Calgary Hockey Magazine Spring 2013 issue by Suggitt Publishers

TABLE OF

CONTENTS 11

Publisher’s Message

Prince Albert Raiders Star Player Josh Morrissey Making Calgary Proud By Jeremy Freeborn

16. Coaching with Agenda in Mind By Jeremy Freeborn 20. Off Ice Training for the Off-Season By Terry Skidnuk

First Year NHL Referee Graham Skilliter By Rob Suggitt 25. Spotlight on an Official By Rob Suggitt 14. Wendy’s Arena Locator Map 11.

Cover Photo Courtesy of Thomas Porter Photographics Hockey Magazine

PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE Welcome to our final edition of the Hockey Magazine for the 2012-2013 season. In each edition of the magazine, we feature a young hockey official in our “Spotlight on an Official” segment of the magazine. For this issue, we met up with 18-year-old Suzanne Sawatski who has been officiating minor hockey games for four years. It’s important to remember (and be reminded) that the officials you see on the ice have a human face. Like the players, they are involved in the minor hockey game for fun and experience. And like the players, they do their best, but hockey (playing or officiating) is not done with perfection. For parents and fans of the game, we should be positive and supportive, and remember that minor hockey is for the kids involved in the game, and that it’s a game after all. (If you have an official who you think deserves special recognition, please let us know. You can contact us by e-mail at: publisher@ hockeymagazine.net.) Some officials do make it to the next level though (the NHL), and we met up with Graham Skilliter, who officiated his first NHL game in January. In past issues of the Hockey Magazine, we have interviewed veteran NHL referees including Kerry Fraser, Bill McCreary and a few NHL linesmen, including Mike Cvik and Don Henderson who reside in Calgary. To be an NHL official takes a lot of hard work and dedication, and there are only 66 pro officials in the NHL – 33 referees and 33 linesmen. On the player side, we are pleased to include a feature interview with a Calgary minor hockey player who has made it to the next level. Senior writer Jeremy Freeborn met up with Josh Morrissey, who began his minor hockey playing career in Calgary (with the Calgary Royals) and who now plays for the Prince Albert Raiders. Morrissey is slated to be a first round pick in the upcoming NHL draft, and some think he could go as high as 10th - 12th. For those who play this great game (for fun or for their profession), it all starts with minor hockey, and while few players make the dream to play in the NHL, it’s a great experience for all who participate. Thanks to the many who volunteer their time (coaches, managers, organizers, etc.) – without you, it would not be possible.

Credits President and Publisher Rob Suggitt Vice President Stephen Kathnelson Art Director Christine Kucher Graphic Designer Cole Mckelvie

Contributing Writers

Jeremy Freeborn I Terry Skidnuk Rob Suggitt

Copy Editing Shari Narine

Photography Credits

Thomas Porter Photographics Epic Photgraphy | SC Parker Photography

Administration Amber Grmek

Senior Sales Rep Barry Powis

#950, Bell Tower, 10104 - 103 Ave., Edmonton, AB T5J 0H8 Ph: 780-423-5834 • Fax: 780-413-6185 The Hockey Magazine is a product of Playhouse Publications Ltd., an affiliate of Suggitt Group Ltd.

President & CEO Tom Suggitt President & CFO Rob Suggitt All rights reserved. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed within do not necessarily represent the opinions of the publisher. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher. www.Suggitt.com Printed by: R.R. Donnelley

To everyone in minor hockey, we wish you the best as the season wraps up! Have a great off-season, and see you in a few months!

DO YOU

HAVE A

MINOR

HOCKEY Sincerely, Rob Suggitt Publisher,

STORY

We are always open to suggestions for articles and stories, and in particular, at the minor hockey level. If you have a suggestion for a story, please pass it along to publisher@hockeymagazine.net.

TO TELL?

CALGARY HOCKEY MAGAZINE

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At Tim Hortons, if we can’t serve our premium blend coffee within twenty minutes of brewing it, we won’t serve it at all. That’s why we write the time on the pot, whenever we brew a fresh one. It’s how you know that you’ll always get a great-tasting cup of coffee. Always.

