Grey Cup ref from Birch Cliff

CFL Referee Jeff Harbin. Photo courtesy of 20/20 Photographic Inc.

By Leon Korbee

This Sunday, more than 50,000 people will flock to Toronto’s Rogers Centre and an estimated five million more will tune in on TV to watch the 100th Grey Cup.

Most fans will be cheering for either Toronto or Calgary in the centennial edition of Canada’s football championship.

But one Birch Cliff family will be cheering for the referees.

That’s because one of the seven officials for the Grey Cup game this year is Birch Cliff resident Jeff Harbin.

“Being selected to work the Grey Cup is a tremendous honour in any year,” said Harbin.  “The 100th Grey Cup is a special game. The League has been working on the festivities and build up to this game for several years now. I am very fortunate to be in a position to officiate.”

Photo courtesy of 20/20 Photographic Inc.

Worked his way up

Jeff Harbin’s refereeing career began in 1985 when he was at Queen’s University studying for his MBA. He answered an ad in the local newspaper looking for refs for high school games.

He moved to Toronto a year later and continued to officiate at high school and minor football games.

In 1994, he became a referee of university football games and then in 2001 he reached the pinnacle when he became an official in the Canadian Football League.

Virtually every summer and autumn weekend over the past 12 years, Harbin has travelled to one of Canada’s eight CFL cities to officiate a game.

Photo courtesy of 20/20 Photographic Inc.

He has now worked 185 games in weather ranging from -12C to + 35C.

Watches wide receivers & defensive backs

The CFL uses seven officials during a game and each one of them has specific responsibilities. Harbin works as a Back Judge or a Side Judge.

He is responsible for keeping an eye on the wide receivers and defensive backs so that no one gains an unfair advantage by breaking the rules of football.

The path to the Grey Cup

CFL officials undergo an extensive evaluation process all season long.

After each game during the season, they are graded by the league on the quality and accuracy of the penalties they call and the ones they choose not to call.

Officials are ranked at the end of the season based on the results of the ongoing evaluation, with the best officials getting the playoff assignments.

Then the top official at each position is selected to work the Grey Cup.

CFL Referee Jeff Harbin. Photo courtesy of 20/20 Photographic Inc.

Jeff Harbin’s third Grey Cup

This will be Harbin’s third Grey Cup assignment.  His first championship was in 2006 in Winnipeg and he also worked last year’s game in Vancouver.

“Two things are different when working a championship game,” Harbin said.  “The game is bigger and more important. Players generally stick to playing the game, nobody wants to be called for committing that stupid foul. Second, it becomes such a big event with so many distractions that both players and officials need to concentrate more than usual to tune them out and stay focused on the actual game.”

Being a CFL official isn’t a full-time job.  Harbin is an entrepreneur in his “day job”, owning and operating franchised hair salons in the Greater Toronto Area.

You can also find Harbin sometimes plying his officiating skills right here in the neighbourhood as he regularly referees high school football games including match-ups at Birchmount Stadium.

Harbin’s family, including his wife Penny and their children Scott and Diane, will all be at the Rogers Centre on Sunday cheering for the referees.

“I am so proud of Jeff and the enormous effort he makes to be the best official he can be,” said Penny Harbin.  “He has fun, and it keeps him mentally and physically fit.”

They will be joined by Jeff’s parents who will travel down from Northern Ontario and be attending their first Grey Cup with their son wearing the black and white pinstripes.