Muench officially in province’s shrine

SASKATOON — Kevin Muench loved watching his dad, Richard, on the ice during hockey games.

Muench never saw any highlight-reel goals or amazing saves from him though.

“I used to jump in the car and go watch him officiate,” he said. “I really was following in my dad’s footsteps. I’m sure if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have and the opportunities that I did.”

Muench followed in his father’s footsteps through the WHL ranks and all the way to the Olympic Games.

On Saturday, he was recognized for his work by being included in the 2015 Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame class.

The Moose Jaw-based Muench joins Dennis Pottage, Mick McGeough and Wes Smith in the officials’ category.

“It’s about integrity, it’s about doing your personal best,” Muench said. “That’s what we hope to achieve. To be recognized so many years after the fact, hopefully it’s because I did some good.”

Muench served as a WHL official from 1983 to 1995. He worked the 1994 Olympics when amateur officials still got the call.

“It doesn’t get better than that,” he said.

Muench has been the WHL’s director of officiating since 2001.

His best advice to young referees and linesmen is to not move through up the system too quickly.

“Officials who want to succeed are the ones who put themselves out there,” Muench said. “You can see that they’ve got the drive — skating skills, fitness level and their knowledge of the game.

“Once they start to bring that all together into one package, that’s when officials know that they’ve earned the chance to move on.”

Officials are often lightning rods for criticism, but Muench insists it’s OK if they make mistakes — as long as they learn from them.

He encourages officials to watch others the way he did with his father.

“Just like you watch players who you want to emulate, I think young officials watch officials that they’d like to be like,” he said. “You can’t imitate somebody, but you can find good traits in everybody and make that part of your officiating game.”