Follow Paul on Twitter: @paulstewart22
The other day, I was watching a non-hockey sports show in which a former player talked about how the hardest part of not playing anymore was missing just being around the game, the adrenaline of a game night and the camaraderie of being part of a team. It wasn't even about the quest for a championship and the competitive aspect in general.
This is a universal feeling among athletes in many different sports. I went through that myself when my playing days were over.
It was a depressing time until I received some sage advice: if being around the rink was truly the one place where I felt happy, then I needed to find a way to stay around the game whether it was via coaching or officiating or running an equipment shop. That was the beginning of my road to officiating, the rekindling of my passion and a whole new life in the game that goes on to this day.
There is also a practical consideration at work: We have a genuine recruiting and retention crisis in hockey officiating and we absolutely need qualified candidates with both the athletic pedigree and the hockey sense to do this most difficult of jobs. Not every ex-player can successfully make the transition because there are a lot of hurdles and adjustments to make, but it is worth a try for those who are serious about it.
As such, I am once again putting out a call to arms or, rather, whistles: We need more people to try hockey officiating. I am constantly suggesting to former pro, collegiate and junior to players to come give it a try. If not for the money, do it for the chance to stay on the ice, stay in the game and contribute something positive in a place where we all love to be.
There are some of us who have been pros both in the playing and officiating realms. I did it. So did current NHL referees Dean Morton (a former defenseman who played one game in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings) and Wes McCauley (drafted by the Red Wings in the 1990 draft and played minor league hockey until the mid 1990s). Likewise, young NHL referee Evgeny Romasko was a player in Russia before embarking on his officiating career.
Maybe you played collegiate hockey. You didn't get to the Olympics and the pro league is not there for you. Come give officiating a try.
In the ECAC, we need linesmen and referees. In the ISL, we need linesmen and referees. You name the league, and need officials. We need women officials, too. We will have an open tryout for the ECAC in June at Rodman and for the ISL, Chowder Cups, KHL, VHL and MHL.
Hey, that's a whole lot of 'HLs. So what the L, might as well try. We'll get you going somewhere.
By the way, the jump from working the lines to reffing is a small one if that's where your ultimate interests lay: Gain experience, gain acceptability, gain familiarity with the players and coaches.
I see players who finish college or high school and then skate a few nights a week in a beer league. That's all well and good, but you pay to be there. Come out and give officiating a try. We will pay you.
Something else that I can't explain verbally but you'll experience once you get going reffing or lining games: It's a satisfaction in the game that you can never get playing or coaching.
Get hold of me. I cannot make any promises that you will make the pros or officiate in the Olympics but you never know what the future may hold if you have the conditioning, the right mental makeup and the work ethic, Ask Mike Mullen, Matt Brady, Ryan Knapp, or Evgeny Romasko.
Ex-player or otherwise, I am equally proud of every member of my officiating teams. Age is not a significant aspect as I did not start to ref until I was 30. You have the knack and then you work on it from there.
Unlike players, referees and linesman do not get practice time. We need to hone our skills every game and then self-critique honestly after every game. You need the courage of a spitfire pilot and the honor of a judge. Your only order in life is to make the right call and to keep it fair and consistent.
As you rise through the ranks, you find out that this sport can be a cutthroat business. The team that caused the most trouble isn't the red team or the white team. It's the green team; people who are consumed with envy and will do anything to cut you down. This is hardly unique to hockey or sports, but the game isn't immune to pettiness and back stabbing. My advice is to just keep going about your business.
Have fun and whistle while you work! Contact me to get started.
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Paul Stewart holds the distinction of being the first U.S.-born citizen to make it to the NHL as both a player and referee. On March 15, 2003, he became the first American-born referee to officiate in 1,000 NHL games.
Today, he is the director of officiating for the ECAC.