Working a full-time job while officiating can be a tricky balancing act. But what if you also add in being a full-time master’s student into the equation?

Edmonton, Alta., native Kyle Kowalski is a commercial banker by day and is in the middle of completing a master of business administration degree online on top of officiating with the Western Hockey League (WHL). How does he do it?

“I got to be honest, I don’t know how I balance it,” he says with a chuckle.

Although Kowalski didn’t get his start in officiating until he was about 24 years old, he had knowledge about the responsibilities of the position from a family connection.

“My father was an official [with] Hockey Alberta,” he says. “I would follow him along to the hockey games and I would go watch the game that he’d be reffing. But I was always of the mindset of playing. I never ever envisioned this occurring.”

After he was finished playing junior hockey in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and Alberta Junior Hockey League, Kowalski took an opportunity to start his officiating journey while attending Grant MacEwan University so he could stay connected to the sport he loves.

“I wanted to stay involved in the game and it was just a way for me to get back into hockey,” he says. “It’s the greatest game on earth. Let’s be honest, it’s the best… You give back and it’d give you so much more than what you could ever expect.”

In his early days in stripes, he got a lot of advice from a veteran in officiating: his father.

“He would come watch and he would say, ‘try this, do this. Maybe give this a try. Hey, this happened, maybe try this,’” the 36-year-old says. “He was a big influence early on to get me going.”

Kowalski initially started officiating out of the south-east zone in Edmonton, then worked his way into the WHL from there. Although he already was balancing a full-time job with officiating, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, he saw it as an opportunity to continue to develop personally and professionally by returning to school.

“Continuous improvement on the ice as an official is extremely important, however continuous improvement off the ice is extremely important as well,” he says. “Pursing that MBA has equipped me with a range of tools that assist me in becoming a better employee… but it also assists me in being a better person, both on the ice and off the ice.”

The support to pursue further education from both his employer, RBC, and the WHL have also aided in the process of balancing his commitments.

“It’s easy to kind of manage all three when you have that support,” he says.

So, what does managing a full-time job, full-time schooling and an officiating career look like? A typical weekend for Kowalski will start by working a full day for his job. Following the end of his workday, he will travel to the rink to officiate a game and squeeze some school work in between.

If he has to fly to a game on the weekend, his schoolwork comes with him.

“If I’m sitting in the airport, I’m doing schoolwork. If I’m sitting at the hotel, I’ll put out the schoolwork and then I’ll get ready, take some time before I got to go to my game.”

Kowalski will also bring his work phone with him on travel weekends to assist clients while he is on the road. Overall, he says prioritizing and time management are the keys to his success, as well as ensuring you’re having fun and enjoying yourself.

“As crazy as it sounds, I love how hectic this is,” he says. “I mean, sometimes I get worn out, but I love the challenge and that’s what I love about officiating is the challenge. It’s the camaraderie.”

Although there are times where people don’t understand how Kowalski manages his balancing act, he believes he wouldn’t be as successful if he only pursed one of his three responsibilities.

“It drives me when you have to time manage and prioritize,” he says. “It really dials you in and it makes you focus, like, ‘hey, I got to get this done today. I’m not going to procrastinate.’”

With 11 years of officiating under his belt, his experience helped him to earn his spot at the IIHF World Junior Championship for the second year in a row. Although the 2022 tournament in December was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kowalski is excited to be back in his hometown for a third time to officiate the rescheduled event in August.

“It’s an opportunity that I’m extremely grateful for and I’m very privileged,” he says. “I’m very lucky to be in this position.”

Kowalski may have never pictured his hockey journey turning from player to official, but he continues to work hard every day both on and off the ice.

“I never made it this far in my dreams. It’s incredible. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, no question about it.”

Hockey Canada has unveiled the six recipients of the Kenneth R. Stiles Memorial Scholarship for the 2021-22 season. The scholarships are awarded annually to members of the Hockey Canada Officiating Program to help offset the cost of post-secondary education, supporting their efforts to reach their university or college goals, and to reward their interest in mentoring the next generation of officials.

