After more than four decades, thousands of games and countless road trips, longtime Lloydminster hockey official Nolan Wirth has skated off the ice for the final time.
Wirth recently officiated his last game, closing a 43-year career that began in 1983 — long before visors were standard equipment, before cellphones filled pockets and before many of today’s young officials were even born.
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“It all started when I was playing minor hockey and reffing beer league hockey in high school,” said Wirth, who’s now 60-years-young. “My local assignor in Melville mentioned I was a pretty good skater and should attend a referee clinic. With guidance from a couple senior officials in the area, I started officiating hockey and soon moved up to junior A.”
Wirth’s career took him across Saskatchewan and Alberta, from small-town barns to high-pressure provincial finals and international matchups. One of the most memorable came in North Battleford in 2001, when he officiated the U18 midget AA Saskatchewan provincial final.
“As I walked into the lobby, I heard sirens, air horns and bells ringing — parents taping posters on the plexiglass,” he said. “All this commotion was for the gold-medal game. My hair instantly stood up; this was serious.”
Just minutes into the game, he made a call no referee forgets.
“I was the one who blew the first whistle for a stoppage — a penalty shot, four or five minutes in,” said Wirth. “My supervisor told me afterward, ‘Very gutsy call on the penalty shot, but the right decision — you called a good game.’”
Another career highlight came in December 1987, when he officiated a Russia U18 vs. Melville junior A exhibition game.
“They were incredibly smart, fast, talented and played tic-tac-toe hockey all night,” he recalled. “Melville tried to run them out of the rink, but it didn’t work. Russia dominated in front of a packed barn. I remember being extremely nervous. I didn’t want to make a wrong call that could influence the game or reflect on my officiating.”
Wirth may not have set out to break new ground, but he inadvertently did — by becoming one of the first local officials to wear a visor.
“I started wearing a visor in the fall of 1983, right after I registered as an official,” he said. “Back then, the side plexiglass was only about three-feet tall. With pucks bouncing at head height, I didn’t want to risk getting hit in the face. I witnessed too many injuries — broken bones, cuts to the eye, nose, countless stitches — no thanks.”
During his first SJHL game in 1986, he even got a nod of approval.
“My first SJHL game in Melville was in October 1986 against the Notre Dame Hounds. I remember conducting the end zone faceoff with the Hounds’ centerman, Rod Brind’Amour, and Curtis Joseph was in net. After the first intermission, the referee commented on my visor, saying, ‘Smart move — this will be implemented soon.’ ”
Through more than 3,500 games, Wirth developed a simple philosophy.
“Give respect to get respect,” he said. “Calling an honest, fair game is essential. Patience and clear communication are key. Staying calm and composed during high-intensity games goes a long way.”
That calm approach didn’t go unnoticed.
Referee-in-chief Warren Turvey of Lloydminster Minor Hockey said Wirth’s composure set the tone for every game.
“He’s so calm out there,” said Turvey. “We’ve officiated games with bench brawls, and Nolan’s just calm, watching and writing down numbers. That’s what you have to be. You can’t be excitable.”
Turvey also praised Wirth’s dedication to developing young officials.
“They’re the future,” he said. “We need these young guys to stick with it.”
Wirth said mentoring was one of the most rewarding parts of his career.
“I know being a young official can be overwhelming,” he said. “Your confidence can take a hit when coaches, fans and players challenge your calls. It was important to encourage young officials and help them handle those tough situations. Watching them grow year after year was incredible.”
For Wirth’s wife, Bonnie, officiating wasn’t just Nolan’s commitment — it was a family one.
“We’ve been together forever, and I think we’re at 32 years married,” she said. “He’s been officiating hockey for 43 years. His dedication is his passion for it. He loves it, and he especially loves helping and influencing younger officials. The sport means everything to him.”
She said the camaraderie among officials is something few outside the rink truly understand.
“These guys have been together for many years and respect each other immensely,” she said. “It takes a lot of commitment and dedication. One area in hockey that gets overlooked is the officiating and the number of hours and dedication they put in. Without them, the games couldn’t go on.”
Now, she said, life won’t necessarily slow down.
“I think he’ll still be involved in hockey, but we have four grandsons now, so he’ll be busy — just in a bit of a different way.”
Wirth said he’s still adjusting to quiet Friday nights.
“It feels strange not being out on the ice,” he said. “I’m a bit restless come Friday night. But I don’t miss the cold rinks or winter weather. I’m watching hockey from the comfort of my couch, wrapped in my beloved Bruins blanket.”
Still, he wants people to understand the sacrifice officials make.
“Many people don’t realize what it takes for officials to get to the rink,” he said. “Sometimes they leave work early or sacrifice family time. Others push through being sick, step in at the last minute or take a puck to the lower body where injury results … we still finish our weekend games. And yet, five minutes into the game, I’ve heard, ‘You guys are brutal tonight, should’ve stayed home.’”
His usual reply? “Now you tell us. Should’ve called me two hours ago to cancel — then you wouldn’t have had any refs.”
Despite icy highways, angry fans and the perpetual scramble to fill crews, Wirth said officials return night after night for one reason.
“All of this is for the love of the game — right?”
Wirth made countless connections in the hockey world during his time officiating. From fellow officials to former players who now coach, the veteran in black and white left an impression on all of them.
“He’s somebody you could always count on. He was always there, from the start of the season until the end. He was committed to doing what he needed to do to help out doing games,” said friend and longtime Lloydminster-area official Troy Winterhalt.
“Overall, he’s just a good guy, on and off the ice. He liked to let the teams play, but there were times where he buckled down and made some tough calls for the better of the game.
“He’s a guy we’re going to miss out there. You just don’t replace guys like that.”
Winterhalt said some of his favourite memories with Wirth were the long hours they spent travelling to tournaments and seeing how professionally Wirth carried himself.
“Whether it be players, coaches, managers, the people that worked at the rink — he was always close-knit with those people,” he said. “He was always making relationships.
“As far as his reputation, he was dedicated and someone you could always count on.”
Another local name with a long on-ice history alongside Wirth is Lakeland Rustlers women’s hockey head coach Morgan Mann. Wirth officiated Mann’s games during his playing days and, in recent years, has continued to call games for him in his role as coach.
“He’s done a lot of reffing in Lloyd, but he put a lot of time into minor hockey between Paradise Hill, Maidstone, Lashburn, Edam and Turtleford. He put a lot of time into supporting hockey out there, which is where I come from,” said Mann. “He’s one of the good guys. Just a first-class individual. He was always communicating and approachable.
“If things got heated during the game, after the game you still felt like you were friends with Nolan.”
From Melville to Lloydminster, from junior barns to international showcases, from nervous first games to mentoring the next generation, Nolan Wirth leaves behind a legacy not measured in goals or wins — but in respect.
And after 43 years, four grandsons and countless memories, he’s finally earned a quiet night at home.
Though anyone who knows him suspects he won’t stay off the ice for long.
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Congrats to this fine Official.
I was a Ref for 55 years..and you must be fair, hard of hearing
and willing to admit when you are wrong….it worked for me.