For brothers Tarrington and Tannum Wyonzek, hockey is more than just a sport they love 鈥� it鈥檚 their career. Just not in the way you鈥檇 first expect.
The two Yorkton natives are climbing the ladder of professional refereeing.聽
Tannum, 20, and Tarrington, 25, currently live in Regina. Tannum is a referee in the WHL, and has recently been selected to referee the U17 World Hockey Challenge in British Columbia in November.聽
Tarrington spent time with the WHL, including game one of the playoff series between Regina and Seattle last season. He also worked the AHL/NHL rookie tournament at the start of the season. Now, he鈥檚 taking the next step up and moving on to referee in the AHL.聽
鈥淚鈥檒l be working my first regular season pro game on November 19 in Winnipeg,鈥� Tarrington told Yorkton This Week.聽
Where it started
The Wyonzek brothers both started their careers in Yorkton when they were young.聽
鈥淲hen I first started reffing, I was like 12-years-old,鈥� offered Tarrington. 鈥淭he only reason I first started was to earn some extra money.鈥�
Both Wyonzek brothers played Yorkton hockey when they were younger. But Tarrington said when he reached his mid-teens, he realized he鈥檇 never be able to go anywhere based on his playing ability.
One day, Tarrington caught the eye of a local member of the Saskatchewan Hockey Association鈥檚 referee division, Garry Gawryliuk.聽
鈥淕arry saw me at the rink one day and told me to come to ref clinic. He鈥檚 the guy who got me into it,鈥� said Tarrington. 鈥淗e was the one who got me rolling in elite hockey.鈥�
Gawryliuk said for both Tarrington and Tannum, the skill level was there.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not often that you get a couple of young guys who are able to do what they have done at a young age,鈥� said Gawryliuk. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e very determined. Physically and mentally, you have to be able to work in the Western Hockey League.鈥�
Gawryliuk said he started encouraging both brothers at a young age.
鈥淚 remember taking both of those guys to senior hockey. I would never put a young official in that league unless I believed they could work that hockey,鈥� he said.
Tarrington said in addition to Gawryliuk, there were a few other people who helped him when he was first starting out.
鈥淚 have to give a lot of credit to guys like Jeff Bahrey and Marc Dubreuil,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey鈥檇 pick me up and take me to senior games. As a 15-year-old, reffing 20-year-olds was nerve wrecking. But they put me under their wing and pushed me along.鈥�
He said they did the same for his little brother.聽
What鈥檚 to come
As Tannum and Tarrington both take the next steps in their career this season, they鈥檒l be that much closer to their end goal.
鈥淭he big goal is to make it to the NHL eventually,鈥� said Tarrington.聽
Gawryliuk said he鈥檇 like to see the same for the two brothers who got their start in the rinks of Yorkton.
鈥淥ur goal eventually is to see both of those men hired into the NHL. Our goal is to see Yorkton refs there,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hen try to put those guys in games that are close to their home province.鈥澛�
