If you鈥檝e ever competed at a speedskating meet in Yellowknife, there鈥檚 a better-than-good chance you鈥檝e seen Robin Greig or David Gilday on the ice as officials in some capacity.

Sometimes, they鈥檝e even officiated together.

Regardless, the veteran officials will have some national duties this season after Speed Skating Canada released its list of assignments late last month for its sanctioned meets. Both will be in Calgary in early November for the first Canada Cup event at the Olympic Oval. Greig will work a second event in March 2022: the Canada West Championship in Selkirk, Man.

Greig said it鈥檚 always an honour to be chosen to work at the national level.

鈥淚鈥檓 very fortunate because there so many officials they could choose from,鈥� he said.

Greig will be working as the first assistant referee to the chief referee while Gilday will be working as the second assistant in Calgary.

Gilday said there isn鈥檛 much difference in what the assistants do.

鈥淭he easiest way to put it is the chief referee tells you what you鈥檙e doing while you鈥檙e on the ice,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou get told to work one end of the ice and the other assistant works the other. You blow the whistle to stop a race, you鈥檙e making sure the pucks (corner markers) are in place. Basically, you鈥檙e being directed by the chief referee on everything.鈥�

If there is a difference, Gilday said the first assistant deals more with the coaches and explains a lot of what鈥檚 going on.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important to be friendly, to let them know that they鈥檙e dealing with a human,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 how I鈥檝e always gone about it because we are human. You need to be fair and you need to be composed because you know the athletes鈥� nerves are already a wreck so you need to be willing to talk things out.鈥�

Greig said the first assistant is also responsible for taking over if the chief referee runs into difficulty and can鈥檛 carry on.

鈥淚f the chief referee has to leave for any reason, you鈥檙e the one who assumes that role,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e also there to help make decisions if you鈥檙e called upon. You鈥檙e watching the races and if there鈥檚 the need to make a call, you consult with the chief referee on it. If you all saw the same thing, then that鈥檚 the call.鈥�

Greig鈥檚 assignment in Manitoba will see him serve as the chief referee for that meet and he said that鈥檚 where he鈥檒l have to demonstrate that he has a handle on things.

鈥淵ou have to show confidence and competency when you鈥檙e in that position,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou have to be able to make the call, sometimes tough ones, and do it quickly.鈥�

While the job calls for confidence, Gilday said there鈥檚 one thing every official needs to remember: 鈥淵ou aren鈥檛 there to be the show,鈥� he said. 鈥淣o one鈥檚 there to watch you and a good official will let the skaters decide things. There鈥檚 no need to go making a call to let everyone know you鈥檙e there. The best official is one that鈥檚 invisible.鈥�

As it stands, Speed Skating Canada is moving ahead with its full schedule of events with no cancellations or postponements to date due to Covid-19.

Greig said when he and Gilday work in Calgary, they will be following whatever protocol is in place at the University of Calgary, which operates the Olympic Oval.

鈥淭here鈥檚 the rules about masking and hand-washing and we have to show proof of vaccination, so no different than a lot of other events,鈥� he said. 鈥淪peed Skating Canada always makes the final call on whether a meet goes ahead but officials also have the choice to opt out if they don鈥檛 feel safe.鈥