In the game of hockey, defencemen may not be considered the regular superstars in their chosen sport. They may not have their name recognized in the scoring summaries in the newspaper or the Internet. However, for those who watch, coach or play hockey, you know how important defencemen are to any team. Defencemen in hockey have immense responsibilities. They are expected to skate effectively forward and backward, have strong vision of the ice in order to make smart decisions with and without the puck, and log considerably more minutes per game on average than forwards.

where Morrissey developed as a skater and joined the Canskate program in Springbank. “I played in Springbank from tyke to second year peewee,” explained Morrissey, in a phone interview after a February Prince Albert Raiders’ practice. “I finished off and went to the quadrant system of the Calgary Royals for my first and second year of bantam as well as midget AAA as a 15-year old.”

“There are a lot of the little details. I’m trying to work on all aspects of my game.”

One young defenceman who is projected to be drafted in the first round (20th overall) of the 2013 National Hockey League Entry Draft is Calgary native Josh Morrissey, who currently plays for the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League. As a 16-year old in 2011-12 for the Raiders, Morrissey led Prince Albert defencemen with 28 assists and 38 points.

Morrissey first started playing hockey on a backyard rink his father built at his childhood home in Springbank, west of Calgary. It is here

In April, 2010, Morrissey was drafted in the first round, sixth overall, by Prince Albert in the Western Hockey League Bantam Draft in Edmonton. Prince Albert Raiders Head Coach Steve Young has high praise for Morrissey.

“Josh is an elite offensive defenceman, but also has a strong two-way game and can thrive in all situations. He competes hard every shift, and is a leader for our club on and off the ice, wearing an ‘A’ for us this season.” Morrissey’s coach in Springbank was Pat Elynuik, who played nine seasons in the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets, Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators from 1987-1996. Elynuik,

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who also won a Memorial Cup with Prince Albert in 1985, was a first round draft choice by Winnipeg in 1986. “Josh has a great skating ability,” said Elynuik. “He is a very fluid skater with a lot of power. Josh also has very quick hands for a defenceman and a great range of motion. He sees the ice very well and has a lot of passion.” Elynuik explains the range of motion is important to make a strong first pass on the ice, something that scouts regularly watch for when evaluating players.

“He is a very fluid skater with a lot of power. Josh also has very quick hands for a defenceman and a great range of motion. He sees the ice very well and has a lot of passion.” Morrissey understands the difficulty of playing defence. “Defence is the second most (difficult position in hockey to learn behind goaltending),” said Morrissey. “Especially with the new rules, you have to be able to skate, see the ice, use your body, use your stick and have a vision or hockey IQ. I think you have to have a little bit of everything to be really successful.” Morrissey believes his greatest assets are his hockey IQ and his skating ability, but realizes there is still room for him to grow as a player. “Obviously if you want to play in the National Hockey League, you need to be a strong player. My favourite player is Kris Letang (of the Pittsburgh Penguins). He’s about the same height as me now, but is heavier. With me trying to take that next step, I’m always trying to work on my strength,” said Morrissey. “I try to work on all aspects of my game, whether it’s getting faster or working with my hands on my shot. I try to add more skills to my game, whether that’s a certain type of pass or a shot in a tight area. There are a lot of the little details. Morrissey credits his father Tom for where he is in his hockey career to date. “He has been there since the very first day I started playing,” said Morrissey. “He has been huge for me. He started a camp for me when there was not a whole lot out there called D-Rules hockey and that has kind of grown with him. He has become my biggest supporter and difference-maker for me.” Formed in 2005, Tom Morrissey’s D-Rules program teaches players about the tactical importance of defence and optimal training techniques to help them excel. The program has paid significant dividends for Josh.

