However, Dave LaBuda, USA Hockey’s referee-in-chief for the last 16 years, said one of the primary goals for the fifth ever USA Hockey Advanced Officiating Symposium is to create the next generation of officiating mentors this weekend just miles away from the nation’s capital.

“The theme for the symposium is Officials Mentoring Officials,” LaBuda said. “This will be the foundation we are going to build on throughout this particular weekend. We have incorporated more information about mentoring in both our general session and our breakout sessions.”

USA Hockey continues to see record growth in its officiating ranks, including more than 31,000 officials last season, but LaBuda stressed the next step beyond just continuing education is retaining these same officials for years to come.

“Mentoring can make a real positive difference and each one of you can be part of making that positive change,” LaBuda said.

The group of officials in attendance have already started to discuss ways to elevate and support each other, including younger officials, in their local associations. How can they work with coaches and parents to make sure officials have a safe and fun environment? This was a topic of discussion during a panel roundtable with Scott Paluch, Dan JaBlonic, Charlie O’Connor, Gui Bradshaw and Katie Holmgren.

Paul Carnathan coaches officials in the ECHL and supervises officials in Georgia for USA Hockey after previously working over 600 games in the ECHL, 15 seasons in the AHL and various IIHF events. During his keynote address Friday afternoon, Carnathan went through a seemingly endless list of the various mentors that helped him throughout his career.

Whenever he felt down and out about a mistake, Carnathan knew he had someone in his corner to help give him honest feedback and put him back in the right track.

“What can you do to make the game better?” Carnathan, who also encouraged every official to watch Murphy’s U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame speech, said. “What can you do to put us in a better spot going forward? When is the last time we told a younger official, who has made a mistake, but is working hard, ‘You know what, you are doing awesome, stick with it.’

“Sometimes that little bit of encouragement is all they need, and it was for me.”

Mistakes happen. It is life as an official, as well as for a hockey player and coach.

Murphy has said repeatedly that, yes, he has worked more than 2,000 NHL games, but he also has had the same amount, if not more, mistakes on the ice. He also took accountability for them.

Carnathan joked that if Murphy made 2,000 mistakes, then he maybe made 10,000.

Therefore, every official can benefit from mentorship.

Brian Murphy: 'The Biggest Thing About Officiating Is Mentorship

While the group will network and learn about the resources available to them as officials, Murphy also gave his fellow officials simple, yet important advice as they grow as mentors.

“It has always worked my entire life. I am authentic,” Murphy said. “What you see here is what you get. Ultimately, if you are the mentor, you have to tell people the truth. They are not going to get better if you don’t coach them. Everybody wants to tell people how great they are. Our whole society wants to say you are great, but at some point, if you are not coaching people how to get better they are not going to get better. You have to give them some honest answers. If you are in that mentor role, be yourself, but at some point you have to be honest. You build that trust over time with multiple conversations. It doesn’t happen overnight. Don’t go on the ice and be somebody else. On the ice, be yourself.

Murphy then concluded, “Authentic leadership is the best type of leadership. Be yourself, and that is the best thing I can tell you about being an official and mentor. Be yourself.”