|
NEWSDate: Sep 04, 2010 SPHL Officiating Camp - Day Three Blog
By Phil Brand Day three started early with a group breakfast, an hour of power skating starting at 8AM followed by sessions on exercise and nutrition. The power skating activity focused on backwards skating and required the participants to demonstrate their proficiency in acceleration, crossovers, change of direction and transition. The off-ice session provided information on pre-game, post-game and non game day routines in terms of rest, exercise, building and maintaining strength, conditioning and nutrition. Wayne Bonney, former NHL linesman and Supervisor of Officials in the Central Hockey League and Kevin Collins NHL supervisor and a former NHL linesman led discussions on on-ice professionalism and expectations around the points of emphasis for the 2010-11 season. They led an intensive discussion around the new standard on hits to the head by the use of game video from various leagues to demonstrate the penalty standard. This session also emphasized overall game awareness by featuring a series of training films to drive home the point on the need for overall awareness on the ice. The day’s agenda then moved to discussion of additional sections in the rulebook. These sections were led by Collins along with American Hockey League and NCAA official Chris Woodworth. The section on checking from behind created lots of discussion as the group again reviewed game video on both good and missed penalty calls. The same two instructors also led a discussion on the mental preparation required of officials. This involved the establishment of goals for this coming season and longer term goals in terms of personal and officiating development. Collins used his experience and route to the NHL as an example of the required preparation around the mental aspects of the game and a career as an official. The two hours of evening ice time was devoted to game simulation using both the three and four man system of officiating. This on-ice activity is generally known as flow skating. Flow is used to provide both learning opportunities around positioning and skating techniques especially in the heavy traffic of a fast paced professional hockey game. This session was preceded by testing on the speed of participants in an uninterrupted three minute timed segment. Finally a long day ended with the required closed book examination for the attendees. This test must be passed to complete the USA Hockey registration process. Camp participants earlier were required to pass an on-line open book examination plus must pass periodic criminal background record checks, as well as national sex offender registry checks. Click here to go back to news articles |
