RICK MORPHEW: AS GOOD AS GOLD
By: Chris McLachlin, OHA Media
Photo: Tim Bates/OJHL Images
(Originally published in the 2016-17 OHA Annual Report)
Rick Morphew has been an Officiating Manager with the OHA since 2002 and previously served in the same capacity from 1992 to 1996. In total, Morphew has served as an OHA Officiating Manager for almost 20 years.
At the 2017 OHA AGM, Rick Morphew was recognized for his contributions to the OHA and the hockey community with the 2017 OHA Gold Stick Award. The Gold Stick is an order of merit in hockey awarded by the OHA for outstanding service to the game other than as a player. The award may be made to any person who has rendered such service to any organized hockey Association or its member clubs anywhere in the world. Previous winners date back to 1947 and have included: Bob Nicholson, Brent Ladds, Bryan Lewis, Conn Smythe and many others.
Morphew, who has been a resident of Whitby, Ontario since 2001, grew up playing hockey in his hometown of Sarnia, Ontario and started officiating at an early age. He has been involved in the Referees Program since the mid-1960’s as an active on-ice official and Instructor/Supervisor/Master Course Conductor and contributor to the Hockey Canada Officiating Program.
A Level VI Official in the Hockey Canada Officiating Program since 1980, he received numerous international assignments representing Canada in Europe from 1985 to 1995. Morphew left the ice as an on-ice Level 6 official in 2009, but he has been a Hockey Canada Master Course Instructor & Supervisor since 1990; Hockey Canada National Supervisor since 1994; and OHF Referee-in-Chief since 1996.
Amazingly, Rick Morphew has been active at one time or another, with every Member Partner in the OHF. He is a delegate to the Hockey Canada Referee Committee and has been responsible for leadership in numerous Program innovations, including complete revision of the National (then) CHOP Procedures Manual in 1997 and was responsible for overseeing the revision of the Hockey Canada National CHOP Examination, review, and evaluation.
Morphew has been a Hockey Canada Appointed Referee-in-Chief/Supervisor for Regional & National Championships since 1990 for events like the World Junior A Challenge, World U17 Championships, Esso Cup, Royal Bank Cup, Allan Cup, Hardy Cup, Dudley-Hewitt Cup, Telus Cup, and OHF Regional Midget/Bantam/Pee Wee AAA Championships.
It’s nearly impossible to list all of Rick Morphew’s achievements and accomplishments, but the OHA is extremely fortunate to have someone with his expertise, background and respect from the hockey community part of the Association.
For more about the OHA Gold Stick Award and the full list of recipients, click here.
