John Babbitt
Coach / Official - Inducted 2022
John Babbitt first got involved with Wallaceburg Minor Lacrosse in 1970 at the age of five. The younger brother of Dave, Doug and Patty would go on to play thirteen seasons in the WMLA and was a member of the 1984 Intermediate Provincial Championship team. His playing career would also include playing junior in 1985 with the Sarnia Pacers, 1986 with the Wallaceburg Griffins and in 1987 with the Sarnia Lumbly Wreckers Provincial Cup Finalist team. Years later, he played Senior from 2000 - 2002 with the Kelowna Warriors in British Columbia.
After graduating from WDSS, he would head off to college at Sir Sanford Fleming in Peterborough, where he graduated in 1986 with a Diploma in Law and Security Administration, majoring in Police Education. Returning to Wallaceburg after college, John would spend three years working at Waltec Forgings. In 1990, he began his career with the RCMP and would remain a Mountie until 2016 when he retired after 27 years of service in five different detachments across B.C., the North West Territories and Alberta. During that time, coached for three seasons... in 1987 with the Wallaceburg Pee Wee’s and in 2010 and 2012 with the Red Deer Alberta Bantam and Midget teams. He currently volunteers as a Community Peace Officer with the County of Red Deer, Alberta.
His career as an official began at the age of twelve in 1977 and he officiated as many games as he possibly could. Over the years, he has worked over 30 seasons between Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta. In Red Deer, Alberta, John held the position of Referee in Chief of the Central Alberta Lacrosse Association overseeing the training and development of over 100 officials. He has been very active in the area of performance evaluation of junior and senior officials, conducting game performance reviews all across Alberta and providing feedback to help enhance their skills. In addition, John was very involved in the mentoring program for junior officials. These programs were designed to provide positive input to help them gain confidence and keep them officiating for years to come.
In 2006, John became an official in the National Lacrosse League and for 6 seasons he worked with the best officials across North America. It was a very rewarding experience highlighted by working the 2009 NLL Championship Game between the Calgary Roughnecks and the New York Titans played in Calgary. He retired from the NLL in 2012 but continues officiating in Alberta.
Today John and his wife Dionne and three of their four children live in Blackfalds, Alberta.
