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Referee earns regional improvement award

Creighton hockey official Lauren Fox has been honoured as one of the north’s most noteworthy referees.
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Creighton hockey official Lauren Fox has been honoured as one of the north’s most noteworthy referees.

Fox was recently named the most improved referee for the Norman region by Hockey Manitoba, one of three award winners in the region and the only one from Flin Flon.

“Last year, I had won the Flin Flon most improved award and I was told they would be putting my name forward for the region. I didn’t really think I was going to get it – but I got it,” Fox said.

Fox has been an on-ice official for five years, works in all age groups for Flin Flon Minor Hockey and officiates in tournaments. During this year’s Flin Flon Bomber camp, Fox was an on-ice official for scrimmages and intrasquad games.

Several seasons ago, Fox’s older brother Brad received the same award. The two sometimes officiate games together, working in tandem.

“My brother won the same award when he was the same age. I felt kind of sentimental that he’d won it and then I’d won it,” said Fox.

“We support each other. I know that he’s always supportive of me and I’m always supportive of him.”

Away from the rink, Fox works with the Flin Flon Aqua Jets, plays with school bands and choirs and is a two-time reigning Saskatchewan high school golf champion.

Next year, Fox will be leaving for university. Fox said living in a small, remote town has helped her access certain assignments that may not be available for other urban-based refs.

“If I lived in Winnipeg, I’d pretty much only ref peewee or bantam. Since we live here and there’s kind of a shortage of refs, I ref novice, atom, bantam and U18,” she said.

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