By Percy N. Hébert
Nick Swaine was your typical Canadian kid. He loved hockey and cheered for the Vancouver Canucks. He got his first pair of skates when he was five and started playing Peter Puck hockey a year later.
But things changed for Swaine when he was 12 years old and was “looking for a way to make pocket money on the side.”
That’s when he decided to use his hockey skills to become a hockey referee.
WHL referee Nick Swaine in action. Photo by Percy Hébert.
Pocket money turned into ambition for Swaine at the age of 14, when he was selected to officiate a Bantam AA (ages 14 and 15) tournament in Kamloops, B.C. and then selected to officiate the tournament gold-medal game.
“I started to see the camaraderie side of it, the brotherhood side of it, and actually found out the rewards you get being successful with [officiating],” Swaine said. “It was really cool. It was something that just jumped out at me.”
Earlier this season, Swaine officiated a game that celebrated the camaraderie among officials.
The game between the hometown Kamloops Blazers and the Vancouver Giants marked Swaine’s third season as an official in the Western Hockey League, taking him one step closer to his dream, the NHL.
But to Swaine, that game was special because he was working with Ryan Dawson, a friend of his since they were 13, and it was Dawson’s first game in the WHL as a linesman.
In the dressing room, as Swaine began a pre-game routine that includes stretching and riding a stationary bike, stories about Swaine were shared freely.
Dawson, also from Kamloops, recounted an incident in Penticton. During the pre-game warm up, Dawson said, the red carpet was on the ice for the singing of the national anthem. Swaine lost an edge doing his warm up laps and slid towards the carpet. At the last second, “he pops up and does a 360 in the air over the carpet and lands on his feet,” Dawson said with a mock look of disbelief.
“I actually got an ovation for that one,” Swaine piped in with a smile.
On a more serious note, Swaine remembers when he was a 15-year-old official at the Kamloops International Bantam Ice Hockey Tournament. A defenceman, trying to clear the puck from his own zone, shot the puck straight at Swaine and it glanced off his jaw, knocking three teeth out. Swaine was back the next day to work the tournament final, a testament to his determination.
Another highlight came at the age of 16 when he met Kerry Fraser, his favourite National Hockey League official.
After days of pleading for a ride, his mother, Vera, “finally caved and said OK,” Swaine recalled. “We jumped in the car and headed to Kelowna.”
Fraser put Swaine and other young officials through skating and positioning drills.
“It was an amazing experience,” Swaine said. “He’s a very nice guy and quite the skater. He is very calm on the ice and has a certain confidence and style that is appealing.
“Something that impressed me so much was how many Stanley Cup finals and playoffs he’d been selected for. That is something that I am hoping to achieve.”
That same summer, he attended a development camp in Vancouver, B.C. where he received job offers from the East Coast Hockey League and the American Hockey League.
“Holy, I’m only 16 and I’m already getting job offers! I was hooked ever since,” Swaine said.
Swaine, who now has more than 1,000 games under his belt, said another highlight of his career was being one of only 45 officials across Canada selected to participate in the Hockey Canada Officiating Program of Excellence.
Hockey Canada has more than 33,000 officials, according to Todd Anderson, officiating manager for Hockey Canada, making Swaine’s selection to the program of excellence all the more impressive.
“Nick is a dedicated official who works very hard to better himself,” Anderson said “[He’s] an official who has a strong desire to learn and he has a positive attitude.”
Selection to the program of excellence also meant Swaine was “eligible to be nominated for international and national events,” such as the World Junior A Challenge in Trail, B.C. and the Canada Winter Games in 2007.
To his family, it’s no surprise Swaine has become one of the better officials in the WHL. In fact, the Swaine family has the “zebra gene” running through it. His grandfather, Al Swaine, was one of the first referees in Kamloops. His uncle, Andy Swaine, was also a hockey referee and his cousin, Bob Dever, was a linesman in the WHL.
Those who know Swaine’s work agree he has what it takes to make it to the NHL.
“He has lots of potential — a good, young official,” said Kris Hartley, a veteran WHL referee.
He is “very determined and confident,” his mother said.
Absolutely,” said Gerard Hayes, supervisor of WHL officials. “He is above average for his age.”
During the hockey season, Swaine is busy officiating for the WHL, the B.C. Hockey League, and the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. Between the three leagues, he averages 15 games a month, some as a referee and some as a linesman.
But in the end, for Swaine, it’s all about enjoying the game. “The number one thing I like about being a hockey official is it’s fun,” Swaine said. “The day it stops being fun is the day I stop.”
What makes a good hockey official?
Gerard Hayes, local supervisor of officials for the WHL, outlined three essential attributes:
1. Good attitude on and off the ice
2. Fitness and skating ability. According to Hayes, this is now more important than ever given that the players are bigger and faster.
3. Knowledge of the game. Swaine says this is important because it helps an official anticipate the play, allowing the official time to be better positioned.
Nick Swaine added another point:
4. Awareness. Always be aware of who is on the ice and which players are doing the trash talking. This will again allow the official to anticipate trouble before it happens.
Hayes said WHL officials are evaluated every game. Officials are evaluated on knowledge of the rules, fitness, attitude, skating, positioning and reaction to pressure and judgment. Officials doing a good job score 84 per cent and higher.
