Jeff Ingram has been judged as the top referee in the B.C. Hockey League (BCHL).
The Cloverdale native was named winner of the Kelly Sutherland Award, one of two awards the Junior A league presents annually to its top officials. The Brad Lazarowich Award, which goes to the top linesman, went to former Surrey resident Bevan Mills.
A veteran of the BCHL and a Level 6 official, Ingram was assigned to referee in the Fred Page Cup final, as well as the Western Canada Cup in Nanaimo. He also referees in the Western Hockey League and the CIS (Canadian Intercollegiate Sports), and was selected to referee the CIS Championships in Saskatoon in March.
“Jeff is a quality referee and person. He has been a top referee in the BCHL for many years and is committed to excellence both on and off the ice,” said BCHL Director of Officiating Derek Adams.
“Jeff has acted as a mentor to our young referees and is a leader on our staff who sets the bar extremely high for the standard of how we want our games in the BCHL to be officiated.”
Mills, who played in the Surrey Minor Hockey Association, has been a linesman in the BCHL since 2004 and has worked the Fred Page Cup for the past four years. He was also selected to officiate in the Western Canada Cup.