From Players to Referees, the Day Family Committed to Hockey

The family that plays (and officiates) together, remains united.

For the Day family, consisting of parents Michelle and Brian, along with their children Mackenzie, Keara, and Conor from New Hudson, Michigan, the motto required an enhancement.

Some families immerse themselves in ice hockey due to a parental background in the sport. Others become involved because their children develop an interest. The latter scenario is what transformed the lives of the Day family.

While residing in Buffalo, New York, Michelle took her eldest daughter, Mackenzie, to a Try Hockey For Free event. Although she could not skate, by the end of the session, Mackenzie emerged from the ice exclaiming, “I love it.”

In response, Brian jokingly told his wife, “I hate you.”

However, the parents fully committed to supporting their daughter.

“My husband became a coach,” Michelle noted. “He achieved Level 4 coaching status, completing all the seminars and classes offered by USA Hockey, and coached Mackenzie until she turned 14.”

Conor and Keara followed in her footsteps. Currently, the three are located across the country. Keara, 14, earned a spot on the Bishop Kearney Selects 16U girls program in Rochester, New York. Conor, 17, plays for his local Michigan high school team. Mackenzie, 21, is enrolled at Western Connecticut State and will join their new women’s Division III program when it launches next season (she is also a member of their golf team).

Unbeknownst to the parents, they would take on additional responsibilities as Mackenzie and Conor also developed an interest in officiating while continuing to play, further complicating the carpool schedule.

“It was challenging to coordinate,” Michelle acknowledged. “For instance, my son was a senior this year, so we ensured that at least one of us did not miss any of his games. We also wanted to make sure Keara felt supported while in Rochester. Balancing our roles as parents for all three was likely the greatest challenge because we didn’t want to miss anything. When they were officiating, until they turned 16 and could drive, we had to attend all their games. I watched just as many officiating games as I did their playing games.”

Michelle derived equal joy and pride from their officiating achievements as she did from their playing successes.

“Many parents have opinions about your children and the officials, so that presents a significant challenge. It’s enjoyable to watch them officiate. The better they become, the more at ease you feel as a parent, knowing they are putting in the effort.”

Last year, Mackenzie and Conor officiated a game together during the Chipotle-USA Hockey Youth & Girls National Championships, which Michelle described as “the coolest thing.”

This past March, the Day family navigated another hectic schedule related to nationals. They began in Amherst, New York, to support Keara playing for the Rochester Youth BK Selects in the Girls Tier I 16U tournament. After Keara’s team was eliminated, the parents had the chance to return home and watch Mackenzie officiate the championship game in Plymouth, Michigan.

“It’s difficult. You want to be there for the youngest because she is only 14, so we aimed to support her, but you also want to be present for the one officiating a national championship game because it’s a significant honor,” Michelle stated. “It allowed us to return in time to see Mackenzie officiate the final game. I missed many games, but I witnessed the most crucial one.”

Participating in sports imparts valuable lessons to children. Officiating a sport can teach them even more, including how to become better players.

“Each of them gains something unique from it,” Michelle remarked. “Mackenzie spent a lot of time in the penalty box. She adjusted her style because if she got suspended, she would lose money. She said, ‘I’m not sacrificing my paycheck for that.’ Additionally, she didn’t want to put her Michigan officials in a position where they had to eject her, so she modified her behavior. She improved as a player because of her officiating experience.

“My son served as the rules captain on his team. When incidents occurred on the ice, his coaches would ask, ‘What was that called for?’ He became the knowledgeable player. He was one of the assistant captains on the team and carried himself well. He was once a shy kid who disliked socializing. Now he engages in conversations with adults. He learned how to communicate with adults through his officiating role.”

The eldest, who initiated the family’s journey into this realm, has aspirations of her own.

“Mackenzie aims to officiate at the Olympics, and she mentioned 2034 in Salt Lake City,” Michelle stated with pride.

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.