More Than a Game
Especially at this time of year, I think of happier days when I was a boy, waiting for Santa to come on Christmas Eve. We didn't have a radio so my Grandfather would lend me his so I could track Santa as he made his way to our house on 85 Maryknoll St. in Dorchester.
The stockings were hung, the candles were in the window, the tree was always "The Biggest" and the turkey, was there ever such a turkey?
A few years ago, I
wrote this story for the Huffington Post about the first pair of skates I ever owned. It was a Christmas present from my late father, Bill Stewart Jr., and the best holiday gift I received in my life. Receiving it was like something out of "A Christmas Story", with my long-coveted gift being hidden and then presented to me after I thought I'd opened all the gifts.
At the time I wrote the article, I had no idea how much it would resonate with other people. NPR Radio turned it into a Christmas Eve episode of the syndicated show, Only A Game, hosted by Bill Littlefield. The show received outstanding feedback, I was told. You can
listen to the episode here.
Shortly thereafter, two young friends of mine, Matthew Sherman and Chloe Mako, turned the story into a delightful children's book. Matty wrote it and Chloe illustrated it. The book, entitled, A Magical Christmas for Paul Stewart, can be
purchased here. Matthew donates the proceeds to the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation, which provides access for inner-city children to play hockey and receive educational opportunities; a truly wonderful program.
Keep skating, Merry Christmas, and enjoy the show!
USA Hockey Launches Officiating Retention Task Force
The problem of recruiting and retaining officials as well as taking effective steps to curb the rampant abuse (sometime even including physical assaults) endured by officials of youth hockey and up the ladder is not new. However, it has only gotten worse in recent years. The retention crisis that some (myself included) have been warning about for years is very real and has not reached its nadir.
Yesterday, USA Hockey announced that it has formed a task force designed to address the problems within the system. USA Hockey President Mike Trimboli announced the task force members and scope of work yesterday. In a press release, USA Hockey stated.
The charge of the task force is to explore challenges relative to officiating that exist today – recruitment, retention and treatment of officials among them -- and work to formulate a comprehensive plan that provides volunteers across the country with resources and strategies to address those challenges.
“We’re not alone in youth sports in regard to some of the issues that exist today,” said Trimboli, “We have an experienced cross-section of thought leaders put together on this task force who will help our sport take positive steps forward.”
Keith Barrett, vice president of USA Hockey and chair of the organization’s Youth Council, is the chair of the 12-member task force.
Other members include:
Bob Joyce, Affiliate President, Massachusetts Hockey
Don Gould, Chair, USA Hockey Girls/Women’s Section
Mike Mulligan, Coach-In-Chief, USA Hockey New York District
Tom Cline, Member, USA Hockey Adult Council
Al Bloomer, Member, USA Hockey Officials Retention Committee
Jack Witt, Member, USA Hockey Officials Retention Committee
Bob Mancini, USA Hockey Assistant Executive Director of Youth Hockey Development
Scott Zelkin, USA Hockey Manager of Junior Officiating Development Program
Kristen Wright, USA Hockey ADM Regional Manager
Roger Grillo, USA Hockey ADM Regional Manager
The task force is expected to provide an update at the USA Hockey Winter Meeting, which is set for mid-January in Orlando.
The first step is always to acknowledge that there IS, in fact, a problem. I applaud USA Hockey for taking that step. However, the real test will be in the action plan that's created, and how effectively it is implemented and then maintained or adjusted. I'd like to seen minor hockey in Canada follow this process as well. This issue is everyone's problem in our sport.
Inside Edition recently reported on the issue of hockey parents abusing officials and how it is contributing to many officials deciding they've had enough and quitting the sport. The Inside Edition story focused mainly on physical abuse -- which is more eye-catching and dramatic -- but the levels of the vilest forms of verbal abuse are every bit as worrisome and far more rampant than physical attacks. It's a blight on the sport, and a major issue in terms of a) being able to staff games with sufficient officials to prevent cancelations, b) putting safety at risk, and c) making the job of officiating into something that fewer and fewer are willing to do.
I loved being a referee. Enjoyed it more than my playing career, in hindsight, because I was on the ice for the entire game and felt like I was serving the sport itself. I found a higher level of satisfaction than from competing as a player. In fact, I wish I was still able to be out there.
Dennis Derosioer, an IHL Coach, came off the bench in Salt lake after one game, running at me and yelling that he was going to "kill" me. I stood my ground and when he got about 5 feet, I sidestepped him and he went crashing into the boards and crumpled to the ice.
I leaned over and said, "You can't afford me."
I miss those days. For every idiot there's a Bob Johnson, John Cunniff, or a Roger Nielson. Even a few guys that I went back and forth with as a referee -- Pat Burns, Mike Keenan, Terry O'Reilly, etc. -- I loved them all, too.
Time Flies
Watching the recent United States Hockey Hall of Fame inductions of Peter McNab, Paul Holmgren and Stan Fischler -- all of whom were excellent selections -- I realized that it's already been three years since my own induction ceremony in Nashville.
That was one of the happiest nights of my life: surrounded by my family, longtime colleagues and a host of friends from both inside and outside the realm of hockey. I also strongly felt the presence of my late officiating mentors, my father, and my grandfather who preceded me into the USHHOF, Bill Stewart. Time flies, but the memories live on.
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A 2018 inductee into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, 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.
Visit Paul's official websites, YaWannaGo.com and Officiating by Stewart.
Blogger •Former NHL Referee • 
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