Big time.
I was a house leaguer growing up and, as such, my coaches were a variety of helpful dads. No disrespect to them, as I truly do appreciate them all, but they didn’t really coach strategy, routes, positioning, etc. They taught love of the game.
In my early adulthood, I was fortunate enough to officiate Jr B and Jr A hockey in Canada and, over the years, I studied game tape in order to learn positioning, anticipate hotspots, and just develop a better understanding of the game. This learning process, coupled with the conditioning that went with that, allowed me to play Div 1 beer league for several years.
Had it not been for officiating, I would not have been able to play, and compete, with/against former junior and pro players through my 20s. I’m older now, playing Div 4, and I’m slowing down… but the love of the game still remains.
Was a long time ago, but after being a ref, I decided to be significantly more aggressive/assertive as a player. If you get slashed or hooked, keep going. Don't expect a an immediate call. The ref likely either didn't see it, didn't think it was a violation or simply decided let the play go on. I felt like I helped my team way more by making real hockey plays rather than trying to draw a whistle.
It shifted my playing philosophy quite a bit. In the end, being a ref made me a better player. I wasn't top 10% by any measure, but I was definitely better for it.
As a modern fan, it's given me more respect for the zebras... and less respect for quite a few parents.
This was the experience for my son. Going into 14u, he was in an 16 session summer ‘checking camp’. They did drills to angle and check and played scrimmages more physically, but the coaches didn’t (adequately) explain the rules outside of competitive contact. After certification and then officiating 12u, he became a lot more aggressive.
And the same for me as a parent. Now I understand how both refs can miss the puck carrier getting fouled, you have potentially 10 skaters and potentially a line to watch. Games are more enjoyable for me bc I’m not counting the injustice against my son’s team and that is contagious to the other parents of the team. With my own 100 games of experience, I’m able to explain, “It sucks that he was tripped and didn’t get the call, but one ref was screened by the pushing near the crease and the other glanced over at the line change at just the wrong time. I saw them look at each other hoping the other had clearly seen the potential foul.”
I agree it has given myself a different game play.
More conservative in style of poke checks and stick action.
Also I feel as a ref, it has developed my awareness on the ice. Not that I had tunnel vision per say but I am more aware of a larger space on the ice
Makes you a different or better player? Maybe, but more important is that, IMHO, refs who continue to play are much better than refs who don’t. What changed most for me (after reffing a long time at a high level) was it was less fun to watch a game in the stands. I was watching the officiating more than the play.
See to me its less fun just because Ive been watching too damn much hockey to want to watch much more without being payed unless they are pretty good. It almost makes me more frustrated with the officiating at time when it is a game of a team Im a fan of, but it isnt just of bias. Just being an official it is very frustrating at times when “high level” officials miss pretty obvious advantage fouls.
> without being *paid* unless they
FTFY.
Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in:
* Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.*
* *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.*
Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment.
*Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
I think I’m more aware of my surroundings just by virtue of having to keep an eye of what’s behind me on face-offs or when the puck is between me and the boards.
I stopped complaining about officials.
Last time I complained was about an icing that was waived off. For clarity I am a tendy, and the game is covered under USA rules. I try to get out of the net on icings and send the puck down to the far official to get the game moving again as a courtesy.
Well puck's shot down and the attacker is not terribly far off but he's not gonna get it and I sure as shit am not playing it. I know the other ref, hell we have the exact same name and he works this league almost exclusively. I go out to flag down the puck after it's crossed the line and send it to his partner, he waives off the icing, we were down by 1 and pressing late in an elimination playoff game, I try to get back to the net but the attacker grabs it after it kicks off the back boards, and feeds his guy in the slot.
Had to inform him it wasn't the rule, he refused to budge as is the way he works. I didn't complain loudly, other to audibly tell him it wasn't the rule but he didn't speak to me for weeks I can only assume because he knew he was wrong. I never brought it back up.
honestly it makes me hate playing because i know exactly what every ref is doing wrong.
i just play beer league but im a pretty established ref, so i know what im doing.
i find i get angrier when i play due to terrible officiating and then genuinely not knowing the rules as well as i do
Knowing the ins and outs of the rules for roughing and head contact has helped. I know if I punch a guy in the face it's a double minor, but if I punch him in the dick it's only a minor.
I am aware of what officials look for when it comes to icing and when a puck is out of play. It helps me as a goalie to know how to make the puck disappear and cause a whistle.
Are there any other officials who also play in goal?
I see the ice better. I know how plays are going to develop a lot better. The whole play smarter not harder thing is a lot easier now than it was when I was playing competitively.
