Kid refs

By Danielle Strenke
In North Branch, the sport of hockey is seeing participation increase every year. Children ages 3 through teens are devoting countless hours each week to practicing their skills and playing in games.
But there are also North Branch youth who are getting involved in hockey by helping younger players learn the rules.
Skeeter Henderson, a fifth-grader at North Branch Middle School, said he heard about other youth referees and thought it would be a great way to make some extra money.
Henderson and classmate Joe Klun, along with sixth-graders Frank Hauner and Cale Arhart, all decided it would be a fun job to work at referees for youth hockey in North Branch.
They took training through the USA Hockey association, which trains referees at all levels of hockey in the United States. The class was conducted at Isanti Ice Arena, the same place where games are played for North Branch youth hockey.
In the training, the boys learned how to make calls during games and the proper techniques for how to communicate those calls and how to cover the ice during games.
ìIt was easy and kind of boring,î Arhart said. All four have had some experience either playing hockey or as regular spectators, so they came into the training already knowing much about the rules and penalties of the game.
Once the training was over, all four boys completed an open-book test that they had to pass before becoming referees.
USA Hockey then sent them official uniform patches, but the boys were required to purchase their own referee uniforms, which cost about $100 for the shirt and pants. They also had to buy helmets and shin pads, and face shields for their helmets, though the shields are not required.
This is the first year that youth referees have been used by the North Branch Area Hockey Association. All of the boys have refereed at least one or two games so far, and say it has been a lot of fun. ìI was nervous when the first game started, but as soon as it got going it was OK,î Arhart said.
Henderson said he wasnít really nervous during his first game because his dad was on the ice helping ref the game.
The boys are allowed to referee only for players who are younger than them, which means this year they can ref Mites and Squirts. All of them plan on continuing next year, when they can referee older teams.
Henderson and Klun said a great thing about refereeing North Branch teams is that they have worked games where their little brothers were playing, but quickly added that they are fairñ even to brothers.
Haunerís mom coordinates all of the games and schedules which boy referees which game. ìUsually itís one a week, Iíve only had about four games so far,î Klun said.
He added that it has not been hard to balance school and other activities with refereeing. ìExcept for once I reffed three games in a rowñ that was kind of hard.î
Although they have fun on the ice, the boys are reminded that there are going to be times when someone doesnít agree with a call, whether itís a player, parent or coach. ìThe coaches yell sometimes,î Arhart said.
In North Branch, the hockey season ends in February, but both Henderson and Klun said they would be looking into refereeing for summer hockey leagues at an indoor hockey center in Blaine.
Henderson said refereeing is a lot of fun and he is glad he became involved in it. ìI know some kids who wouldnít do it because they think itís boring but itís the funnest job,î he said.
Arhart hopes to continue refereeing into adulthood, and says the ultimate refereeing job would be to referee at Olympic hockey games.
As for the money they make ñ $18 a game ñ Henderson and Klun said they were probably going to save their earnings or use it to buy more hockey or refereeing equipment. The money he earned in December went to Christmas presents, Henderson added.
Hauner and Arhart said theyíd probably just spend it, but they werenít sure on what.

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