This year’s recipients include:

• Cynthia Côté – University of Manitoba (Hockey Manitoba)

• Gabrielle Gracey – University of Ottawa (Hockey Eastern Ontario)

• Mitchell Hardy – Conestoga College (Ontario Hockey Federation)

• Ashley Lajeunesse – Algonquin College (Hockey Eastern Ontario)

• Anthony Lapointe – McGill University (Hockey Québec)

• Connor McCracken – University of the Fraser Valley (BC Hockey)

The Kenneth R. Stiles Memorial Scholarship was established by the Seaman Hotchkiss Hockey Foundation (formerly Project 75) and Hockey Canada in 2006 in recognition of Ken Stiles, a former president of Project 75, and his tremendous contributions to grassroots hockey in Canada. Stiles was a catalyst in planning and designing an initiative aimed at players and officials who demonstrate excellence in sport and commitment to education.

Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic achievement, officiating achievement and community involvement. Over the first 14 years, the program has awarded more than $296,000 to officials across the country.

Since the mid-1980s, the Seaman Hotchkiss Hockey Foundation, an oil and gas legacy from the original Flames ownership group, has contributed more than $7.15 million to minor hockey development initiatives in Canada as well as other charities in Alberta.

For more information on the Hockey Canada Officiating Program, visit HockeyCanada.ca or contact your Member .

Forty-four officials – 22 referees and 22 linespersons – have been selected by Hockey Canada for the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, a pair of Canada-U.S. series featuring Canada’s National Women’s Development Team and Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team, and the men’s and women’s Officiating Program of Excellence (OPOE) summer camps.

“The uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic meant we could offer very little in the way of development for our elite officials over the last two years,” said Dan Hanoomansingh, manager of officiating for Hockey Canada. “Our officials have been working hard to continue their progress, but our Officiating Program of Excellence events are crucial for helping them take that next step. We are thrilled to have a full slate of summer events, including our inaugural summer camp for the women’s stream of the OPOE, presented by Hockey is Hers and the Hockey Canada Foundation.”

The OPOE is the pathway through which Canadian officials are selected for top national and international assignments. The objectives are to provide a clear developmental pathway for aspiring elite officials, provide developmentally appropriate coaching for elite officials, prepare officials for national and international competitions, and assist Hockey Canada in making evidence-based decisions for national and international events.

All 44 officials were part of a months-long evaluation process during the 2021-22 season, including coaching in their respective Member programs, culminating in their final selection by Hockey Canada.

Each event and camp will include officiating coaches:

• Hlinka Gretzky Cup – Hanoomansingh and Marc Maisonneuve (Gatineau, Que.)
• Canada vs. U.S. Series – Hanoomansingh
• Men’s OPOE Summer Camp – Hanoomansingh and Colin Watt (Edmonton, Alta.)
• Women’s OPOE Summer Camp – Gabrielle Ariano-Lortie (Laval, Que.), Jacqui Palm (Newmarket, Ont.) and Vanessa Stratton (Windsor, Ont.)

For more information about the Hockey Canada officiating program, visit HockeyCanada.ca/Officials.

The officiating rosters are set for Hockey Canada’s spring national championships.

Forty-four officials – 22 referees and 22 linespersons – from across the country have been selected by Hockey Canada for the Esso Cup, TELUS Cup and Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons.

“After three long years, it is a thrill to have our spring national championships back, and to be able to select officials to work these prestigious events,” says Dan Hanoomansingh, manager of officiating with Hockey Canada. “Officials work hard through the season for the opportunity to be on the ice in these big games and, just like the players, they have been patiently awaiting the return of these events.”

OFFICIALS SELECTED FOR ESSO CUP AND TELUS CUP

The 28 officials chosen to work Canada’s national U18 club championships were coached and evaluated through the season in their Member programs, before final selection by Hockey Canada.

Officials will arrive in Okotoks on May 14 for two days of preparation and training with Hockey Canada’s high-performance officiating coaches, prior to the start of the tournaments.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for these officials,” says Hanoomansingh. “These are some of the best and brightest young officials from Member high-performance programs across the country. If you look back at the rosters for past events, those officials have gone on to great success both on and off the ice, and I have no doubt the same will be true for this group.”

