April 28, 2025

How Refr Sports is Changing the Officiating Industry in Canada

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The officiating world in Canada is evolving — and at the center of that change is Refr Sports.

From minor leagues to major tournaments, sports organizations are realizing that managing referees the old way simply isn’t sustainable anymore.

Refr Sports is setting a new standard for how assignors, leagues, and referees work together — bringing modern technology, smart automation, and real-world solutions to an industry that desperately needed innovation.

Why the Industry Needed Change

For decades, officiating operations across Canada have relied heavily on manual processes: spreadsheets, emails, texts, and scattered communication.

While that might have worked when leagues were smaller and seasons less packed, today’s sports environment is bigger, faster, and more complex than ever before.

Assignors are managing hundreds of games across multiple venues.

Referee pools are more diverse, and schedules change on a dime.

Without better systems, confusion, missed assignments, delayed payments, and burnout became all too common.

Simply put: the traditional ways of managing officials couldn’t keep up with the demands of modern Canadian sports.

That’s exactly where Refr Sports stepped in.

How Refr Sports Is Leading the Shift

Refr Sports didn’t just tweak the old system — it reimagined it from the ground up, built specifically for the realities Canadian assignors and officials face every day.

Key innovations driving change include:

  • Smarter Scheduling: Assignors can match referees to games automatically based on real-time availability, certifications, and location — cutting down on manual errors and last-minute scrambling.
  • Instant Communication: Built-in messaging tools allow for real-time updates and changes, ensuring referees are always informed without needing endless group texts.
  • Integrated Payments: Game assignments and payments are tracked together, making financial management clean, fast, and transparent.
  • Mobile-First Access: Whether an assignor is on the sidelines, in the office, or traveling between venues, Refr’s mobile platform keeps them connected and in control.
  • Scalability: From small local leagues to major citywide tournaments, Refr grows effortlessly alongside any organization.

Each feature wasn’t just designed to sound good — it was built to solve the exact problems assignors, referees, and sports administrators experience every season.

Why Canadian Organizations Are Making the Switch

Across Canada, sports organizations are embracing Refr Sports because it makes operations simpler, faster, and more professional.

Assignors save hours every week.

Referees receive clear assignments and fast payments.

Leagues look more organized and run more smoothly, leading to better experiences for players, coaches, and fans.

In a country where sports seasons move fast and every weekend is packed with games, tournaments, and championships, having a system like Refr isn’t just helpful — it’s becoming essential.

Conclusion

The officiating industry in Canada is changing — and Refr Sports is leading that change with technology that actually works for the people who live it every day.

By simplifying scheduling, speeding up communication, and modernizing payment systems, Refr is giving assignors and referees the tools they need to build stronger leagues and better seasons across the country.

As Canadian sports continue to grow, Refr Sports is making sure that officiating can keep up — and thrive.

TestimonialS

Hear From Our Users

It just works
"Refr Sports has made things so much easier. The payment process is streamlined, everything is trackable, and officials love the app. Once the word got out, we doubled the number of officials signing up to use the platform. It just works."
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Dennis Barela
President | Behind the Flag and Dream Big Officials
Helped me schedule my entire season in less than 2 hours
“The system helped me upload and schedule my entire season in less than 2 hours time! The fee we pay is more than worth it. Switching to Refr has made a night-and-day difference for our organization.”
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Megan Jacobson
Head of Operations | Catholic Athletic Association
The best platform I’ve used
"Switching to Refr did not disappoint. They handle everything — from availability and communication to seamless scheduling and payments — for the thousands of games I assign every year. This platform is the place to be."
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Adam Bates
President | Florida Officials Association
It has eliminated time spent on payroll
"The billing process has made my officials extremely happy due to the consistency and ability to track it on their phones. It has also saved me a ton of time on the invoicing side and eliminated my time spent on taxes"
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Joe Kulas
Assignor | MinnDak Officials Association
I’m telling every assignor I know
"Refr is something you really need to look into. It’s so much easier than the alternatives, and everyone appreciates what you’re doing with payment automation."
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Ian Carlson
State Supervisor | Iowa Hockey Officials
Referees get paid directly through the platform
"Referees get paid directly through the platform, relieving me and my sports organizations of the burden of handling payments and tax forms. Once they use it and see how it works, they're so happy and relieved."
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Christine Francis
Kansas City Soccer Assignor
Great for tournaments and schools
“I assign softball umpires for several Georgia High School Association chapters and major tournaments, and Refr has been a huge upgrade. It simplifies both my tournament and league season operations—from seamless scheduling to weekly official payments and efficient invoicing and payroll management for all organizations types.”
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Dustin Holton
President | Next Level Officials
Genuine interest in serving the officiating community
"Support with Refr is incredible—quick responses, genuine communication, and a real willingness to listen. It’s clear this product is the result of listening to and implementing the advice and needs of assignors like myself."
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Shelley Russi
Owner | Ref-Ology & Blast Equality Collab
Their customer support is outstanding
“Refr Sports' customer service and app differentiate them from the rest! All of our emails, phone calls, and requests were answered very quickly. Their customer support is outstanding.”
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Kelli Linnerooth
Minneapolis Baseball Sports Organization Head

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