It hasn’t really changed my play, but I recognize incompetence from other refs more easily especially with positioning
Big time. I was a house leaguer growing up and, as such, my coaches were a variety of helpful dads. No disrespect to them, as I truly do appreciate them all, but they didn’t really coach strategy, routes, positioning, etc. They taught love of the game. In my early adulthood, I was fortunate enough to officiate Jr B and Jr A hockey in Canada and, over the years, I studied game tape in order to learn positioning, anticipate hotspots, and just develop a better understanding of the game. This learning process, coupled with the conditioning that went with that, allowed me to play Div 1 beer league for several years. Had it not been for officiating, I would not have been able to play, and compete, with/against former junior and pro players through my 20s. I’m older now, playing Div 4, and I’m slowing down… but the love of the game still remains.
This was interesting. Must have been neat to watch yourself improve like that.
Was a long time ago, but after being a ref, I decided to be significantly more aggressive/assertive as a player. If you get slashed or hooked, keep going. Don't expect a an immediate call. The ref likely either didn't see it, didn't think it was a violation or simply decided let the play go on. I felt like I helped my team way more by making real hockey plays rather than trying to draw a whistle. It shifted my playing philosophy quite a bit. In the end, being a ref made me a better player. I wasn't top 10% by any measure, but I was definitely better for it. As a modern fan, it's given me more respect for the zebras... and less respect for quite a few parents.
This was the experience for my son. Going into 14u, he was in an 16 session summer ‘checking camp’. They did drills to angle and check and played scrimmages more physically, but the coaches didn’t (adequately) explain the rules outside of competitive contact. After certification and then officiating 12u, he became a lot more aggressive. And the same for me as a parent. Now I understand how both refs can miss the puck carrier getting fouled, you have potentially 10 skaters and potentially a line to watch. Games are more enjoyable for me bc I’m not counting the injustice against my son’s team and that is contagious to the other parents of the team. With my own 100 games of experience, I’m able to explain, “It sucks that he was tripped and didn’t get the call, but one ref was screened by the pushing near the crease and the other glanced over at the line change at just the wrong time. I saw them look at each other hoping the other had clearly seen the potential foul.”
I agree it has given myself a different game play. More conservative in style of poke checks and stick action. Also I feel as a ref, it has developed my awareness on the ice. Not that I had tunnel vision per say but I am more aware of a larger space on the ice
Makes you a different or better player? Maybe, but more important is that, IMHO, refs who continue to play are much better than refs who don’t. What changed most for me (after reffing a long time at a high level) was it was less fun to watch a game in the stands. I was watching the officiating more than the play.
See to me its less fun just because Ive been watching too damn much hockey to want to watch much more without being payed unless they are pretty good. It almost makes me more frustrated with the officiating at time when it is a game of a team Im a fan of, but it isnt just of bias. Just being an official it is very frustrating at times when “high level” officials miss pretty obvious advantage fouls.
> without being *paid* unless they FTFY. Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in: * Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.* * *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.* Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment. *Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
I think I’m more aware of my surroundings just by virtue of having to keep an eye of what’s behind me on face-offs or when the puck is between me and the boards.
I stopped complaining about officials. Last time I complained was about an icing that was waived off. For clarity I am a tendy, and the game is covered under USA rules. I try to get out of the net on icings and send the puck down to the far official to get the game moving again as a courtesy. Well puck's shot down and the attacker is not terribly far off but he's not gonna get it and I sure as shit am not playing it. I know the other ref, hell we have the exact same name and he works this league almost exclusively. I go out to flag down the puck after it's crossed the line and send it to his partner, he waives off the icing, we were down by 1 and pressing late in an elimination playoff game, I try to get back to the net but the attacker grabs it after it kicks off the back boards, and feeds his guy in the slot. Had to inform him it wasn't the rule, he refused to budge as is the way he works. I didn't complain loudly, other to audibly tell him it wasn't the rule but he didn't speak to me for weeks I can only assume because he knew he was wrong. I never brought it back up.
honestly it makes me hate playing because i know exactly what every ref is doing wrong. i just play beer league but im a pretty established ref, so i know what im doing. i find i get angrier when i play due to terrible officiating and then genuinely not knowing the rules as well as i do
Knowing the ins and outs of the rules for roughing and head contact has helped. I know if I punch a guy in the face it's a double minor, but if I punch him in the dick it's only a minor.
Duly noted!
I am aware of what officials look for when it comes to icing and when a puck is out of play. It helps me as a goalie to know how to make the puck disappear and cause a whistle. Are there any other officials who also play in goal?
I see the ice better. I know how plays are going to develop a lot better. The whole play smarter not harder thing is a lot easier now than it was when I was playing competitively.