Like a lot of fathers, Duane “Buck” Blum got involved with hockey when his son started playing. He begins the story, “I started as an assistant coach for FAHA in 1994 and then was a head coach from 1996 ‘til 1999. From 1995 through 2010, I volunteered as a Rink Master for an outdoor rink on Fort Wainwright. The job consists of maintaining the ice every night for practice. I learned how to drive the Zamboni, which was and is a lot of fun. I also distributed and retrieved goals from outdoor rinks all over town.”
Blum had a rewarding experience during his tenure as a Zam driver, which tells you something about the man. One day, the rink manager asked him to show up at a certain time. When Buck arrived, he was introduced to a lady who was obviously quite ill. Included on the woman’s “bucket list” was a long-term desire to drive a Zamboni. Buck wasn’t sure how to proceed. He fired up the machine and invited the woman to stand next to him as he drove a few laps, explaining all the levers and handles. Blum continues the story, “When I could tell she was ready, I shifted her over to the driver’s seat. As she became more comfortable with driving, I encouraged her to go faster. She ended up doing doughnuts on the ice, laughing all the time. That was a rewarding day for me; well worth the hassle.” It takes a special man to fulfill the “bucket list” dream of a terminally-ill person.
“For some reason, I wanted to be a ref. I gave up the coach’s whistle and picked up the ref’s whistle. It was just something that motivated me. I started reffing in 2001. I did mostly youth outdoor games at the Big Dipper. Over the past 15 years, I’ve worked my way up through all the age groups of youth hockey. I’ve also reffed for the high schools and adult leagues in town. I thought I knew the rules even before I started reffing games. However, I quickly learned that there are so many variations on the basic rules. I studied the rule book night after night. It was hard for me to remember all the nuances.”
“I never was a great skater. I’m still not, but I’m a lot better than when I started. One thing that helped me a lot was taking a class from Lisa Kriley. I saw her working out during a rec skating period. I was impressed by what a great skater she is. Lisa is stronger and more stable on one skate than I am on two. When I learned that she was an instructor, I didn’t hesitate to sign up. That class helped me improve my skating skills.”
“Several of the local refs were very helpful to me when I got started. John Canoy was supportive. Rufus King would talk to me after every game that we officiated together. He’d point out areas where I could improve. Rick Redick was also very helpful. I can’t get over how patient they were with me.”
Canoy admires the contribution that Blum has made, “Buck Blum is definitely one of a kind. I remember when he first started officiating. In a short time, Buck was signing up for every game available. He really improved over the years. Buck is the kind of official every association needs; the guy that wants to make games fun and fair for the participants. He deserves this recognition from the Hall of Fame.”
Buck resumes his narrative, “I enjoy working with the younger kids. When I see minor violations, I often skate up to them during a stoppage and explain what they did wrong. In my mind, that approach is way more effective than blowing a whistle to stop the action and then put a seven year old in the penalty box. Knowing when to bend the rules is important to the flow of the game. That’s just as true with Bantams as it is with the youngest kids.”
“Perhaps my most rewarding officiating experiences have been some of the special tournaments around the State. Healy has an event they call the Winterfest. I’ve done as many as six games in one day down there. I also went up to Barrow in 2011 and reffed 16 games in three days for their Inter-Continental Series. The Native elders came to the championship game, which was broadcast on the radio. I officiated for the Arctic Winter Games in 2014. Here in Fairbanks, I’ve helped with games for the Breast Cancer Detection Center, a fund-raiser for children’s cancer and the International Senior Games. I often donate my fee back to the cause. Makes me feel good.”
“You really have to enjoy the sport to ref. As you get into the older age brackets of youth hockey, it gets more and more intense. If you didn’t enjoy the game itself, all that tension could ruin it for you. The best part of reffing is getting to know the people. That’s the same as coaching or any other aspect of the game. You have an important bond with these folks and develop life-long friendships.”
Luther Brice serves as both a coach and the President of the Ice Breakers program. He has this to say about Blum, “Buck is a person who shows up at the rink with a smile on his face and it does not matter what age group, tier or association he is refereeing for. On weekends, he often refs several games a day at multiple rinks. Following a youth game I coached, he told me that after a men’s league that night, it would be seven games in one day. Every year, you see Buck mentoring new refs, helping them to gain the confidence to continue officiating.
Blum’s hard work and positive outlook have earned him the respect of players, coaches and fans throughout the State.