Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Fall High School Sports

Are You Ready for some Football?
I don't know about your neck of the woods, but High School Football gets it's opening kick offs this coming week...That means one thing -- footballs flying = leaves falling = school starting = snow to come soon.

(I guess that was 4 things.  Never claimed to be a Math major).

Best time of the year?

Considering the fact that I celebrated my 20 Year High School Reunion this past August, it has been awhile since I have strapped on the pads for football.  I loved that sport (still do).  I mean to say that, I really loved playing that sport.  I loved the violence of it.  It's just that the violence didn't love me (two reconstructed ACL's and a broken ankle later...time for golf!).

I preferred to be #26 as opposed to the other guy.

I think about "tryouts" though...I think about that Fall when I was a sophomore (damn those seniors were tough on us!...not as bad as these guys: [link]).  I also think about the GOALS my father set for me going into my sophomore year...they went as follows:

  1.  Make the travelling squad
  2.  Hope to get on a special teams unit.
  3.  Be a kamikaze on the special teams unit.
  4.  Hope to get some playing time.
  5.  Maybe get the chance to start on the 1st Defensive Unit before the end of the season.

I didn't like those goals.  My goal was "Start on the Defensive Unit from Day 1".  Well...the first game of the season against Grand Forks Central, I was starting on the 1st "D".  I started every game (until I blew out my ACL...Doh!). My book, "Better Than Buzzy" has a lot to do with my pursuit of excellence and how you can do it, too.



Support independent publishing: Buy this book on Lulu.

I think about people who take chances and those who don't.  It's tooo easy not to take a chance.  It's safe.  It's comfortable.  I have always been one to go 100 mph and see what happens, and I can vouch that I have had more reward than risk (plus a few broken bones...oh well).

What do you think will be your biggest regret?  Taking too many chances or not taking enough?


Here's a chance you can take -- join Ultimate Officials.  Go and click on all those videos on the right hand side of the page and then click on "SUBSCRIBE".  You will NOT regret the chance you took.

Here's what a current UO member has to say:

"I have been a card carrying member of Ultimate Officials (UO) for almost two years and I wanted to make a quick statement about what it's done for me.

In a word, it's Awesome.  I have only been officiating for four years - starting when I was 36. I realized quickly that I was behind relative to most officials out there - and I didn't want to work Peewee B games for the rest of my life.  Thanks to my involvement in UO, I have been exposed to some fantastic opportunities which I would not have seen without J.B. and my UO experience. It's also a great group of guys that lean on each other for situation help, work-out motivation, rule interpretation - and we get together socially quite a bit as well.
It's not just 'old guys' like me. We have a lot of young guys in college who are working in the USA Junior program and are climbing the ladder to work at some of the highest levels in the officiating world, as well as guys in their upper 20s and 30s working high school and college games.
It's guys from various stages in life and officiating - the common thread being our love for the game and our desire to be the best.

You may be thinking you can't afford it. Let me tell you - if you work hard, you will be exposed to more opportunities than you would have seen without UO and the extra game fees will more than cover the charge. In reality, you can't afford NOT to be part of it.


It's not for everyone.  If you ref just for the money and don't really care about the game or becoming a better official - then don't bother.  However, if you are hungry and want to work more games and better games, then do yourself a favor and talk to J.B. about it.  You will be glad you did!"

Thank You,

Mike Diebold

I also have one more football-related message for you...the words of this coach are music to my ears...

"If you get hurt, I ain't never gonna call a time out!  You're gonna have to crawl off the field!"
   
  Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io 
             

Thursday, August 26, 2010

UOPU Game - Cassidy gets the Conn Smythe

You've gotta watch the video just to listen to the great "Slap Shot song". 
(I've seen the Elk River HS team hoot and clap to this song after every win in their home rink lately = classic!)
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUntPFyL178



Team Dark won the Ultimate Officials Pick Up (UOPU) hockey game last night...15 to 10. Kevin Cassidy is the game MVP in the nets for Team Dark.  Great game!

Team Dark (young guys)                                           Team White (old guys)

Aaron Barlow                                                             Tony Lancette
Brian McAvoy                                                            Nick Bradshaw
Dana Penkevich                                                          Brian Thul
Andy Priley                                                                 Ross Gibbs
Shane Paskey                                                             Rick Nelson
Joe Oberg                                                                   Clayton Smith
Kevin Cassidy                                                              J.B. Olson
                                                                                   Joe Rice

** See you in September!!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

What in the World of the World Hockey Summit is Going On?

Notice to Hockey People Everywhere...World Wide:

There are a bunch of smart hockey people meeting in Toronto from August 23 through August 26, 2010 to discuss the game of hockey, development, everything from Mites to the Pro's.  

For an overview, go here: The World Hockey Summit
"The Molson Canadian World Hockey Summit is an event designed to dissect the current state of hockey and collaboratively identify and address key concerns and issues facing the game today. The Summit’s theme, Global Teamwork Promoting the Growth of the Game, will be brought to life through interactive seminars, presentations, and discussions led by the who’s who of the global hockey world from the IIHF, the NHL, Hockey Canada, USA Hockey, and the CHL."
The thing that I think all hockey people - coaches, players, referees, trainers, parents, et. al. - should pay attention to is that fact that hockey, unlike any other sport out there, is taking a good, long, hard look at itself to see if it can make changes and strive for betterment of the game.  

Now...I am a hockey referee trainer...so I just gotta talk about the guys in the stripes...

