TORONTO — The Canadian Football League is proud to announce the six new participants who will join the league’s Officiating Academy. The program – launched in 2022 with the support of the Canadian Professional Football Officials Association, the Canadian Football Officials Association, Football Canada and the CFL Players’ Association (CFLPA) – operates with a clear and collective focus: to help develop, train and support Canada’s pipeline of officials.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.cfl.ca/2023/05/04/cfl-welcomes-six-new-participants-into-officiating-academy/
Thanks to all refs and umpires that keep our sports organized! 
2023 CFL OFFICIATING ACADEMY PARTICIPANTS
(Name | Hometown | Local association | Officiating position | Program status)
- Sharon Airey | Edmonton | Edmonton OA | Umpire | New
- John Paul Chorney | Winnipeg | MFOA | Umpire | New
- Hassan Cohen | Nanaimo, B.C. | BCFOA | Back judge | Returning
- Dan Fleischhaker | Regina | Regina FOA | Side judge | New
- Romeo Kabongo | Airdrie, Alta. | Edmonton OA | Line judge | Returning
- Eric LeBlanc | Dieppe, N.B. | NBFOA | Line judge | New
- Tim Louman-Gardiner | Vancouver | BCFOA | Line judge | New
- Matt Spetter | Edmonton | Edmonton OA | Umpire | New
- Anthony Williams | Dartmouth, N.S. | NSFOA | Side judge | Returning
- Vincent Williams | Halifax | NSFOA | Line judge | Returning
4 Likes
It’d be nice to see one or two from Quebec and Ontario, but cool that there are 3 from the Maritimes in this group.
Hopefully, they can help improve the league’s officiating.
2 Likes
@mahalcflers have you put your name in?
3 Likes
Great to see. It’s a thankless job from most. Every call you make or don’t make, you’re scrutinized but you keep doing what you do in spite of that.
I wish you all the best of luck in accomplishing your goal of making it to the CFL. Without you and your commitment and dedication to the game, there is no game. Thank you
1 Like
I might be too old for that (50 yrs old)
But congrats to the entrants.
2 Likes