He made history as the NHL’s first Black official. Now he’s joining the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame
Jay Sharrers made hockey historical past when he grew to become the primary Black linesman within the NHL in 1990.
Slightly greater than 10 years later, historical past repeated itself when he grew to become the league’s first Black referee in 2001.
Now, Sharrers is becoming a member of an elite group of athletes who’ve been inducted into the B.C. Sports activities Corridor of Fame.
“It is virtually surreal. Clearly, being born and raised in British Columbia to be a part of a bunch that has had so many individuals come earlier than me which have meant a lot to B.C. Sports activities. It is a very large honour,” he advised CBC.
The 55-year-old grew up in Hope, B.C., situated a couple of two-hour drive east of Vancouver.
His NHL profession has spanned over 20 years, the place he is officiated seven Stanley Cup Finals and the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Like many Canadians, Sharrers dreamed of enjoying within the NHL. However, he says, he realized at a younger age that he won’t be reduce out to make it as a participant.
So he began officiating as one other option to be a part of the league he admired a lot.
“I in all probability confronted perhaps just a little bit extra criticism … simply based mostly on the color of my pores and skin, however based mostly on how my mother and father raised my brother and I used to be in a position to form of block that out,” he mentioned.
Matt, Sharrers’s brother, says he was ecstatic to listen to the information that his brother was becoming a member of the coveted corridor of fame. Each brothers had been concerned in hockey from a younger age, with Matt persevering with to play whereas Jay started to officiate.
“He was dedicated to being the most effective … He’s among the best. So I am tremendous proud he earned it,” he mentioned.
Because the second Black linesman to affix the NHL, Shandor Alphonso says Sharrers was somebody he seemed as much as, and who has since been an necessary mentor to him.
“Jay form of blazed the trail for extra officers of color to point out them, ‘Hey, I can do it.’ … Not solely did he simply do it, he did it at a really excessive degree,” Alphonso mentioned.
When Sharrers broke into the league in 1990, he says he did not put as a lot reverence into being the primary Black officiate. Now, it is one thing he takes delight and duty in.
“There could also be different guys, different youngsters that will maybe look to me as somebody who perhaps overcame extra challenges than the common child to to make it,” he mentioned.
After retiring from on-ice officiating in 2017, Sharrers grew to become an officiating supervisor with the NHL. In his new function, Sharrers says he hopes to share his information of the sport and information a brand new technology of hockey officers.
Sharrers was inducted into the B.C. Hockey Corridor of Fame Friday, alongside Vernon NHL defenseman Eric Brewer, former Canuck Mattias Ohlund, hockey builder Ray Stonehouse and the junior hockey workforce Kootenay Ice.
For extra tales in regards to the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success tales inside the Black neighborhood — take a look at Being Black in Canada, a CBC challenge Black Canadians will be happy with. You can read more stories here.