Question (A): How long have you been officiating?

my answer: 22 years

Question (B): Has the game changed within your reffing career?  How about since you played?

my answer: Yes.  Big time.  The play nowadays is so much quicker, faster, and players are better prepared than they were when I was a PeeWee hockey player in the 1980's.

Question (C): Can the game improve even better?  Like get back to it's roots of being about fun and things like shinny hockey?

my answer: Absolutely!

Question (D): What's the greatest significant change in the hockey referee world?  Has it kept pace with the player development side?

my answer: Greatest change in my career has been the 4 Official System.  Other than that, the hockey referee side has NOT kept pace.
***************************
Innovation...change...questioning practices and policies that have been in place for years...paradigm shifts...these are all things that UO promotes!
Ever notice other innitiatives that have come forward?  Like the American Development Model
USA Hockey ADM Evolution

  Or the Research and Development Camp that the NHL just held?  
How About Three Face Off Circles?

The proliferation of off-ice, sport-specific training
Joe Oberg, working out in UO Off Ice Camp

It's the wave of the future, and the officiating world needs to get on board.

Congrats to those who are on board with the initiatives in the Ultimate Officials Referee Camps!

 

Monday, August 23, 2010

The August UOPU Hockey Game = August 25th



*** GAME ON WEDNESDAY AUGUST 25 around 10 pm-ish***

Looking for hockey referees in the Twin Cities are who: 


(a) be up for a pick up game of hockey
(b) needed to get out of the house
(c) needed to knock the rust off their skates, and

Who: Hockey Refereess


What: Pick Up Hockey game (cost $10-$20 tops!)


When: Wednesday August 25th at 10:30 pm


Where: Velocity Hockey Center in Eden Prairie 


(this rink is perfect for "over the hills"..."has-beens"...and "never-were's" because it is only 130 ft. X 65 ft. = no offsides = no backchecking = no constant stream of breakaways.)

NOTE: The last game we played in July was a total blast!



Roll Call thus Far (UPDATED 8/23):

Mike Diebold

Brandon Polich
Aaron Barlow
Tony Lancette
Brian McAvoy
Nick Bradshaw
Brian Thul
Dana Penkevich
Kevin Cassidy
Mike Trumble
Cameron Voss
Matt Hazuka
Andy Priley
Brad Albers
Dustin Martin
Joe Oberg
Joe Rice
Rick Nelson
Shane Paskey
Ross Gibbs
J.B. Olson


** Come One, Come All!

Friday, August 20, 2010

It's a Great Day for Hockey



Today I will spend the day with over 40 hockey referees on a golf course (that just may be soggy and rainy...kind of like golf in good ol' Scotland, eh?).

Today we will remember those who have passed away in our hockey families from cancer.

Today we will "Take a Swing at Cancer" so many more can live on for many more days...you know...GREAT DAYS!

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Who's Coming for the Zebra Open?


The 7th Annual Zebra Open is right around the corner (Friday, August 20, 2010 - 9:00 am Shot Gun).

This golf event benefits charity - $1760 to Hockey Fights Cancer was Raised in 2009.

Anyone who can hack a golf ball (have you ever seen our *cough* MN USA Hockey Referee-in-Chief play?

Play is at Stonebrooke Golf in Shakopee, MN -- it's a great, great course.

Roll Call - Who's Coming thus Far:

 
Brian Thul
Jeff Beckers
Tom Sterns
Nick Biondich
Mike Trumble
Cameron Voss
Jason Olson
Joe Oberg
Mike Mooney
Jeff Carlen
Tom Lucken
Rick Nelson
Mike Anderson
Tim Przbylski
John Sparling
Mark Verplaetse, Sr.
John Perry
Steve Skytte Group
Justin Brown Group
Brad Albers
Lisa Albers
Jamie Halverson
Dennis Alm Group - Dist 1
CJ Beaurline Group
J.B. Olson
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Here's an Old Commercial:



(Note: See Date above -- entry fee is $75)

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Hockey Season is Right Around the Corner

The best players out there are training right now.  So are the best hockey referees.

Whether you live in MN (where our Treadmill Training Camp is taking place right now) or you live across the globe, Ultimate Officials offers skating programs for on the ice and off the ice.

Check it Out:



Go To: www.UltimateOfficials.com

Check out E*Train: www.etrainhockey.com


MN Residents, Go To: www.UOMDM.com




New "Off Ice SAQ Drills" Video 

Released by Labor Day 2010!









email for more INFO: info@ultimateofficials.com


Monday, August 2, 2010

What A Great Time Had by All!

We had a GREAT TIME on Friday night, playing shinny hockey on the small pond at Velocity Hockey Center in Eden Prairie, MN.  Seriously...we had a BLAST!

Keep your eyes open for the next game, TBD during the month of August, and once a month from here on out.

Forget soccer...this is the "Beautiful Game"....



By the way, team Dark beat team White in a sudden death shootout winner, by Brad Albers, after the score was tied 14 to 14. 

Team Dark                                                              Team White
Brad Albers                                                             Joe Oberg
Brian McAvoy                                                          Nick Bradshaw
Dana Penkevich                                                      Nick Dornfeld
Brian Thul                                                              Cory Effertz
Tony Lancette                                                         Tom Sterns
Brooke Lancette-White                                             J.B. Olson
Aaron Barlow                                                          Jamie Halverson
Andy Priley                                                             Sam Cassidy
Kevin Cassidy