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SEPTEMBER 2021 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM // 41 "Now we have 10 other officials in my area who heard the same things that I heard this week and now they can all g o home and spread that word and explanation of the new rules instead of local officials hearing from the same people all the time." The three-day celebration of all things in stripes featured a stable of some of the most notable American whistleblowers in the game, including current and former NHL officials such as Chris Rooney and Brian Murphy mixed in with a diverse group of pre- senters ranging from Olympic officials Don Adam and Jessica LeClerc to Mark Rudolph, the founding father of the USA Hockey offi- ciating program. "My wife likes to say that the hockey world is my family and the officials are my kids," Rudolph said. "I'm just glad to see what I started a long time ago is still going strong." Presentations touched on a variety of top- ics ranging from establishing rapport with coaches to proper positioning to knowing the difference between hope and courage when it comes to making the right call on the ice. Each speaker shared his or her own expe- riences about reaching the top, sprinkling in humorous stories about life in the trenches while leaving the room with a message of humility, integrity and paving the way for the next generation to achieve their goals. More than the talk about positioning and judgement, the biggest takeaway after such a tough year was that officials were able to get back together and enjoy each other 's company while sharing their passion for the game and their profession. "It's fun to be back in the hockey world and talking about hockey again. We certainly missed that," LeClerc said. "This forum really shows what a great group of people we are as a whole. We can bring tog ether people from 34 different states into a room and all of a sudden we're all best friends." Paul Stewart can attest to that. P Becoming an excellent official is not a destination but rather it's a journey. And that journey continues here today." My wife likes to say that the hockey world is my family and the officials are my kids." – M A R K RU D O L P H – DAV E L A B U DA Hall of Fame referee Paul Stewart clowns around during a panel discussion with Atlantic Hockey Association Supervisor of Officials Gene Binda and retired NHL linesmen Brian Murphy.