A Service Credit Union Branch Manager from Red Deer was recently on the international stage thanks to his second job as an amateur linesman working in the Western Hockey League.

Chad Huseby recently returned from the Czech Republic, after spending 2 weeks there working as a linesman for a total of 7 games over a two week period.

Growing up in Rocky Mountain House, just like most Canadian boys Huseby started on the ice playing hockey as a kid. When he was 12 years old, his uncle Blair Andrew from Lacombe encouraged Huseby to take part in a referee clinic. He continued to play hockey up until he started school at Red Deer College, where he decided to take his career as a lineman’s more seriously and eventually got hired on with the Western Hockey League.

Currently in his 9th season with the WHL, Huseby says it was a lot of hard work and some luck that his name was picked as one of the officials for the 2019/2020 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships.

“It is a lot of hard work, it’s quite an extensive process. So just like the players side, on the officiating side we’re constantly getting evaluated, and getting scouted and that sort of thing. The IIHF has officiating managers and officiating coaches all over the world and their working on their lists all the time for their various events… Now obviously in Canada, it is very difficult because there are so many officials across Canada just with the amount of hockey that we have, so the chances of you getting an A pool assignment like the World Juniors is difficult to achieve because of the amount of officials we have here. “

After getting the call that he was selected to head to the World Juniors, Huseby said goodbye to his wife and 4 kids and flew to the Czech Republic city of Ostrava on December 23rd, working 7 games over a 12 day period.

Huseby said heading to the eastern European country was an eye-opening experience as far as culture and people, where everyone comes together for the love of the game.

“The coolest part is just how the game of hockey kind of just unites people from all over the world. Officials from all over the world, we got players from all over the world, and we are all there because of the game of hockey, and I think that was pretty cool. The tournament was very well supported over there. The fans were great, the people of Ostrava love their hockey.”

The 34-year-old says he hopes to work the lines for as long as he can, working as many big games as possible.  

“I’d like to work the Memorial Cup this year in Kelowna. I worked one years ago in Regina, so that would be an immediate goal. And then as an amateur official obviously being able to work a world men’s championship, like a winter Olympic Games would be the ultimate cherry on top.”

Although he wasn't able to work a game that team Canada played, he was able to work the bronze medal game, which saw Sweden defeat Finland 3-2.

Fraser Lawrence (L) from Edmonton, Chad Huseby (Center) and Mike Campbell (R) from Vancouver, three of the officials from the Bronze medal game at the 2019/2020 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship. Photo's courtesy of Chad Huseby.