Beijing behind the scenes: On women’s hockey’s biggest stage, it’s not just the players under pressure

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This article was published 08/02/2022 (1332 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Canadians are making an impact at the Beijing Olympics, and not just the athletes. Behind the scenes are Canadians vital to the smooth running of the Games. Third in a series:

Alex Clarke grew up playing hockey in Weyburn, Sask., and has been refereeing since she was 12 years old. Last year, she became the first female linesperson in the Western Hockey League and now she’s working her first Olympics as an on-ice official in the women’s hockey tournament. Like the players, she had to compete for her spot on the ice and she’s got big goals for the tournament, they’re just a little different.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

How did this Olympic job come about for you?

It’s years in the making. They watch us and we move up the (officiating) ranks for several years ahead of time. I had my first international assignment in Mexico City in the spring of 2018 … I (got selected for) the women’s world championship this past August, did really well at the event, and got selected to be one of the officials on what we called the long list … The final cut was a few months before the Olympics. This is what I’ve been working for, for the last four years.

How does it feel now?

It’s probably as exciting for us as it is the athletes. You’re working a tournament at the highest level — the Olympics is the highest stage that women play on. Although it’s extremely exciting, just like players, there’s a lot of pressure and the stress of serving the game. From our side, it’s not the stress of winning, we want to do our best, but it’s for the purpose of allowing the players to showcase their best abilities.

Is everyone excited for you back home?

I’ve had lots of support from my entire workplace, our family, the community of Weyburn. But it’s funny because as an official, you’re used to getting yelled at rather than supported, cheered on and built up. So it’s been incredible.

As a Canadian and an official, do you feel part of a team?

I am not a part of Team Canada, and as a piece of that, we don’t get apparel from Team Canada. We don’t get anything that Team Canada players or staff get. We’re all one team on our side of the game with the other officials from around the world. We’re all very close … There are 22 of us.

But do you wear hidden maple leaf socks or something?

No. I’m an official. It’s a written and unwritten rule that you cannot have anything with any sort of a logo that may essentially incriminate as being biased.

What does success at the Olympics look like for you?

If I can come out of the tournament feeling like I gave the players the absolute best opportunity to showcase their abilities and play their game, that’s success for me. Beyond that, we compete for spots as officials in big games, the medal games. So obviously we want those games and that’s even more success.

So you’d love to work the Olympic gold medal game?

Yeah. But that’s limited somewhat by whether Canada is in the gold or bronze medal games.

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You can’t work a game Canada is in?

History has not had Canadian officials on Canadian games.

If you could watch an Olympic sport in Beijing, other than hockey, what would it be?

I am honestly just a lover of sport in general so hard to select just one. I would have to go with figure skating. My sister was a very talented figure skater so I grew up watching her and quite grew to respect the talent on the ice in a different fashion.

Kerry Gillespie is a Toronto-based sports reporter for the Star. Reach her via email: kgillespie@thestar.ca