The officiating coaches for the 2022 Esso Cup are Dan Hanoomansingh (Vancouver, B.C.) and Vanessa Stratton (Windsor, Ont.). The officiating coaches for 2022 TELUS Cup are Marc Maisonneuve (Gatineau, Que.) and Kirk Wood (Langley, B.C.).

OFFICIALS SELECTED FOR CENTENNIAL CUP

The 16 officials who will work Canada’s National Junior A Championship are among the best at the Junior A level across Canada. The expanded, 10-team tournament has provided greater opportunities than in past years. Officials were coached and evaluated throughout the season in across the Canadian Junior Hockey League, before final selection by Hockey Canada.

“We push our elite officials to perform at a championship level every game,” says Hanoomansingh. “The national high-performance group is incredibly competitive, with a limited number of assignments available each year. So, the postponements and cancellations of the past two seasons have been especially challenging, but this group has stayed focused, continued to perform and earned the opportunity to officiate at this event.”

The officiating coaches for the 2022 Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons, are Brad Howard (Regina, Sask.) and Curtis Nichols (Red Deer, Alta.).

For more information on the Hockey Canada Officiating Program, visit HockeyCanada.ca/Officials .

Twenty-six officials – 13 referees and 13 linespersons – have been selected by Hockey Canada for the U SPORTS hockey championships. The U SPORTS women’s championship will take place in Charlottetown, P.E.I., from March 24-27 and the U SPORTS men’s championship – the U Cup – will take place in Wolfville, N.S., from March 31-April 3.

“The officials who have been selected for the U SPORTS championships should be very proud of themselves,” says Dan Hanoomansingh, manager of officiating with Hockey Canada. “Many of these officials have had their seasons disrupted by the Omicron variant, but they kept training, stayed ready and have earned their spot at these national championships.”

OFFICIALS SELECTED FOR THE U SPORTS HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS

All officials have progressed through their Member high-performance and national programs, which prepares Canada’s top officials for success at the highest levels of the game. Receiving an assignment for a U SPORTS championship represents years of work in Canada’s top domestic leagues and is a tremendous accomplishment, both for the officials and their Member development programs.

“Our program is for anyone who is interested in officiating, from the grassroots to the international game,” says Hanoomansingh. “Hockey Canada's 13 Members provide a path for anyone to participate in officiating, develop a love for the game and achieve their goals.

Officials are integral to the game, enforcing the standard of safe and fair play in arenas from coast to coast to coast. No matter what the level, without officials, there is no game.”

For more information on the Hockey Canada Officiating Program, visit HockeyCanada.ca/Officials.

The landscape of high-performance hockey officials has historically been dominated by men, but a number of elite women in Northern Ontario are breaking the mould and proving they can find success in high-performance leagues all over Ontario.

In the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL), there has been an increase of women in stripes in the last few years, and that trend looks to be continuing. The NOHA had the chance to speak with two of its phenomenal officials, Brandy Dewar-Beecroft of Sault Ste. Marie and Joelle Ouellette of Sudbury, to discuss what officiating means for them as they break through the barriers of working junior hockey.

Brandy grew up playing minor hockey in Sault Ste. Marie, and began officiating as a way to earn some extra money. She soon grew to love being on the lines, and continued working her way up the ladder as she attended Brock University. Brandy found the key to making the transition from player to referee was learning what situations like icings looked like from different perspectives on the ice—and learning the rulebook inside and out.

Joelle’s first hockey coach was her father, and she also transitioned to officiating out of playing minor hockey in Sudbury. The Sudbury officiating community immediately took Joelle under its wing, and she felt like she gained a new family who were always there to help with questions or guide her in the right direction. Joelle soon found herself on the lines for AAA games, and was invited to the NOHA Development Weekend in 2017.

Both officials credit hard work and dedication to their success. Brandy carries an impressive résumé with multiple IIHF Women’s World Championship games under her belt, with her standout game being the CWHL Clarkson Cup final in 2014. She highlights this game as the one that showed her that she was on the right track, and gave her the confidence and motivation to keep working hard toward her officiating goals. Recently, she was selected to referee the 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championship (Division 1 Group A) in Angers, France, which was cancelled due to COVID-19, and the 2022 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship in Linköping and Mjölby, Sweden, which she respectfully declined as she welcomed a new baby. This year, Brandy is back for her first season with the NOJHL.