Morrissey has had the privilege to play for Canada at the 2012 World U-18 Hockey Championship in Brno, Czech Republic, and on Canada’s championship team at the prestigious 2012 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in Piestany, Slovakia, this past August. At the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, Morrissey had one goal and seven assists in five games. “It’s such an honour wearing the Canadian jersey,” said Morrissey. “Winning a gold medal was just amazing. Standing on the blueline and hearing your national anthem is something most kids in Canada dream about. To be fortunate enough to have the opportunity to take part in something like that is priceless and I hope I have that memory for the rest of my life.” On January 16, Morrissey played for Team Cherry in the Home Hardware CHL Top Prospects Game in Halifax. Team Cherry lost 3-0, but Morrissey still remembers Don Cherry’s inspirational speech before the game.

“Play your role”, recalled Morrissey regarding Cherry’s words of wisdom. “If you’re a physical player, play physical. Don’t try to be something else to impress people because then you won’t do as well.” Morrissey has caught the attention of the local Calgary media. FAN 960 hockey analyst Patrick Steinberg has been impressed with Morrissey’s abilities on the ice. “I think he is a really good skater and that’s very evident when you watch him on the power play,” said Steinberg. “I really like the way he walks the line and moves laterally. I think he’s exciting, dynamic and confident.” The confidence Morrissey shows on the ice is also evident in the classroom. When asked if there was one thing he would like scouts to know about him, it is that he does well in school. “Last year I had a 94 per cent average,” said Morrissey. “I enjoy working hard and doing well in my academics. Maybe that’s something guys wouldn’t know, but it’s something I have always taken pride in.” The intelligence Morrissey has shown in the classroom may assist him in making key decisions in hockey for years to come, and quite possibly the National Hockey League.

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In past editions of the Calgary Hockey Magazine, we have featured veteran NHL officials like Kerry Fraser, Bill McCreary, and Dan Marouelli to name a few. For this edition of the magazine, we met up with rookie NHL referee Graham Skilliter, who officiated his first NHL game at Rexall Place in January. We met up with Skilliter on game day. He is in his second season of his minor league contract, working in the American Hockey League, and most recently, officiated a few games at the Spengler Cup in Switzerland. Getting called up is based on merit and experience, and recognizing that only a few officiating jobs open up each season, it’s quite an accomplishment to be selected.

Skilliter credits Chris Savage and Alan Smith (amongst many others he worked with over the years) in being instrumental in his development as a hockey official. Playing experience helps, and not unlike most NHL officials, Skilliter laced up the skates at four or five years of age, playing up to the Tier 1 Midget level.

“I started officiating when I was eleven years old. ... I followed in my dad’s footsteps, and it wasn’t necessarily for the extra money, which you hear from a lot of officials. I wanted to do it because my dad did it.”

It was an exciting build up to officiating his first NHL game, and Skilliter passed along some of the messages and well wishes received leading up to his first NHL game. “Tons of people contacted me – hundreds of text messages and e-mails over the last few days. Everyone just said

to enjoy the experience, try to relax, and do what got you there. “Skilliter had a few fans attending his first NHL game, including his girlfriend, parents, grandparents, sister and friends, including a few referee chiefs. (James Mays – Hockey Canada, Wes Smith – CIS, Kevin Muench – WHL.)

“I started officiating when I was 11 years old. My dad was a local official in Kindersley, where I grew up. I followed in my dad’s footsteps, and it wasn’t necessarily for the extra money, which you hear from a lot of officials. I wanted to do it because my dad did it. He probably watched every game I did as a child.”

Skilliter had great success as a young hockey official, moving up the ranks at a steady pace. “When I was 16 years old, I started “linesing” Saskatchewan Junior Hockey. I had quite a bit of success early on, and was recognized for it, and ended up going to Sask First Camp (is what it’s called), and was chosen to be quote unquote fast-tracked.”

When asked about the least enjoyable part of the job, Skilliter comments that he spends 150+ days on the road. “It’s hard to complain about. It’s still a lot better than going to an office. Being away from home is the toughest part. I have a girlfriend, and being away so much is hard.”

At 28 years of age, Skilliter is one of the youngest officials in the NHL. It takes years of experience to become an NHL referee. There are no 18-year old rookie referees in the NHL. Most graduate through the junior leagues and minor pro leagues (like the ECHL and AHL), spending years honing their craft.

