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Photos and video: Learning the stripes with youth hockey officiating clinic
A dozen students between the ages of 14-18 are learning the finer points of hockey officiating from veteran official Duffy Dyer.
Lead Instructor Duffy Dyer, center, holds a ball while giving instructions before a hockey officiating exercise on turf during the first session of the Learn About Officiating clinic Wednesday at the Essentia Duluth Heritage Center. Cam Fleming, 14, of Duluth, right, and Cam Cresap, of Cloquet, look on.
DULUTH — Students are learning the finer points of hockey officiating from veteran official Duffy Dyer. Dyer is from Virginia, Minnesota has officiated hockey at multiple levels for 48 years.
Minnesota Hockey and the Duluth Heritage Center have teamed up to conduct a free "Learn About Officiating" clinic this week at the Essentia Duluth Heritage Center that would allow teenagers to become youth hockey referees in the area.
The clinic, which began on Wednesday, is for students ages 14-18 that live in Carlton, Cook County, Cloquet, Duluth, Esko, Hermantown, Moose Lake, Proctor, Twig, Two Harbors and Silver Bay. The clinic is broken up into two three-hour sessions. On Wednesday, a dozen students spent time in the classroom and also participated in officiating exercises on the turf at Seitz Arena. Sunday's session will involve time on the ice at Sill Arena. The clinic also includes guest speakers, a question and answer session for parents, and a pizza party on Sunday.
Students who attend both sessions will be eligible to register with USA Hockey and Minnesota Hockey as Level 1 referees. It is possible that these students will be officiating youth games as soon as the coming season.
Lead Instructor and veteran hockey official Duffy Dyer shows students a video clip on his cell phone of a youth hockey game before the first session of the Learn About Officiating clinic Wednesday at the Essentia Duluth Heritage Center.
Dan Williamson / Duluth News Tribune
12 students attended the first session of the Learn About Officiating clinic Wednesday at the Essentia Duluth Heritage Center.
Dan Williamson / Duluth News Tribune
Lead Instructor and veteran hockey official Duffy Dyer speaks to students during the first session of the Learn About Officiating clinic Wednesday at the Essentia Duluth Heritage Center.
Dan Williamson / Duluth News Tribune
Hudsen Helenius, 15, of Superior looks on during the classroom portion of the first session of the Learn About Officiating clinic Wednesday at the Essentia Duluth Heritage Center.
Dan Williamson / Duluth News Tribune
Jane Eckstrom, 15, of Proctor, center, smiles while speaking with Ethan Saukko, 14, of Duluth, right, while Oden Johnson Brunette, 14, of Duluth looks on before a writing exercise during the first session of the Learn About Officiating clinic Wednesday at the Essentia Duluth Heritage Center.
Dan Williamson / Duluth News Tribune
Jane Eckstrom, 15, of Proctor, hands a sheet of paper to Lead Instructor Duffy Dyer after a writing exercise during the first session of the Learn About Officiating clinic Wednesday at the Essentia Duluth Heritage Center.
Dan Williamson / Duluth News Tribune
Lead Instructor Duffy Dyer, center, holds a ball while giving instructions to students before a hockey officiating exercise on turf during the first session of the Learn About Officiating clinic Wednesday at the Essentia Duluth Heritage Center.
Dan Williamson / Duluth News Tribune
Lead Instructor and veteran hockey official Duffy Dyer, second from left, hands a ball to Oli Hirt, 14, of Duluth, before a hockey face-off exercise on turf during the first session of the Learn About Officiating clinic Wednesday at the Essentia Duluth Heritage Center.
Dan Williamson / Duluth News Tribune
Lead Instructor Duffy Dyer, center, smiles while watching during an hockey officiating exercise on turf during the first session of the Learn About Officiating clinic Wednesday at the Essentia Duluth Heritage Center.
Dan Williamson / Duluth News Tribune
1/6: Lead Instructor and veteran hockey official Duffy Dyer speaks to students during the first session of the Learn About Officiating clinic Wednesday at the Essentia Duluth Heritage Center.
2/6: Peter Smith, 17, of Duluth listens during the classroom portion of the first session of the Learn About Officiating clinic Wednesday at the Essentia Duluth Heritage Center.
3/6: Peter Smith, 17, of Duluth, left, looks at a video clip on a cell phone held by Lead Instructor and veteran hockey official Duffy Dyer during the first session of the Learn About Officiating clinic Wednesday at the Essentia Duluth Heritage Center.
4/6: Lead Instructor Duffy Dyer uses his left hand to point during a hockey officiating exercise on turf during the first session of the Learn About Officiating clinic Wednesday at the Essentia Duluth Heritage Center. Dyer, a native of Virginia, Minn., has been involved in hockey officiating for 48 years.
5/6: Oli Hirt, 14, of Duluth, second from left, prepares to drop a ball as part of a hockey face-off exercise on turf during the first session of the Learn About Officiating clinic Wednesday at the Essentia Duluth Heritage Center.
6/6: Lead Instructor and veteran hockey official Duffy Dyer speaks to students during the first session of the Learn About Officiating clinic Wednesday at the Essentia Duluth Heritage Center.
Duluth Heritage Center is hosting seminar this week for 14-18 year olds that would allow them to become youth hockey officials, and help out with the referee shortage in the area.
Dan Williamson joined the Duluth News Tribune in June 2021 where he's involved in digital content such as video, photos and podcasts. Previously, he worked in television broadcasting as a Sports Director/Anchor at WDIO-TV in Duluth, Sports Director/Anchor in Bismarck, N.D., News and Sports Anchor at KSAX-TV in Alexandria, and Reporter/Photographer/Editor with the syndicated show "Life to the Max" in Eden Prairie. He was also the Development Director for the Duluth Salvation Army. Williamson grew up in Alexandria, graduated from St. Cloud State University and has lived in Duluth since 2012.
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