Joelle is still working her way through the ranks, but she’s already making a name for herself, and in 2018 was invited to the NHL Exposure Combine. She admits size can be a challenge sometimes for women at the high-performance levels of men’s hockey, but following procedures and being well-trained ensures everyone’s safety. She’s working toward her Level 4 certification, and has her eyes on the Olympic Games in the future.

Both Brandy and Joelle had a lot to say about their hockey families—the fellow officials, supervisors, schedulers and mentors who have helped them along the way, and the hard work and sacrifices often needed to work up to the higher levels. In some leagues, there still isn’t mileage available, so to skate in those levels, officials are often losing some of their game fee just to be there. It’s also difficult to watch men moving up the ranks faster, but both Brandy and Joelle are confident that there are opportunities for women in the officiating world, and there are supporters out there watching and ready to help bring more women onto the lines, including NOJHL commissioner Robert Mazzuca.

Last season, the NOJHL welcomed Hillary Brennan to the league as its first woman to officiate a game. Hillary is currently officiating in her hometown of London, Ont.

“The continued success earned by Brandy, Joelle and Hillary is a testament to their dedication to the game,” Mazzuca says. “Their efforts and skill-set rightfully earned them the opportunity to officiate in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.”

The successes of officials like Brandy, Joelle and Hillary have shown that hard work and dedication are paramount, and that the opportunities and support within the officiating community are growing. There is still work to be done to make sure the path is clear for women, and that the systems of high-performance hockey are doing as much as possible to encourage young women to grow into the next wave of high-performance officials, but it's clear that the trailblazers are already here, and they’re paving the way for the next generation.

Brent Crawford sought a learning module to constructively fill a sizable chunk of the off-ice, classroom content for St. Joan of Arc High School’s Hockey Canada Skills Academy (HCSA) in Barrie, Ont.

His decision to present an online officiating clinic to his students ultimately transcended to be effective time-filling content. Crawford, the instructor of this Catholic high school’s HCSA since its September 2014 debut, has motivated multiple Grade 9-10 students to pursue officiating certification. He also potentially generated a fresh access route into Hockey Canada’s Officiating Pathway.

In a sense, the unorthodox hybrid learning schedule—a split between in-person and remote instruction—induced by the COVID-19 pandemic paved the way for positive developments. Instead of several moderate scheduling blocks sprinkled throughout the school week, administrators had to get creative and schedule nearly the entire school day to elective studies.

Crawford and his team knew fitness activities, health instruction and lectures celebrating the rich history of Canada’s game could account for some of the instruction away from the rink, but infusing a new ingredient into this mix was necessary.

“An officiating clinic jumped to our minds right away, and we went online to look up some online clinics because most of the in-person options were closed down due to COVID,” Crawford says. “We saw some [resources], but it was unclear if we could get the kids to do it and if any of them would be interested in going on down the path to becoming referees.”

His instinct to contact Jeff Stewart, the director of program and events for the Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF), paid off handsomely. Stewart connected Crawford with former NHL official Greg Kimmerly, who is currently fulfilling a two-year term as the OHF’s referee-in-chief.

“Right off the bat, Greg was excited, and he saw the value in getting a lot of young kids excited about officiating,” Crawford says about the initial meeting last October. “Before long, he and his team put together six PowerPoint presentations starting with referee initiation and working up to learning about four-man systems and all the penalty symbols.”

According to Crawford, the St. Joan of Arc HCSA crew responded well to the interactive features of Kimmerly’s presentations. The students were shown multimedia of various on-ice incidents and challenged to determine how they would approach these scenarios if they wore the zebra-stripe uniform.

Immersing in the intricacies of a fast-paced and demanding job also led to increased player-to-referee appreciation.

While not offering an exact count, Crawford says many of his students seek to complete Level 1 of the Hockey Canada Officiating Program (HCOP) to attain certification and ideally volunteer within the Barrie Minor Hockey Association in short order.

This development delights Dan Hanoomansingh, Hockey Canada’s manager of officiating.