Skilliter loves his job though, and enjoys the intensity, speed and excitement of the game. “I’m a huge fan of the game. I have the Centre Ice package, and all I do is watch hockey. It’s not a forced thing – it’s being a student of the game. On the ice, I’m a huge believer in sports psychology, and read quite a few books on this topic, and studied it quite a bit. It’s about getting in that zone, being aware of who’s on the ice, what’s going on.”

It can be a bumpy road along the way, and while Skilliter has officiated some tough games, his greatest scare was a collision which took place on the ice three years ago in a WHL matchup between the Edmonton Oil Kings and the Kelowna Rockets. Skilliter banged his head on the ice and was rushed to the hospital to be treated for a concussion. And how soon was he back on the ice? “(Laughs) Too quick. Two weeks. It turned out fine. I didn’t have any symptoms or anything like that. Three years later, I think the education is a little better dealing with concussions than what is was then. I felt okay, more than anything, I was bored, I couldn’t work, I couldn’t do anything, but I wanted to get back on the ice. It was probably too early.” When asked about the skills and training which has made him successful, Skilliter credits his skating. “I was very fortunate. My mother made me stay in figure skating when I was young. I fought it, but I stayed in figure skating until I was around 12. Skating is such a big part of our job. I’ve always been fortunate. I’ve never really had to work that hard on my skating. As far as training goes, during the season, I try to keep the cardio level up, and stretch a lot. I’m still fairly young, but with the travel, it’s so very important to stretch. In the summer, it’s really a building phase for me. Same as the players. I work out with a trainer who also works with a number of hockey players.”

And you get to see some great cities and great rinks. “Hershey is always a good spot. Chicago is fun. I like working in Toronto. The Marlies have done a great job getting fans out. I like Rexall Place and the Saddledome, both buildings I’ve worked at in the WHL. When you walk into a rink and there’s an NHL symbol on the door, that makes a difference.” When asked about game day preparation, I joked that conducting an interview on game day is probably not part of his regiment. “(Laughs) No – I don’t do a lot interviews. To start my day, I usually have a good breakfast, and then a light workout, some stretching and some cardio. Thereafter, I usually have lunch with the other guys, and then usually have a nap, to prepare physically and mentally for the game. And then head to the rink, usually a minimum of an hour and a half before game time. We usually go together as a group, and the senior guys decide when to go.” Arriving late or missing a game is not an option, but once in a while, there’s a close call. “I’ve never missed

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“It comes down to work ethic. It’s much the same as a player. You have to want it more than anyone else does.” a game, but growing up in Western Canada (and dealing with the weather conditions), it’s not uncommon to be delayed. My first game in the ECHL, I showed up five minutes before the puck drop. It just happened that there there was an accident on the way, so the main road was shut down, so we had to take a number of back roads to get to the arena.” In preparing for her first NHL game, Skilliter will make sure to get to the arena early. He’s also quick to comment on how well he’s been accepted and treated by other NHL officials, some who he has not met. “I find the professionalism and camaraderie to be incredible. There are 66 guys who are full time. There’s 11 guys on a minor league contract right now – nine referees, two linesmen, and everybody gets along! It’s phenomenal. Everybody has each other’s back. Considering that it’s such a competitive business, such a subjective business, that we get along that well, that we have each other’s back, and you can trust that other person is amazing. And a lot of the time, they’re the only three friends you have in the city, and those are the three guys on the ice with you.”

