Do you have what it takes to be a professional hockey ref?

By Shaun Delliskave | [email protected]

Did you hear about the professional hockey game where not one fight broke out? If you did, please let Jim McKenna know, because he probably would have loved to referee that game. Hockey, after all, is the only sport with a penalty box (a temporary detention cell) and requires its referees to match the toughness of its competitors.

McKenna, while dodging hockey pucks and punches during the night, works during the day in the information technology world as an I.T. solution manager for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a profession he has had for the last 20 years. On top of all of that, he serves in the bishopric of his Murray congregation.

“I started officiating when I was 24. I was married and going to school and needed a way to make some extra money,” McKenna said. “I was always hard on the refs when I played, always thought they did a poor job. One of them told me to give it a try if I thought I could do better.”

The Skyline High graduate grew up playing hockey; he started at age 6. When the ice rink was not available, he and his brothers played street hockey. After graduating from the University of Utah, he continued playing hockey in recreation leagues and decided he could, indeed, do a better job than other referees could.

“I learned very quickly; it is a lot harder than it looks. But, I loved being involved, and it was a great way to make extra money. Later on, I kept doing it because I loved working in high-level games. I have also come to meet and get to know a lot of great people,” McKenna said.

To be a professional hockey referee, you go through a process similar to the players. First, you are selected to work in developmental leagues and junior leagues, such as the USHL or NAHL. Referees are then hired to work minor professional hockey, such as the East Coast Hockey League and American Hockey League; then the National Hockey League hires the top refs of those leagues. McKenna officiates many of the Utah Grizzlies games and minor league teams in Idaho.

According to McKenna, “I was older when I started working, and so I never had the desire to move my wife to the Midwest or back East to work hockey games. Most of the refs spend several years traveling around working games to get a shot at the pro level. I was happy and lucky enough to get to work here in Utah.”

McKenna typically draws the linesman assignment, meaning his primary responsibility is watching for violations involving the center line and the blue line, and infractions including icing and offsides, after which the linesman conduct face-offs. McKenna is also expected to break up scuffles, fistfights and other altercations that occur during the game.

His day job of working with computers and, if you will, his weekend job (working as a leader in his LDS ward) are, without question, vastly different.

“Dealing with players, no matter what the level of play—college, pro, or youth—you always have to be the adult and be in control, you can’t let your emotions get to you. I have found my faith and perspective helps me do that.

“Yes, hockey is probably one of the most colorful sports, language-wise. I have found that the older I get, the less I care about what I am being called or what the fans, coaches or players yell. I have found if I can find the humor in all the craziness, it helps.”

McKenna calls working the Salt Lake City 2002 Olympics Games the highlight of his career. He called many pre-Olympic matches and assisted the international referees with all the games.

“I worked as a linesman during the 2002 Paralympic Games. I lined the bronze medal game between Sweden and Canada. That was a blast. I got to know a number of officials from other countries, and we had a great time during that week,” McKenna said. “I also got to watch every Olympic game, including the gold medal game between the USA and Canada, which was probably the best sports experience I have had.”