Annual summer development program brings officials and timekeepers together for classroom, on-ice, and in-game training ahead of the 2026-27 season.
The GTHL Referee Summer Camp marked a milestone year in 2026, welcoming 149 participants while celebrating 25 years of developing and supporting officials.
Held from August 24-26, the annual camp brought together 121 officials and 28 timekeepers across seven program offerings designed to support participants at various stages of their officiating journey — from those preparing to step onto the ice as an official for the first time to experienced referees developing their leadership and advancement skills.
“We want to give young officials the confidence and support to get through those first few years and build long careers in officiating,” said Peter Kourtis, GTHL General Manager. “It’s also about making sure we continue developing officials and young leaders for our house leagues and grassroots programs — that connection to the grassroots is really important.”
Throughout the camp, officials combined classroom education with on-ice instruction, providing opportunities to strengthen their knowledge of the game, sharpen their skating and positioning, build confidence, and prepare for the 2026-27 season.
This year’s programming included Quick Start and Junior Development programs running throughout all three days of camp, while Enhanced Recertification and Supervisor and Leadership Development participants completed concentrated programming on the first day of camp. The Officiating Advancement group attended Tuesday and Wednesday for additional training focused on helping experienced officials continue progressing within the officiating pathway.
The development extended beyond traditional classroom and on-ice sessions.
Participants in Enhanced Recertification and Supervisor and Leadership Development took part in dedicated power skating instruction, while the Officiating Advancement group received its own power skating session on Wednesday. Advancement participants also completed dryland training with Paragenix on Tuesday, adding another element of physical preparation to the camp experience.
A major component of the week was the opportunity for officials to put their learning into practice in a game environment.
Quick Start, Junior Development, and Enhanced Recertification participants each had the opportunity to officiate an exhibition game in the evening, receiving practical experience following their day of instruction. Supervisor and Leadership Development participants used those games to develop their skills from another perspective, supervising officials, and providing feedback.
The Officiating Advancement group took that experience another step, earning the opportunity to officiate a Junior A exhibition game between Caledon and North York — giving the group a chance to apply its advanced training in a higher-level game environment.
The 2026 camp concluded Wednesday with a celebration recognizing a significant milestone in the program’s history.
“What has made the Referee Summer Camp successful for 25 years is the community behind it — the volunteers, supervisors, and senior officials who are willing to give their time, watch games, and provide young officials with meaningful feedback,” Kourtis shared. “That support has created 25 years of great memories and continues to make a positive impact.”
Members of the officiating community, past and present, joined GTHL staff to celebrate the 25th year of the Referee Summer Camp. As part of the celebration, Steve Wallace received special recognition for his contributions to the camp — formerly known as the Canadian School of Hockey Officiating and “Ref School” — and his role in helping build the program into what it is today.
For 25 years, the camp has provided an opportunity for officials to learn, develop, and connect ahead of a new season while helping strengthen the officiating community across the GTHL and beyond.
2026 Referee Summer Camp Participation
- Quick Start: 61 officials
- Junior Development: 28 officials
- Enhanced Recertification: 13 officials
- Supervisor and Leadership Development: 14 officials
- Officiating Advancement: 5 officials
- Junior Timekeeper Clinics: 28 timekeepers
- Total: 149 participants
Participants were also provided meals throughout the camp experience, including lunch from Pizzaville and dinner on the evenings they took to the ice for exhibition game assignments.
The GTHL Referee Summer Camp is delivered through the Canadian School of Hockey Officiating with curriculum support from the GTHL Officiating Development Committee. Through classroom education, on-ice training, practical game experience and mentorship, the program continues to provide officials with opportunities to develop the skills, knowledge, and confidence required to succeed throughout the season and advance within the officiating pathway.
