Take 5 with…Benoît Ducharme, Officials Supervisor

Take 5 minutes to get to know our officials supervisors, on-ice officials, shot clock operators, and more.

Benoît Ducharme (Montreal, QC) is preparing for his 28th Canadian Ringette Championship. Learn more about how he got started as an Official 42 years ago, and what the role of an Officials Supervisor is at the CRCs! 

 

Where did your officiating journey begin?

My mother had a friend who started a ringette association and was looking for referees to officiate the games. At 15, it was a great way to earn some money during the winter. At first, I didn’t feel very comfortable being on the ice as a referee and officiating games with players my age and even older than me, but I learned quickly and gained confidence.

 

What does your role look like during a game? What sort of pre- and post-game preparation do you do?

My main role has always been the same since the very beginning: to make the game as fair as possible for the teams based on their performance on the ice and to give my best to accomplish this task.

Over the years, my role has changed from young apprentice to leader and, in recent years, to mentor to young people who want to progress as officials. I feel that I need to give back what I have received over the years and help young people progress as I have done.

My preparation has always been very simple. I usually arrive well before the games and like to be in the room 30 minutes beforehand. I have a certain routine that I follow at every game, and yes, we have our superstitions too!

 

What do you find most rewarding about officiating?

It will sound cliché, but a job well done. For me, the final score doesn’t really matter, but did I give my best on the ice? Yes!!! And then when I return to the officials’ room, I am very satisfied.

 

What has been your most memorable experience?

There are many things that are and will remain etched in my memory forever, such as my first participation in the Canadian Championships in 1996 in Gloucester. Finally becoming part of the group of officials at the CRC was a great honor for me. At the time, I had no idea that it would last for several years.

There was my participation in the 2007 World Championships in Ottawa in front of thousands of spectators, having the chance to be in the gold medal game not too far from my hometown. As a little anecdote, my wife and daughter were in the stands, and during a moment of silence when play was stopped, I heard my daughter shout, “Go, Dad, you’re the best!” Wow, it was incredible.

But I think by far my best moment was my very last game officiating at the 2025 Canadian Championships in Ottawa. I did it with my daughter, who followed in my footsteps as a referee, and I am very proud of her. It was very moving to be able to pass the torch to a member of my family.

 

What advice would you give to a new official, or someone thinking of becoming one?

I believe that the best advice I could give to newcomers would be to take the time to do things right; time will help you learn. Appearance, punctuality, respect for the game and its players, and accepting constructive criticism are just a few of the things that will help you progress as an official and as a person. This role is not easy, but it is so rewarding when you do it with passion, never give up, believe in your chances of progressing, and feel the satisfaction of a job well done.

 

What are you most looking forward to at the 2026 Canadian Ringette Championships?

It’s a very competitive sport. I’ve been participating in the Canadian championships for the past 28 years, and I’ve seen incredible, consistent progress in the talent of ringette players. Every year, I tell myself that it’s going to stop, but no, the competition between teams is getting tighter and tighter, which makes for an incredible show.

We also see this among the officials. Their talent is increasingly high, and I like what I see in this year’s group.