Being versatile has served Canadian Dave Hawkshaw well.
On Thursday, the NFL announced that Hawkshaw, a 14-year CFL veteran, was one of six new officials hired for the 2019 season. The 45-year-old firefighter from North Vancouver, B.C., appeared in 189 career CFL games and three Grey Cups.
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Hawkshaw began officiating football games as a teenager, following in his fatherB次元官网网址檚 footsteps. Over his tenure, he became well versed in all varieties of the game.
Versatility, Hawkshaw said, is one key to becoming a good official.
B次元官网网址淏eing the first Canadian, IB次元官网网址檓 going to work hard to make sure I fill those shoes well,B次元官网网址� Hawkshaw said. B次元官网网址淎ny young official can strive to do what they want to do but youB次元官网网址檝e got to work hard.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e grown up in a community where I had to officiate a bunch of different sets of rules through my career. I started off with American high school rules, amateur Canadian rules, NFL rules and obviously CFL rules. ThereB次元官网网址檚 no reason why people canB次元官网网址檛 balance them all. Football is football, just be a good listener and work hard.B次元官网网址�
HawkshawB次元官网网址檚 departure leaves the CFL without one of its senior officials this season. But Darren Hackwood, the leagueB次元官网网址檚 senior director of officiating, is good with that.
B次元官网网址淲e see it as a pretty big positive,B次元官网网址� said Hackwood. B次元官网网址淲e knew kind of going into this partnership with the NFL that, hopefully, weB次元官网网址檇 get the outcome of them hiring one of our officials that was in the program and thatB次元官网网址檚 a very big positive for us.B次元官网网址�
In 2016, the two leagues formed the NFL-CFL officiating development program to help officials on both sides of the border learn from each other and get more field time. The following year, Hawkshaw was among three CFL officials B次元官网网址� Dave Foxcroft of Burlington, Ont., and EdmontonB次元官网网址檚 Justin McInnes were the others B次元官网网址� who attended NFL development seminars and programs.
Each was tested thoroughly, then worked a different NFL exhibition game. Hawkshaw and Foxcroft were field judges while McInnes served as line judge.
As part of the program, CFL officials work primarily as downfield officials in NFL exhibition games, a position comparable to side judges in Canada. Conversely, NFL officials working in the CFL pre-season contests are primarily deep wing officials so as to minimize some of the rule differences between the two leagues.
The NFL appointment surprised Hawkshaw, who figured with the abundance of quality officials in the U.S. that a Canadian would be a longshot to land a job south of the border. However, it was a recommendation from Glen Johnson, a former CFL official who later served as the leagueB次元官网网址檚 director of officials and senior vice-president, football, that Hawkshaw said put him on the path towards an NFL position.
B次元官网网址淚n 2016, Glen phoned me and told me they were starting up a partnership with the NFL,B次元官网网址� Hawkshaw said. B次元官网网址淗e said they were sending three guys there and wanted me to be a part of that program.
B次元官网网址淏asically thatB次元官网网址檚 where it started and I really have Glen to thank for this opportunity. donB次元官网网址檛 think itB次元官网网址檚 even set in yet.B次元官网网址�
And it was during a conversation with the NFL officials that Hawkshaw learned he had a lot in common with them.
B次元官网网址淚 sat in a room with a bunch of the greats of the NFL, a lot of the high guys, and they all had the same story,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t was basically youB次元官网网址檝e got to be in the right place at the right time.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been in the right place at the right time, IB次元官网网址檝e happened to meet the right people, IB次元官网网址檝e been able to work hard and show them my work ethic and what IB次元官网网址檓 able to do. You donB次元官网网址檛 get to where youB次元官网网址檙e at without a couple of people helping you along the way and IB次元官网网址檓 very thankful for that.B次元官网网址�
This isnB次元官网网址檛 the first time the NFL has hired a CFL official. In 2001 referee Bill Vinovich, an American, joined the NFL officiating ranks after working for five years in the CFL.
Vinovich served as an NFL official from 2001-06 before retiring due to heart condition. He returned in 2012 after receiving a clean bill of health from doctors and is entering his 14th season south of the border in 2019.
Hackwood said the timing of HawkshawB次元官网网址檚 departure wonB次元官网网址檛 cause any problems for the CFL in terms of finding a replacement.
B次元官网网址淲e have a roster right now thatB次元官网网址檚 craving for more games,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e have the veteran officials who love to work so filling the 15 or 16 games that Dave wouldB次元官网网址檝e worked wonB次元官网网址檛 be a problem.
B次元官网网址淚t also gives us an opportunity to get one of our new officials some more reps earlier in the season. Hopefully this can be a bit of a recruitment tool for us if weB次元官网网址檙e going to be a bit of a path to the NFL for some.B次元官网网址�
Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
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