In finishing up our interview, I asked what advice he would give to a young hockey official, like the young officials we showcase in our “Spotlight on an Official” feature in each issue of the magazine, some of these officials who want to take it to the next level. “It comes down to work ethic. It’s much the same as a player. You have to want it more than anyone else does. Another sage piece of advice which was given to me was to get a career (something to fall back on). Kevin Matsch was very good at making sure we had some kind of career plans (outside of officiating). Sometimes we would push for more games, and Kevin would say, ‘No I can’t give you any more games. Go work, go to school, do something else.’ And that’s so important, because as I said, there are only 66 full-time jobs (in the NHL), and only half of those are for referees.” One of the best quotes about being an NHL referee is attributed to former NHL referee Frank Udarvi who refereed hockey in the 50s and 60s. Here’s how he described the job: “Being a hockey official is the only job in the world where you’re expected to be perfect your first day on the job, then improve from there.” Skilliter nodded and smiled when he heard this quote. “Yes, it’s definitely true. The fans of the game and the players who make a living playing the game expect us to be perfect. And to be quite honest, we expect that of ourselves too. Especially at this level, but even at the amateur level, people take a serious amount of pride in what they do on the ice. You have to take the negative stuff out and focus on the positive. There’s a high level of pride when you perform at this level, where you’re scrutinized, especially with video, etc.” But Skilliter wouldn’t have it any other way. When you’re at the top of your craft or chosen profession, expectations (or criticisms) come with the job. And when your job is that of an NHL referee, there is plenty of that to go around.

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By Jeremy Freeborn Photos provided by Epic Photography

In the hockey world at all levels, head coaches are subject to intense scrutiny. Their decisions are analyzed and discussed thoroughly by spectators, players, and especially parents and family members of children on a hockey team. The decisions made by the head coach may not necessarily be ones that are supported by the majority, and when a decision is made that clearly benefits one player more than the other, dissension may result. It basically comes down to a no-win situation for coaches and any decision they do make will be questioned by someone. If they implement a system of even playing time, parents of elite players on the team ask why their son or daughter is not playing more to help the team win. If coaches do try to win various games by playing their elite players more than others, parents of less talented players question how their child can get better if they do not see adequate ice time. Either way, all coachesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; decisions affect the dynamics of the team. An important concept that parents need to realize when voicing a complaint about favouritism, is that it is not limited to the sport of hockey, but the majority of team sports. Coaches who are in charge of coaching their children often have a natural bias, which may be

unintentional, but is noticed by others. Favouritism, in general, should not be an issue, but it might happen. Issues seem to arise when minor hockey league coaches are involved in selecting their own son or daughter for an elite team, who may not deserve to be there based on talent. The chemistry of the team is impacted and problems occur. Ideally, coaches should be assigned to teams where there is no biological connection to a player, to alleviate favouritism. This becomes equally challenging from a logistical perspective and so it has become commonplace in the minor hockey community today for coaches and their children to be on the same team. According to Robert Kirwan, publisher of www.afterthewhistle. com, a forum on the Internet where todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s minor hockey issues in Canada are discussed, coaches with their own agendasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is a popular topic. However, proving that coaches have an agenda can be difficult. Do not forget, many minor hockey coaches are volunteers and are donating their time to the hockey team. Coaches who do not have a child on a team are also sometimes questioned for having an individual agenda. They may be after as much success as possible so they can personally move on to the next

Look no further than the Calgary Hockey Magazine • distributed in all Calgary arenas • 10,000 copies printed per issue • targeted to hockey parents, fans, coaches, etc. (an ideal target market) Our next issue comes out in September (Fall Edition) The booking deadline is June 30th, 2013 Please contact Barry Powis at <in_barry@telus.net> for further details.

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level. The intent of the coaches may be evident to fellow players, parents and team administrators. According to Sport Psychologist Dr. Jean Cote at Queen’s University, the coaching system is changing. “We used to see coaches who wanted to become a coach in the NHL start coaching kids and then go up,” said Cote. “That is not the right way because of the completely different contexts. You have competitive sport and recreation sport, and 10-year olds and 20-year olds. We use sport now as coaching within a context. If you’re coaching at a competitive level, the pathway to become an elite coach would be to start as an assistant coach at the competitive level and then go up. It’s important coaches realize the context they are in, and to be in line with the needs of the child and the needs of the context.” The dynamics of a hockey team can be extremely complex and it is important to keep friction as minimal as possible. Today many hockey teams at the higher minor league level, have a team manager that acts as a liaison between the parents and the coach. For the hockey team to be the most effective, it is best that the manager does not have a child on the team, and acts as an impartial, neutral voice. According to Mark Payne, a former coach of the Midget AA Blackhawks (2008-2011) in the Calgary Buffalo Hockey Association, the implementation of a team manager worked effectively for his hockey club. During his second season coaching the Blackhawks, Payne’s team did not have the same success as he did the first year, and he was surprised he did not hear as much feedback as he thought he might. “I found out the reason I didn’t hear from them (the parents) is because I had such a good manager,” said Payne. “Whether we were winning or losing, there was just as much feedback from the parents. He buffered a lot of that stuff away from me. But I had such a vision of what I wanted to get out of the group, I don’t think a lot of the parents’ opinions would have held a lot of weight with me.” Payne also does not believe his relationship with the parents was any better because he did not have a child on the team. “No,” said Payne. “I think they are always going to question ‘who is this guy?’, ‘who is the coach?’, or ‘does he really have our kids’ needs ahead of his own?’ I think they think there is a bit of an agenda.” Payne also believes parents should realize that playing time situations are different based on each circumstance, and parental opinions about playing time can quickly change throughout the season. “I am concerned with how much of a role parents feel they need to have,” said Payne. “My favourite example is when a parent calls the coach and the first thing out of their mouth is, ‘I know I shouldn’t be calling, but...’ Parents are concerned about their kids and they have all the right to be. But when it comes to ice time, it is very hard to tell game to game.” Another issue coaches face is the amount of pressure they are under to develop the players. According to Cote, coaches have significantly more responsibilities than just coaching hockey skills. “Coaches feel they have to teach skating, passing and shooting,” said Cote. “They are evaluated on how they do that and I think that is a little bit of an issue in sport, because sport is a lot more than just teaching hockey skills. For young kids, it’s about teaching personal skills and social

skills such as competence, confidence and being able to connect with others. There’s an overemphasis on hockey and less on the person. There should be more emphasis on the person and the kids themselves.” The tension between parents and coaches also increases in competitive divisions rather than recreational. “If it is a very competitive league like a travelling team where parents think their kids can play at the NHL level,” said Cote, “it becomes a lot more important for the parents.” Despite the tension that can exist between the different groups among a hockey team, Cote discusses the importance of emotion in all levels of minor hockey. “When you’re coaching your own child or any children, there is emotion involved and you don’t want to take that out of the sport”, said Cote. “That’s part of sport. The connection, the relationship you create with the kids. That’s what makes sport such a unique environment.” Coaches are also expected to be as honest and up front with the players and parents as possible. “It’s when coaches do things that are hidden and not very open, that creates conflict”, said Cote. Dr. Cote recommends teams have social events not related to hockey, to improve the overall team chemistry. Coaches can then gain greater respect from the parents, which may then reduce tension in more serious situations. In practices, Cote stresses the importance of the players being active participants. “There are a lot of little things coaches can do to create chemistry or cohesion,” said Cote. “They can designate different kids each time to do the warm-ups. Setting goals and involving the kids in the decision making aspect of the sport would certainly help in cohesion.” Hockey teams can be successful when the coach-parent-player relationship is strong. Coaches will almost always have agendas, but if the parents and players understand the coach’s direction, the team’s chemistry improves, and the chance for success improves as well.