“Officiating is an opportunity for hockey players to see the game from a different perspective, in a way that is flexible with their busy schedules, and earn some money,” he says. “When their competitive pathway as a player comes to an end, they have a natural transition to stay involved in hockey.”

The HCSA students are poised to enter the HCOP with confidence because their school gives them a leg up.

Ultimately, the pilot version of the St. Joan of Arc officiating clinic went so well that Crawford says there is a strong possibility of being renewed for the 2022-23 academic year.

“Even as we shift back to a normal schedule next year, I am definitely going to recommend we incorporate it again, and for all sorts of other programs across the country, too.”

Hanoomansingh is thinking on the same wavelength as Crawford.

"The Officiating Program is always looking for individuals with skating skills and hockey sense to join our ranks. Partnerships with our Hockey Canada Skills Academies is a fantastic opportunity to expose these individuals to officiating and give them an opportunity to be involved in the game in a different way."

Across the country, excitement is building for when Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team will take to the ice next month. In addition to those 23 players with the Maple Leaf on their chest, three Canadians have a chance to don black and white stripes in Beijing.

Mike Campbell, Olivier Gouin and Dustin McCrank have been chosen to represent Canada at the Olympics and officiate the men’s hockey tournament. Before the puck drops next month, get to know the trio.

Mike Campbell (Referee)
Hometown: Surrey, B.C.

Campbell began officiating when he was 12 years old with the Cloverdale Minor Hockey Association and now has 20 years of experience. He currently officiates in the Western Hockey League (WHL) and the American Hockey League (AHL). During his career, Campbell has had the opportunity to work at the IIHF World Junior Championship and IIHF U18 World Championship.

“I’ve been able to share the ice three times now in a medal game with another Canadian official, which is pretty cool,” he says. “A lot of those officials were friends before going to the tournament.”

Although he has experience at several international events, this will be Campbell’s first Olympics.

“Early on, you never really assume that you’re ever going to get to the Olympics,” he says. “It’s a proud moment. [It] kind of validates the years of dedication through junior hockey and the last few years of pro hockey, just staying with the process and knowing that this could potentially come to fruition.”

Outside of hockey, Campbell enjoys golfing, wake surfing and spending time with his young family. Although the 2022 Games may look different compared to past Olympics due to COVID-19 restrictions, Campbell says he’s looking forward to being with athletes from around the world, experiencing the high level of competition, and the camaraderie with his fellow officials.

“[I have] worked tournaments with two-thirds of the officials going that are from outside of Canada,” he says. “Being able to go into an environment like that gives you comfort to know that you know the other officials that are going to be there and that you can have friends that are going.”

Olivier Gouin (Referee)
Hometown: Laval, Que.

An official with 15 years of experience, Gouin currently works in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and has previously officiated AHL games. He became an official while he was a player and continued officiating after his playing career ended to stay involved in the game he loves.

“For me, it’s my favourite sport and I have the best tickets in the house,” he says. “I’m on the ice with great players, big events. We still get the adrenaline that I did when I was a player. There’s a lot of things I like about it.”

The 2022 Games will mark the second Olympics that Gouin will work, having been selected to go to PyeongChang in 2018. Gouin also participated in the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he had a unique opportunity to officiate the gold medal game between Canada and the United States.

“That was special,” he says. “It was a lot of pressure because we were four Canadian officials working a Canadian game. Also, because of COVID, there was nobody in the stands, but we knew there was a lot of people watching on TV.

“That was probably the biggest game I’ve worked in my life, to be honest.”

When he’s not at the rink, Gouin enjoys golf, video games and working out. With his second Olympic experience around the corner, he says it’s an honour to represent Hockey Canada at the event.

“It’s an accomplishment,” he says. “Just to referee hockey games where medals are involved and players playing for their country. Emotions are going to be so high… It’s going to be difficult, but I’m looking forward to [being a] referee in a big stage like that.”

Dustin McCrank (Linesperson)
Hometown: Guelph, Ont.

McCrank has 24 years of experience and currently officiates in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and AHL. Growing up living close to a rink, he began officiating to get more time on the ice to work on his skating and earn some money. His passion and excitement for the game has stayed with McCrank throughout his officiating journey.

