There is a right way and a wrong way to drop a puck, and a group of B.C. teens now know the difference.
The annual BC Hockey Officiating Summer School held July 31 to Aug. 4, taught 41 students aged 12 to 18 the finer points of refereeing Canada香蕉视频直播檚 national sport. Kids came from around the province to Salmon Arm香蕉视频直播檚 Rogers Rink to learn, or get re-certified in, officiating minor hockey.
The class was split into two groups that alternated between on-ice and classroom learning, with Friday香蕉视频直播檚 ice time including learning the faceoff procedure and how to drop a puck.
香蕉视频直播淎 lot of these officials don香蕉视频直播檛 get a lot of on-ice training when they learn how to become a hockey official, so we like to spend some time showing them the proper technique,香蕉视频直播� said lead instructor Taylor Pearson, who came up from Vancouver. 香蕉视频直播淎 lot of the young officials, the common mistakes that we see are trying to throw the puck down as hard as they can.香蕉视频直播�
That, she explained, prevents the puck from landing flat on the ice, which is necessary for a fair faceoff. In that training, they also learn to identify if a player is cheating, if the centres are lined up correctly, where sticks should be, and how to get them in compliance for a fair faceoff.
Refs also learn how to stay out of the action while still observing it all. That includes a zone exit after the puck drop, and end zone positioning. Pearson explained that a lot of times players congregate in corners as they fight for the puck or circling to find an outlet pass, so it香蕉视频直播檚 important to teach young officials how to move out of the way of a skater.
香蕉视频直播淥therwise, if they don香蕉视频直播檛 have the skill and the confidence to move out of the way, they might get taken out by a player, or they might have the puck getting stuck in their skates,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淎nd ideally, we香蕉视频直播檙e never getting hit with the puck, we香蕉视频直播檙e never getting hit with the players. We香蕉视频直播檙e always on the ice and we香蕉视频直播檙e always present, but we are not getting our bodies involved with the game.香蕉视频直播�
Given how fast the game moves, that can be hard to do, which is why classroom learning includes anticipation and reading hockey plays so they can foresee what a player might next move might be and move accordingly.
BCHockey 2025 Summer Officiating School Officials are on the ice Friday morning inside Salmon Arm香蕉视频直播檚 Rogers Rink learning referee endzone positioning, mobility, agility plus referee awareness skills & peripheral vision techniques.
香蕉视频直播� BC Hockey Officials (@BCHockey_Refs)
Another key factor, particularly given their young ages, is preparing them mentally for any possible abuse they may encounter in their reffing career, such as coaches, players and spectators yelling at or berating them.
香蕉视频直播淢altreatment is what we call it in the officiating world. Part of what we do in the classroom is we香蕉视频直播檙e giving the young officials tools and language to use when they香蕉视频直播檙e in a situation where they have a full grown adult who香蕉视频直播檚 on the bench and is yelling at them," Pearson said. "How do you approach that type of situation as, say, a 13-year-old kid. So it香蕉视频直播檚 a lot of how do we give you the tools and the language to feel confident in approaching that parent or that coach.香蕉视频直播�
That also includes knowledge about the rules and, if communication isn香蕉视频直播檛 working in a situation like that, what they have the authority to do, such as having someone removed from the arena.
While playing hockey is not a requirement of students attending the school, it does help with the skills needed and a better understanding of the game and rules, but Pearson added 香蕉视频直播渨e do have some high level officials who香蕉视频直播檝e never played hockey.香蕉视频直播�
It香蕉视频直播檚 also not limited to males, with the number of female students slowly increasing every year as with the number of female players joining the sport.
香蕉视频直播淔or us, of course there香蕉视频直播檚 less female officials, just like there香蕉视频直播檚 less female players overall,香蕉视频直播� Pearson said. 香蕉视频直播淏ut every year that I香蕉视频直播檝e taught at this camp, this is my fourth year teaching here, we香蕉视频直播檝e always had a group of female officials.香蕉视频直播�
Pearson herself just worked at her first National Hockey Canada Championship in April and wants to keep progressing through those higher levels.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 trying to continue be awarded those opportunities to go to national events and just keep working my way up in officiating,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檇 like to skate the highest levels of hockey that I can.香蕉视频直播�
The BC Hockey Summer Officiating School started in the '70s, with thousands of refs being trained through the program, and several graduates now current officials in the NHL, Olympics and International Ice Hockey Federation.
"The BC Hockey Summer Officiating goal is to launch up to 100 young teen Officials each summer,香蕉视频直播� development coordinator Larry Krause said. 香蕉视频直播淩eleasing them back to their own regions across B.C. and Yukon prepared, equipped and ready to start officiating prior to first puck drop in September.香蕉视频直播�
Students put in the time to get to that point, starting with breakfast at 7 a.m., then on the ice or in the classroom by 8 a.m., followed by a full day ending around 9 p.m.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 full 12-hour days. We just have a lot of material that we香蕉视频直播檙e trying to fit within the five days, just because there is so much for officiating... that we have to teach them,香蕉视频直播� Pearson said. 香蕉视频直播淪o it香蕉视频直播檚 very much an accelerated rate.香蕉视频直播�
The camp wraps up at 12 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 4 with participants having to complete on-ice testing requirements and a written test prior to leaving. More information about the officiating school and registration can be found online at .
