聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Tarrington Wyonzek and his younger brother Tannum, grandsons of Henry and Anne Wyonzek of Canora, and sons of Pat and Karen Wyonzek of Yorkton, are getting closer to reaching their goal of being on-ice officials in the NHL.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Tarrington, 25 and Tannum, 20, both grew up in Yorkton, but each spent a considerable amount of time in the Canora area during those years, said Tarrington in an interview last week.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The boys used to spend their summers at Crystal Lake, where the Wyonzek family owns a cabin. Until they got really serious about their on-ice officiating careers, Tarrington and Tannum worked at the Canora Golf course during the summer. The boys now live together in Regina.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Tarrington played plenty of hockey for Canora teams, including a year for the Canora Senior Cobras. He played his midget minor hockey in Canora, and in his final midget season he was on the team which won the provincial championship.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲inning that championship in our home rink in Canora was probably the highlight of my hockey career. We beat a team from Estevan in a two-game, total goal series.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 聽But by the age of 19, Tarrington realized that he probably wasn鈥檛 going to make a career out of playing hockey. He had been refereeing periodically since the age of 12 just to make some extra spending money, but when he decided to give up playing competitively, he focused on working as an on-ice official. He said he felt this was the best way for him to stay involved with the game he loved and increase his chances of having a career in the NHL.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Tarrington attended an officials鈥� clinic in Yorkton, and shortly thereafter he was invited to a Western Hockey League (WHL) officials鈥� camp. Before his 20th birthday, he was hired by the WHL, one of the top-ranked junior leagues in the world.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Now in his fifth season in the WHL as a linesman, Tarrington generally officiates games in the eastern division, which means working games in Swift Current, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Saskatoon, Regina and Brandon, Man. A highlight from this past season was being chosen to officiate Game 1 of the 2017 league final series, which took place in Regina. He said an environment like that is a good test for any official.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he rink was packed, there were about 7,000 people. It can be difficult working in high pressure situations like that where one bad call can cost a team the game. But I made sure I stayed composed and focused, and things went pretty well.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Always looking to progress in his career, Tarrington recently signed a contract with the American Hockey League (AHL), which is just one step below the NHL. He will be working mainly in Winnipeg at Manitoba Moose games at the start, which will allow him to continue officiating WHL games.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Tarrington just got home from officiating at the NHL鈥檚 Young Stars tournament in Penticton, B.C. He said this was a real privilege to officiate games involving the draft picks and top AHL prospects of the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t was the best level of hockey I鈥檝e ever officiated. All of the players were looking to win jobs in the NHL so it was very fast and competitive.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Five years ago, as he was just getting started pursuing his officiating career, Tarrington was selected as an on-ice official for the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Under-17 Hockey Challenge tournament held in Nova Scotia. This year, Tannum has received the call to be an on-ice official for the same tournament, which is scheduled for Fort. St. John and Dawson Creek, B.C. November 5-11.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The tournament is an annual showcase of the best 16 and 17-year old hockey players in the world, including teams from Canada, the U.S., Russia, Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic. It鈥檚 also a great opportunity for young officials, and Tarrington said he鈥檚 excited to see his younger brother following in his footsteps.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Tannum appreciates all the support. He said seeing his older brother have success early in his officiating career made it easier for him to choose the same career, and it provided him with a very effective form of motivation.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淢y brother has had some pretty impressive accomplishments, and it really motivates me to see if I can achieve the same things. It鈥檚 even better if I can do it sooner than he did. I keep reminding him that I鈥檓 a year younger than he was when he worked at the World Under-17 tournament.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Tannum played hockey and worked as a referee from about the age of 12 until he reached midget age, when he made the decision to give up playing and focus on officiating, which he believes gives him a better chance to stay in the game and pursue a professional career. He said he really enjoys being involved in a high level of hockey, and has met many great people at the same time.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Presently he can referee as high as the junior B level, and work games as a linesman up to the WHL level. He plans to continue doing both for the foreseeable future, and eventually decide which will offer him the best long-term opportunities.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Tannum said one thing that many people don鈥檛 realize about on-ice officials is the physical requirements.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e have to be in top physical condition because we鈥檙e out there for the whole game, we don鈥檛 get line changes like the players. And if we鈥檙e in as good shape as the players are, they usually respect us more.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Wyonzek brothers have worked together as linesmen in about half a dozen WHL games since Tannum started his WHL career in the 2016-17 season. He said during the games it鈥檚 just like working with anyone else because they鈥檙e so focused on doing their jobs. But before and after the games, it鈥檚 always great when family and friends come to see them work together.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 think Dad has been at every game I鈥檝e worked with my brother, and I know I鈥檝e seen him with tears in his eyes, so that鈥檚 pretty special.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Since the two brothers are living together, they have plenty of time to pick each other鈥檚 brain, and talk about the best way to handle various on-ice situations.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Tannum was thrilled when Tarrington recently signed his first AHL contract, and is looking forward to the day when he will have the opportunity to do the same, hopefully at an even younger age.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Of course, the long-term goal for both Wyonzek boys is to work in the NHL some day.聽