“My favourite thing is probably walking into the dressing room or walking into the rink, [and] just putting my skates on,” he says. “I think that’s my favourite thing, knowing that I get to be a part of a hockey game.”

Outside of hockey, McCrank works full-time as a firefighter in Waterloo, Ont. The positions may sound very different, but McCrank has found many similarities between the two jobs.

“[In] both positions, you have to make split decisions under pressure. You’re dealing with people, using your communication skills. I would say the biggest thing is treating your body right, getting the right amount of sleep, putting the right things in your body,” he says. “Those careers really work well off each other.”

This will be the first Olympics for McCrank, and he is looking forward to seeing his fellow officials in Beijing and sharing in that camaraderie.

“It’s kind of the last feather in my cap. It’s something I kind of realized might have been able to happen about five years ago and I’ve been striving pretty hard and competing pretty hard to try and get there,” he says. “It feels amazing.”

As the start of the 2022 Olympic Winter Games draws closer, Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team is busy preparing to compete, but those 23 players won’t be the only Canadians on the ice in Beijing.

Alex Blair, Cianna Lieffers, Elizabeth Mantha, Lacey Senuk and Justine Todd have been chosen to represent Canada at the Olympics and officiate the women’s hockey tournament. Before the puck drops next month, get to know the quintet who will wear black and white in Beijing.

  

Alex Blair (Linesperson)
Hometown: Drake, Sask.

Blair began officiating when she was 11 years old as a way to spend more time on the ice. After she graduated from university, she restarted her officiating journey to stay connected to the game she loves.

“I think with anything in sports, it’s all the people that you meet along the way,” Blair says. “People don’t understand that officiating is a team sport, too. You have your own teammates, and you build a lot of relationships with other officials throughout your journey.”

Blair became the first woman to officiate in the Western Hockey League (WHL) in September 2021 and she is one of the first to officiate in the American Hockey League (AHL). Looking back on her journey so far, one of her most memorable games was officiating a Rivalry Series game between Canada’s National Women’s Team and the United States in 2017.

“That was my first international exposure, but it was to a sold-out crowd in Edmonton,” she says. “That was where opportunity and officiating became a real-life thing for me.”

Outside of hockey, Blair works as a financial lender for Credit Canada and has a two-year-old daughter. She is thrilled to have achieved her goal of working at the Olympics.

“As cliché as it is, it’s just a dream come true.”

Cianna Lieffers (Referee)
Hometown: Cudworth, Sask.

Growing up in a town of about 800 people, Lieffers grew up playing many sports, including volleyball, track and field, and basketball. As the middle child and only girl, she was inspired to try hockey because of her brothers.

“I played on a boys’ team with my younger brother. As soon as my older brother started to ref hockey, I had to follow in his footsteps,” she says.

Now in her 11th season of officiating, Lieffers works with five leagues in Saskatchewan, including U SPORTS, the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and Prairie Junior Hockey League, as well as men’s and women’s AAA. As an international official, Lieffers has really enjoyed travelling and making new officiating friends in different countries.

“I’ve got to go to many countries that I would have never visited at this point in my life, and I owe that to hockey,” she says. “Never did I think that I’d be officiating at the 2022 Olympics. But with my career, I’ve been really lucky to work my way up to this level.”

Though she has travelled around the world, the most memorable tournament for her was back home in Saskatchewan for the 2018 4 Nations Cup.

“Saskatoon is now my home city, I grew up about an hour away,” she says. “But it was the first time that my family and friends got to see me ref International Hockey live and in person versus on a 2 a.m. live stream… That was pretty special to me.”

Elizabeth Mantha (Referee)
Hometown: Longueuil, Que.

With 11 years of officiating experience, Mantha works as a supervisor at Montreal’s 911 emergency dispatch when she is not at the rink. While she has previously officiated U18 AAA and U21 AAA, earlier this season Mantha became one of the first women to officiate in the AHL and she is also the first woman to referee a game in the Quebec Minor Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).

“It’s amazing,” she says. “I’m seeing [officiating in the QMJHL] as very good practice, [they’re] professional games that I can officiate during the season to get better for my international events.”

