Kevin Newton officiating at Canadian Women’s College Volleyball Championship

High above the court at the Canadian Women’s College Volleyball Championship in Niverville, Kevin Newton of Glenboro kept a sharp eye on every serve, block and line call from the referee stand.

The national championship drew top collegiate teams from across the country, but Newton stood out for another reason – he was the only Manitoban selected to referee at the tournament, and the only referee from the province assigned to any of the four Canadian university and college men’s and women’s championships held that weekend. “I was asked if I would be interested in officiating at the championship, and I felt very honoured to be there. It was my first time officiating at the College Nationals and they have really improved – very good teams, athletes and coaches. They were there to win,” said Newton.

Officiating at an event of this magnitude requires several weeks of preparation to become familiar with championship rules and procedures.

“We would have a meeting every morning going over the roster, as well as a debriefing of events,” explained Newton.

The request to officiate wasn’t by chance; it was the result of more than 43 years of dedication to the sport and a steady climb through the officiating ranks. Newton has been involved in volleyball as a player, coach or official since his teenage years – it can easily be said the sport has been a huge part of his life.

His introduction to the court began as a player in high school. A few years later, while working as a physical education teacher, he became reacquainted with the sport as a coach. Anyone who knows Newton is aware of his meticulous nature, so along with attending coaching clinics he also began taking his first level of refereeing certification.

In Canada, becoming a referee is a progression through several certification levels overseen by Volleyball Canada. An official typically begins with Level 1, which covers local school and community matches while learning the rules and mechanics of the game. From there, they can advance to Level 2 at the provincial level, officiating higher-level club and provincial competitions. Level 3 is regional, where referees work major tournaments and are evaluated for national advancement.

Newton continued to develop his skills and eventually attained Level 4 National Referee certification, qualifying him to officiate at major events across the country. While he was encouraged to pursue Level 5 International certification, Newton declined.

“I didn’t take time to consider it,” he said. “I had enough on my plate teaching, coaching and refereeing.”

Even refereeing alone required a significant time commitment, making international travel difficult. Fellow official and longtime friend Keith Braaksma noted that achieving Level 5 status requires an enormous commitment.

“That would have been pretty difficult for someone to do while also being an administrator and having a family,” said Braaksma.
Braaksma and Newton go back many years and have officiated numerous events together, including two international exhibition matches – Canada vs. Brazil and Canada vs. Russia – as well as the Canada Games, U SPORTS matches, college competitions, and countless provincial high school tournaments.

Newton currently serves on the Manitoba Volleyball Officials Association board and oversees official development within the Westman Volleyball Officials Association.

“He has conducted countless volleyball officials clinics around the province, and I wouldn’t be far off in estimating that 99.9 per cent of referees in Westman have attended a clinic with Kevin instructing,” said Braaksma.

Newton has also been instrumental in helping establish the Westman Referee Development Program, designed to assist officials in developing their skills and advancing through the certification levels. This initiative, organized alongside Braaksma, ensures a steady flow of skilled officials for years to come.

“I believe strongly in the developmental program, which works closely with Volleyball Manitoba,” said Newton. “Many referees are getting to the point where they would like to retire or move on, so it’s important to make sure we have someone ready to take their place.”

His dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed by former students. Angie (Tosh) Gudnason, who was coached by Newton in high school and later became a teacher and coach herself while Mr. Newton served as head administrator, recalled:

“He coached me, then he reffed all my games! Kevin has been passionate about the sport as far back as I can remember. When I was a student, there was never a game going on that didn’t include very qualified line judges along with referees. Kevin always made sure we were well trained and knew all the rules to be competent line judges and scorekeepers—a tradition that carries on today.”

Forty-three years is a huge time commitment. What has kept him in the “game” this long?

“It can be very taxing. It requires the highest level of focus. To me, it is a personal challenge; you go there and have to do your absolute best. That is what keeps me in it. I find it fun.”

“It’s also meeting all the people, the coaches, the players and how hard they all work to improve; that is a huge part of what I enjoy, it is what has kept me in it all these years.”

Laser focus and confidence are essential for a referee; every call requires complete trust in your knowledge of the rules, and of course, not everyone will agree with your decisions. After four days officiating one to two matches per day – each match a best-of-five set—Newton admits it can be mentally exhausting.

When asked how he unwinds after such an intense event, he glances around his “shed,” meticulously organized with a wide variety of mountain and racing bikes hanging from the ceiling. His workshop is cleaner than most homes, and a volleyball match is playing on the big screen in his cozy man cave. With a small smile, he says, “I come home to my wife and I come here.”

A wife, three daughters and grandchildren now influence his priorities. “I really have some decisions to make in the near future,” he said. “Reffing requires being away from home a lot, so I’m thinking about stepping back from the national level to start with. I’m just not sure yet, but one thing I do know is I will continue with the developmental program for sure.”

And so, whether standing high above the court at a national championship or guiding the next generation of referees in a classroom, Kevin Newton continues to shape the game he loves… one call, one clinic, one official at a time.

PHOTO CAPTION: Kevin Newton on the referee stand as he officiated a Canada West Men’s Volleyball Game at Brandon University.