OiO Network: An off-ice officials community of practice

Hi everyone! My name is Ken Frasier. I currently serve as the director of off-ice officials for the Odessa Jackalopes.
I have seen a lot of changes over the last 26 years as an off-ice official, about 17 of those as the director.
I started in the WPHL, then CHL, and now NAHL for Odessa.
I am also a level 4 On-ice official, and the USA Hockey seminar instructor for Amarillo, El Paso, and Odessa. I have refereed in the College (ACHA) and Junior levels (WSHL and NAHL), along with a few WPHL and CHL alumni games, but my skating days are coming to an end.

The question has been asked, how many officials does it take to have a hockey game? Most people answer, "3 or 4", but in reality, it is many more. Ideally, it is more like 14-16, the three or four on the ice, clock operator/timekeeper, 2-penatly box attendants, 2- goal judges, official scorer, and numerous statisticians 4-6. We HAVE to have OiO's to run the game. Unfortunately, our numbers have dwindled over the years, and people have stopped volunteering. Off-ice officials are a critical necessity for the game. 

I am here to help answer any questions and provide any guidance, lessons learned, game scenarios, and have a direct connection to those who can provide answers, if I can't. 

Thanks to Craig for starting this.

(08-15-2022, 09:12 AM)kenfrasier Wrote: [ -> ]Hi everyone! My name is Ken Frasier. I currently serve as the director of off-ice officials for the Odessa Jackalopes.
I have seen a lot of changes over the last 26 years as an off-ice official, about 17 of those as the director.
I started in the WPHL, then CHL, and now NAHL for Odessa.
I am also a level 4 On-ice official, and the USA Hockey seminar instructor for Amarillo, El Paso, and Odessa. I have refereed in the College (ACHA) and Junior levels (WSHL and NAHL), along with a few WPHL and CHL alumni games, but my skating days are coming to an end.

The question has been asked, how many officials does it take to have a hockey game? Most people answer, "3 or 4", but in reality, it is many more. Ideally, it is more like 14-16, the three or four on the ice, clock operator/timekeeper, 2-penatly box attendants, 2- goal judges, official scorer, and numerous statisticians 4-6. We HAVE to have OiO's to run the game. Unfortunately, our numbers have dwindled over the years, and people have stopped volunteering. Off-ice officials are a critical necessity for the game. 

I am here to help answer any questions and provide any guidance, lessons learned, game scenarios, and have a direct connection to those who can provide answers, if I can't. 

Thanks to Craig for starting this.

Hello and welcome Ken! So happy to have you as part of the network. Since we are often in the background, I feel like starting the OiO Network will be an uphill battle (folks who do "in the background" stuff, often like to stay in the background), but John and I are committed to doing our best to see how we can support and help others (and ourselves) become better OiOs and grow OiO interest and involvement. So we really appreciate you jumping in and representing Odessa TX here on the OiO Network!

Thanks Craig, I am reaching out to Rick and Tania, our GM and Woman in Charge, have sent them the NMOIO off-ice website, an would like to replicate what you are doing with assignments, and communications, etc.

(08-15-2022, 10:12 AM)kenfrasier Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks Craig, I am reaching out to Rick and Tania, our GM and Woman in Charge, have sent them the NMOIO off-ice website, an would like to replicate what you are doing with assignments, and communications, etc.

Cool! Happy to answer questions for them and you as well as give you guys a quick tour via a video conference sometime if you wish and believe it would be useful.