During the summer months, not a lot happens in college hockey. We’re kind of in the dead period before the 2023-24 season begins. Sure, you have roster moves and coaching additions and subtractions, but there’s not a lot is going on.
After a relatively uneventful summer we have breaking news. So much for that quiet summer.
The National Collegiate Hockey Conference has been in existence for 10 years and has had one Director of Officiating, Don Adam. On Thursday, the league announced that it had decided to move on from Adam. They will immediately begin a search for a new NCHC Director of Officiating.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) has made a change in its Director of Officiating position, NCHC Commissioner Heather Weems announced Thursday.
“On behalf of the NCHC and our member institutions, I want to thank Don Adam for providing vision and leadership over the past decade,” Weems said. “We are building on a solid foundation and look forward to continuing to enhance our officiating program by hiring and retaining the best college officials and maximizing our use of communication and technology.”
Don Adam has served as the NCHC’s only Director of Officiating since the Conference’s founding, dedicating more than 10 years to the NCHC. During his tenure, Adam oversaw the NCHC’s officiating program, building it from scratch, while hiring an officiating staff and implementing annual officiating camps.
“The NCHC Officiating program is a critical part of our Conference operations and an area in which the NCHC continues to be a leader in collegiate hockey,” Weems said. “Our high-touch model with officiating supervisors assigned to nearly every game requires extensive communication to ensure consistency across games and throughout the season. The membership believes this model can continue to improve the game experience for student-athletes and fans.”
The Conference will begin an expedited search for its new Director of Officiating immediately.
Positive Move
First, this is a cleaned-up version of you’re fired. Second, I think this is a positive step in the right direction. It’s a move that had to happen. Having watched all 10 seasons of NCHC hockey, the quality of officiating has taken a step backward. Inconsistent officiating has plagued the conference for the past two or three seasons. On-ice officials reviewing every big hit for a potential Major Penalty, whether legal or not. Long video reviews on goals. The inconsistency on calls from game to game. That needs to end. Inconsistency by the on-ice officials from week to week is frustrating for the coaches, players, and the fans. Having a new leader could be a great reset.
NCHC officials during a TV timeout. (Photo Credit: Eric J. Burton)
Omaha/UND Game 3 Officiating Thread:@Commish_Weems: I want to start by saying I have nothing but respect for you. I'm tagging you directly because, to be quite blunt, last night was the culmination of years of inadequate NCHC leadership regarding officiating standards.
— spomer_hky (@spomer_hky) March 13, 2023
Who will replace Adam?
If I had to guess, Mike Schmidt will be a leading candidate for the job. He’s the safe pick and he does a good job. He’s respected around the league, and he’s got the experience. Finally, he could slip seamlessly into the job without a lot of chaos.