Mantha began officiating in high school and university to earn money as she played. When her playing career finished, she continued to stay involved in the game through officiating. During the summer, Mantha enjoys paddleboard and camping.

Being one of the officials to work at the Olympics is a dream come true for Mantha.

“It’s a lifetime goal,” she says. “I was reaching for that as a player and when I realized I couldn’t go as a player, I tried to reach that goal as an official. I worked so hard for 11 years just to get to that goal, so it’s pretty big.”

Lacey Senuk (Referee)
Hometown: St. Albert, Alta.

Senuk began her officiating journey during the 2008-09 season, and she currently officiates Alberta Junior Hockey League and U SPORTS games. Although she has 13 years of officiating under her belt, she was speechless when she heard she made the cut for the Olympics.

“It’s totally surreal,” she says. “I’m super excited and super pumped to represent all the different associations that have helped me along the way and all the different people that have played a factor in my development.”

When she’s not on the ice, Senuk is an avid cycler. She loves to ride her bike throughout the summer and says it’s one of her biggest passions outside of hockey. For anyone interested in officiating, Senuk says to jump in feet first. For her, officiating has opened doors she never would have imagined could be on her bucket list.

“Try to go in with an open mind and see—you might enjoy it! The opportunities are endless,” she says. “It’s a different way to stay involved in the game without standing on the bench, and you get paid to do it.”

Justine Todd (Linesperson)
Hometown: Smiths Falls, Ont.

An Olympic veteran with 14 years of officiating experience, Todd is also an officer with the York Regional Police. That may sound like a lot to juggle, but Todd says the flexibility of officiating allows her to find balance between the two jobs.

“Officiating is a great way to compliment a full-time job, especially for those of us as females,” she says. “We do work full-time jobs, some of us are moms… we have other commitments in life. But the beauty of officiating is that you get to make your own availability.”

Todd officiated at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Games and was on the ice for the first game of the tournament: a sold-out game between Sweden and Korea.

“It’s hard to put into words how important it was to the people of Korea,” she says. “The rink was so loud, you couldn’t even hear yourself blow your whistle… the excitement on the ice, you could just feel it. It was one of the few games in my life where I really felt more nervous than normal. It had so much meaning.”

After PyeongChang, Todd knew she wanted to go to the 2022 Winter Games. Now that she’s achieved her goal, she says it’s “amazing” to share this experience with four other officials from Canada.

“The young officials that I work with are incredibly talented, and I knew I had a lot of hard work ahead of me [to return to the Olympics],” she says. “It means the world to me.”

Canadian officials are taking their talents around the world.

Forty officials – 21 referees and 19 linespersons – have been nominated by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) to work major international events during the 2021-22 season.

Specific assignments will be announced by the IIHF throughout the season.

“Hockey Canada is extremely proud of the officials who have been selected for international events this season,” said Dan Hanoomansingh, manager of officiating with Hockey Canada. “Despite many of these individuals not having the opportunity to work games for close to 18 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they have stayed committed to their craft and are ready when called upon.

“Each of these officials is a testament to the work of dedicated volunteers in local hockey associations and Member officiating programs. They are not only the best in our country, but some of the best in the world, and they are deserving of this opportunity.”

CANADIAN OFFICIALS NOMINATED FOR INTERNATIONAL EVENTS FOR 2021-22 SEASON

As part of the Canadian contingent, six referees – Campbell, Gouin, Iverson, Lieffers, Mantha and Senuk – and four linespersons – Clarke, McCrank, Todd, Vanoosten – are among the officials shortlisted for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China.

The final list of officials for that tournament will be named in December 2021.

All of the officials are products of the National High Performance Officiating Program, which prepares Canada's top officials for success at the highest levels of the game. Receiving an IIHF assignment represents years of work on the part of these officials and their Member officiating development programs.

“Our program is for anyone who is interested in officiating, from the grassroots to the international game,” said Hanoomansingh. “Hockey Canada's 13 Members provide a path for anyone to participate in officiating, develop a love for the game and achieve their goals. Officials are integral to the game, enforcing the standard of safe and fair play in arenas from coast to coast to coast. No matter what the level, without officials, there is no game.”

For more information, visit HockeyCanada.ca/Officials.