Some people get into hockey officiating for the love of the game or to make extra money. For three generations of the Pettis family in Gaylord, Michigan, officiating is all of that, but it’s also a service to their community.
The Pettis’ — Al, his son Chuck and Chuck’s son Caleb — are all hockey officials in the town of about 3,600 people that is roughly 60 miles south of the Mackinac Bridge, which connects Michigan and its Upper Peninsula where Lake Huron and Lake Michigan meet.
As Chuck put it, there are only a few refs in town, and three have the same last name.
Al has been officiating for nearly 30 years. He started skating on ponds near Flint, Michigan, as a high schooler. Nearly 50 years later, he’s still on the ice more often than not. When he first moved to Gaylord, the only rink was outdoors. These days he stays a bit warmer, but his love of hockey and supporting local teams has not waned. He found when he moved north to Gaylord that there were not enough officials. He figured if he couldn’t play much, he could get into officiating. And then he just kept at it for the past three decades.
At 68, Al said he’s slowed down a bit, but doesn’t plan to retire soon.
“[I plan to officiate] as long as I can,” Al Pettis said. “I thought maybe [I’d stop at] 70, but I’ve got two more years until then. I don’t know how long I’ll be able to, but as long as I can skate, I will. I try not to do the older kids as much anymore. But if it’s needed, I’ll step up and do what I can.”
The communities in northern Michigan are small but tightly knit, and a love of hockey seems to permeate all corners of this part of the state. Chuck lamented that he spends so much time officiating that he often doesn’t get to watch as many Red Wings games as he’d like. That’s because in addition to refereeing the games for the local team, you can often find the Pettis men at tournaments and showcases in other cities across the area.
