By Hockey Saskatchewan

REGINA, Sask. – The Hockey Saskatchewan Officiating Development Program (ODP) has always taken pride in its experienced members giving back to the sport. This year’s recipients of the Most Deserving Official Award from Zones 5, 6, 7, and 8 have all contributed to officiating for decades—and are truly deserving of the honour.

This award recognizes individuals not only for their officiating skill, but more importantly for their ongoing contributions to the branch as supervisors, instructors, and/or administrators.

Collectively, this year’s four winners have contributed over 70 years to the ODP on the administrative side. Each has played a vital role in their local communities and leagues, helping to support and grow the game.

Hockey Saskatchewan congratulates the 2024–25 award winners. This group has dedicated countless hours to advancing officiating in the province, and the continued success of the program—and many of its officials—can be traced directly to one or more of these individuals.

All four winners have also been nominated for Hockey Canada’s national Most Deserving Official Award, which will be announced later this summer.

(Zone 5) Brian Hubbard – Warman

Hubbard served four years as the Zone 5 Officiating Coordinator and continues to stay active on the ice as an official, coach, and instructor with Hockey Saskatchewan. He also serves as the Referee-in-Chief for Warman Minor Hockey. Beyond hockey, he is heavily involved with the SaskFive Baseball Association and coaches both hockey and baseball. With more than 20 years of officiating experience, Hubbard has been a dedicated member of the Warman community and was recently recognized as Warman’s Volunteer of the Year, an honour he received two months ago.

(Zone 6) Darryl Cameron – Saskatoon

Cameron served for many years as the Zone 6 Officiating Coordinator with Hockey Saskatchewan’s ODP and currently sits on the Officials’ Instructional Task Team. He also serves as a supervisor at various levels of hockey across the province and is a cornerstone instructor both on the ice and in the classroom in Saskatoon and the surrounding area. In addition, Cameron works as a video goal judge for the Saskatoon Blades. However, most nights—when he’s not working or supporting his family’s activities—he can be found at the rink supervising officials. Following a very successful on-ice officiating career, Cameron has been a leader in Saskatchewan’s officiating program for decades.

(Zone 7) Greg Wells – Flaxcombe

If there’s an official in the west-central part of the province, chances are Wells knows them—and has assigned them a game at some point. A former Zone 7 Officiating Coordinator, Wells currently serves as the Referee-in-Chief for both the Hi-Way 14 Hockey League and the Cross Roads Hockey League. The west-central region often has plenty of hockey but, at times, a limited number of officials. Wells has taken great pride in finding and supporting officials, giving them opportunities to work in new leagues and age divisions—all in an effort to reduce the risk of game cancellations. He continues to officiate many games himself, having transitioned from playing and coaching to officiating. His passion for the game is evident through the countless hours he dedicates behind the scenes.

(Zone 8) Trevor Norum – Tisdale

Norum currently serves on the Hockey Saskatchewan Board of Directors, but long before joining the board, he was deeply involved in the officiating community—as a Zone Officiating Coordinator, Branch Referee-in-Chief, and a member of the Referee’s Division Executive. Following changes to the governance structure, he became a liaison with the Officiating Development Program (ODP) while continuing his work as an instructor and a highly active officiating coach in the northeast region of the province. Norum served 30 years on the officiating program’s executive and remains a strong advocate for officials in Saskatchewan, providing consistent support at the rink level.

About OFFICIATING DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

The Hockey Saskatchewan Officiating Development Program (ODP) is committed to enhancing officiating standards across all levels of hockey in the province. Through recruitment, education, and support, opportunities are provided for officials to excel and contribute to the vibrant hockey community in Saskatchewan. Visit the program's webpage at www.hockeysask.ca for additional information, and follow on X [@HockeySask_ODP] for updates.