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.

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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!