Robert Brewer/MDN On Sunday, a hockey official takes part in a two-day instructional seminar at the Maysa Arena in Minot.

Over the weekend, the Northern Plains District Officiating Seminar held a two-day course for prospective high-level hockey officials at the Maysa Arena. It was the first time in 19 years that such a comprehensive course had taken place in Minot.

According to Thor Nelson, a retired NHL hockey official and state referee in chief for Northern Plains, he says there were plans in the works to hold the seminar in Minot last year, but those plans were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Unfortunately, depending on who’s been in charge, things just didn’t take place for quite a while. I’m adamant that we have these things here,” Nelson tells The Minot Daily News. “They rotate the locations every year so more people can participate in this. Hopefully, Minot won’t have to wait another 19 years before we can host something like this again.”

Nelson, whose officiating resume includes working the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the 2004 NHL All-Star Game, and the Olympics in 2006 and 2010, served as an advisor for the weekend seminar. Having attended such seminars in the past as both a student and a teacher, the officiating veteran reveals he usually fields questions on what it takes to make it to the NHL level.

“I don’t always have the answers that they want. It’s a difficult road, and if someone comes and asks you that difficult question, I don’t want to lie to them and have them go on some five-year jaunt when they have no chance of ever moving up,” Nelson continues. “Age plays a factor, your skating level plays a factor, what level you played up to. The higher level you played, the better off you’re going to be, because you’ve experienced those faster speeds of the game and you’ve seen a little more when you’ve worked the higher levels.”

On Saturday, the seminar began at 9 a.m. and wrapped up at 7 p.m. Meanwhile, Sunday’s session went from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. As far as the actual work itself, on-ice sessions, as well as classroom course work was included. Roughly 30-40 students took part in the two-day instructional course.

Regarding the classroom portion of the seminar, students learned about topics such as personal appearance and building rapport on the ice. The importance of improved skating abilities was also heavily enforced. Higher-level techniques of when an official can move to different spots. In-game situational drills were a part of the seminar as well.

As far as the level of officiating, USA Hockey has four levels. Only those already at levels three or four were selected for this seminar. As Nelson states, this type of instructional course is only for experienced referees who are looking to make the next step to a higher level of competitive hockey. While the NHL may not be in everybody’s future, the former professional referee stresses that hard work will eventually be rewarded.

“It’s a great opportunity for these officials from Missoula, Mile City, Hazen, Minot, Bottineau, wherever they come from, to have access to the officials who are at a really high level right now,” Nelson says. “That’s what they all dream to do, they all have aspirations of working college hockey, or a world championship. It’s not easy, but good things happen if you work hard at it.”