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If you want to be your best at game time while avoiding hours in physiotherapy, then it’s what you do just before you hit the ice that can make all the difference. A proper warm up before a game, practice or off-ice training session is critical to ensure your body and mind are ready for the demands of hockey. Traditionally, warm-ups consisted primarily of some stationary stretching where an athlete would stand or sit holding a stretch for about 30 seconds. Research has shown this kind of stretching is beneficial for increasing the range of motion in a muscle when the body is warm. But what this kind of stretching doesn’t do if performed prior to an activity is adequately prepare the muscle and all its connective tissue for the active movements that occur in sport. Static stretching cools the body down and slows the central nervous system down, and that’s bad news for an athlete who needs the mind and body working to generate quick, explosive movements and sudden changes of direction. Michael Boyle, former strength and conditioning coach of the Boston Bruins, puts it this way in his book Functional Training for Sports: “Can I prepare to move by standing still for extended periods of time? Should I move slowly, or not at all, to prepare myself to move quickly? Should I sit down and be still to prepare to be on my feet and moving?” Without a warm up that functionally prepares the body for the demands of hockey, players are more prone to a muscle pull or some other injury. Inadequate warming up can also lead to less than optimal speed and skill levels at the beginning of a game and that can often result in a quick goal by the other team. Hockey is a multidirectional game and therefore the warm up needs to be about movement through all three planes of motion: forward and backward, side to side, and rotationally. A good warm up can be completed in 15-20 minutes and can easily be done in the dressing room or an open space in the arena. A warm up should always begin with about five minutes of some cardiovascular activity to increase the body’s core temperature and to increase heart rate and blood flow to the working muscles. Barry Butt, Grant MacEwan Griffins’ assistant hockey coach and owner of Premier Strength and Conditioning for hockey players, has his team perform some basic footwork drills on the agility ladder. But even a set of stairs or a hallway is all a team needs to get the heart rate going. That should be followed up with a series of functional dynamic flexibility exercises that actively take the muscles through a greater range of motion. As for static stretching exercises, Butt doesn’t prohibit his players from doing them. “For a lot of guys, it’s a habit for them to do it and they don’t feel right if they don’t,” he says. After an initial warm up, Butt will allow his players to do some short static stretches, but then he follows that up with dynamic movements with increasing intensity so that the body and mind are ready to go. “We never end off with static stretching because that slows everything down,” he says.

Hockey Magazine

By Rob Suggitt Photos provided by SC Parker Photography

For this edition of the magazine, we met up with 18-year-old Suzanne Sawatski, who has been officiating minor hockey for four years. A few years ago, we featured her older brother (Tyler) in the magazine, who encouraged and supported his younger sister to get involved as a minor hockey official. Suzanne is a first year university student, currently enrolled in sciences, and taking her business prerequisites. We chatted with Suzanne, as she was ready to step on the ice to officiate a bantam game, and asked her a few questions about being a minor hockey official. I know you still play hockey. When did you start playing hockey? At what age/level? I started playing hockey when I was six years old. My first year I played initiation, and I played mixed hockey until my second year atom when I switched to girls hockey.

When did you start officiating hockey?

I started officiating in the 2009-2010 hockey season, when I was 15 years old.

What made you want to become a hockey official?

My family encouraged me to become one. After I realized it was a great way to give back to the game and to learn the rules about the game.

What advice were you given by your older brother who began officiating a few years before you became an official?

How important is communication between the officials on the ice?

It’s extremely important as we have to work together and support each other.

What level of hockey are you currently officiating?

In the female program I call Midget AAA, Bantam AAA and lower (mainly Midget A and Bantam A, however I do the lower levels as well). In the male program I call Bantam house league, I do lines for Bantam AA, and do two-man PeeWee.

Do you have any highlights related to big games or tournaments to pass along? Any awards or achievements? I officiated in the 2012 Alberta Winter Games, on the female side. I called the bronze medal game. I have also officiated in the female provincials every year (2010 PeeWee and 2011 Bantam A in Edmonton, and 2012 Bantam A in Sherwood Park).

What kind of training were/are you provided?

Every year we take a clinic and write an exam. Throughout the year we get supervision from higher officials which provides us with feedback on what we are doing good and what we can improve on.

How have you improved your skills as an official?

I’ve improved through applying the feedback given to me on supervisions and working on things that need improving.

What do you enjoy most about being a minor hockey official? It’s a fun, nice way to meet new people, and a great way to stay involved in the game. Although it isn’t the reason I officiate, the money also makes it a good part-time job.

To be confident in my calls, and stand by them.

