or college games to officiate, some members joined the Toronto or Hamilton Boards to work those games. Our members who had the opportunity to work OFSAA championships or Ontario Basketball Association (OBA) tournaments have shown excellent abilities at those levels. Each year, PRBABO members have attended OABO summer camps and have developed additional skills and exposure.
From the early beginnings of 12 referees, PRBABO now has a membership of some 150 bodies. The games of some 60 high schools (league and tournaments, boys & girls), adult leagues, Mississauga and Brampton Minor League basketball games, elementary schools, Sheridan College, etc. must be covered by the Board using a high quality of officiating skills.
One of the 5 purposes of PRBABO is to promote the uniform interpretation, administration and revision of the official basketball rules by ALL officials working under the jurisdiction of the board.