Hockey Magazine

CHECKING FROM BEHIND

If a player pushes, body-checks or cross-checks an opponent from behind, a checking from behind penalty may be called. It’s a game misconduct (ejection), coupled with a two-minute or fiveminute penalty, depending on the severity of the offense. The referee’s signal is a forward motion of both arms, with the palms of the hands opened and facing away from the body, fully extending from the chest at shoulder level.

BOARDING If a player is checked into the boards in a violent manner, then the ref may call a boarding penalty. A two-minute penalty will be assessed for boarding, and in situations where the offense is more serious (when a player is vulnerable, etc.), a five-minute major penalty and game ejection may be called.

BODY-CHECKING Body-checking is not allowed until the pee peewee level. Delivering a body-check in the lower divisions will result in a two-minute penalty being assessed.

BUTT-ENDING If a player jabs (or attempts to jab) another player with the shaft of the stick above the upper hand, a butt-ending penalty may be called. The referee holds one forearm over the other; the lower is moved back and forth, across the body.

CHARGING If a player takes more than two steps or strides, or jumps into an opponent when body-checking, a charging infraction may be called. The referee signals by rotatrotat ing clenched fists around each other in front of the chest. Since body-checking isn’t allowed until the pee wee level, you will rarely see this called in the first few years.

CHECKING TO THE HEAD

A minor and misconduct penalty, or a major and game misconduct penalty, at the discretion of the referee, based on the degree of violence of im impact, shall be assessed to any player who checks an opponent to the head area in any manner. A match penalty could also be assessed under this rule. If a player is injured, a major and game misconduct penalty, or a match penalty must be assessed.

CROSS-CHECKING When a player uses the shaft of his stick, held between the hands, to check an opponent at any height. The referee signals with a forward and backward motion of the arms with both fists clenched and about a foot apart. (This signal imitates the action of a cross-check.)

ELBOWING This is when a player is checking an opponent with his elbow. The referee signals by tapping either elbow with the opposite hand.

HIGH-STICKING This occurs when checking an opponent with the stick above the normal height of the shoulders, either purposely or accidentally. A more severe penalty may be called for flagrant high-sticking fouls, including ejection from the game. The referee signals this call by clenching both fists and mimicking a player holding a stick above their shoulders.

HOLDING This is called when a player grabs an opponent’s body or stick with the hands. The referee momo tions this call by grabbing either wrist with the opposite hand in front of his body.

HOOKING This is called when a player slows down an opponent by hooking his stick on any part of the opponent’s body or stick. The referee signals this call with a tugging motion with both arms.

INTERFERENCE This penalty is called when a player impedes the progress of an opponent who doesn’t have the puck. The referee signals this call by crossing his arms in front of the chest.

KNEEING If a player uses his knee (or sticks his knee out) to take down or check an opponent, the referee may call a kneeing penalty. If the infraction is of a more serious nature, the referee may consider this a major penalty (and a game misconduct) instead of a minor penalty (two minutes).

MISCONDUCT

This penalty may be called when a player exhibits extreme and inappropriate behaviour toward an another player or a game official. Depending on the severity of the offense, the player may be given a 10-minute misconduct or game misconduct penalty. It is also a game misconduct when a player checks another player from behind. With the exception of checking from behind, the penalized team does not play shorthanded.

ROUGHING This penalty may be called when a player uses his arms or fists to hit or punch another player. The signal for this call is a clenched fist and arm extended out to the front or side of the body.

SLASHING This penalty is called when a player deliberately hits an opponent with his stick. The signal for this call is a chopping motion with the edge of one hand across the opposite forearm.

SPEARING Spearing occurs when a player thrusts or jabs the blade of his stick at an opponent. PlayPlay ers are usually ejected from the game for spearing. The signal for this call is a jabbing motion with both hands thrusting out in front of the body.

TRIPPING This penalty may be called when a player uses his stick or any body part to trip the puck carrier. If the player touches the puck prior to contact with the player, there is usually no penalty called. The refref eree signals this call by striking their leg with either hand below the knee (usually bending down to do so), keeping both skates on the ice.

UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT This penalty may be called when a player exhibits poor sportsmanship or inappropriate behaviour on the ice.

Hockey Magazine