This episode of Studio Hockey features a compelling conversation with Keely Dunn, a former international umpire from Canada and the creative mind behind FHumpires.com. Known to many as "the umpire whisperer," Keely has made a name for herself not only by officiating matches around the globe, but also by teaching umpires, players, coaches, and fans how to interpret the finer points of hockey’s rules through innovative social media outreach and her online platform. Her journey, rooted in personal challenges and culminating in international recognition, sets the stage for a fascinating deep dive into the world of hockey umpiring.
Keely’s Start in Field Hockey
Keely begins by sharing her introduction to field hockey in Canada, a country where the sport is far from mainstream. She took up the game in high school after the loss of her mother, seeking community and purpose. She confesses:
"I just gone through a pretty difficult time in my life ... And I was really needing something to anchor myself to and something new and different and a way to make friends."
Her persistence paid off as she made her high school team, later transitioning into umpiring almost by accident when a teammate handed her the whistle one night. Umpiring became more than a side gig; it helped her afford the basics and, ultimately, launched her onto the international scene.
Breaking into International Umpiring
Keely recounts her participation in a tour with Canada’s women’s team to Scotland and Wales in 2001, an experience she describes as "really fun." She earned her international badge at the 2002 Central American and Caribbean Games and went on to umpire at diverse tournaments worldwide, including European under-21 championships, Junior World Cups, and Olympic qualifiers. Reflecting on her career highlights, she shares,:
The big tournaments are their own sort of experiences. But I've had really amazing times at the smaller path events that I spent a lot of times at."
Umpiring is broken
Jaspreet confronts Keely about the provocative first line of her mission statement: “Umpiring is broken.” Keely acknowledges the shock value but clarifies the intent behind it:
“We need to shock ourselves as a community out of complacency. I think we are the last element of the hockey community to move forward and catch up with the modern game.”
She believes the profession lags behind players and coaches, both in tools and professional support, and sees her mission as helping close that gap.
Shared Frustrations and Finding Like-minded Umpires
Jaspreet wonders how many umpires share Keely’s view that umpiring needs drastic improvement. She responds candidly, “I think anybody who’s under the age of 40 definitely feels that way.” She observes a growing awareness that umpiring hasn’t kept pace with the sport’s evolution, citing a lack of analysis tools, professionalism, funding, and time as persistent barriers.
FHumpires.com: Filling the Training Gap
When asked by Ernst about the added value her platform offers given that national associations already train umpires, Keely reveals a surprising gap: “After that point [initial certification], what we lack are the numbers of people who can devote the time to provide coaching and education the way that I do.” She positions herself as a professional coach able to offer detailed, continuous support—something most associations can’t, especially beyond the entry level.
Remarkably, she found her biggest clientele not in small hockey nations but in England, the supposed gold standard for umpire development. “We have this gap between professional trainers, professional coaches, and the people who need their support,” she explains.
Shifting Social Media Focus and Umpire-Fan Communication
Jaspreet notes a shift in Keely’s social media presence, previously characterized by rule breakdowns on almost all social media platforms and now more inwardly focused on the umpire community. Keely says this was less a conscious choice than a product of personal logistics—moving to England, grappling with bad internet, and spending more time working in person. However, she’s recently begun sharing bite-sized clips focused on specific match scenarios: “People love them because I have to be concise and that's not really one of my superpowers.” She admits missing real-time fan interaction but is happy to find new formats to keep educating the broader community.
Educating the Broader Community: A Call for Outreach
Ernst emphasizes the need for umpires to engage not just with their peers but with fans and players, and Keely wholeheartedly agrees: “We all need to be educated about the rules and know better how to play the game.” She recognizes the balance between serving umpires’ professional needs and demystifying decisions for all stakeholders.
The Path Forward: Professionalize Umpiring
When asked what should be done to help umpires catch up with the game’s speed, Keely is unequivocal: “Pay us. That's it.”
She argues that without financial support, high expectations for amateur volunteers are unrealistic—and the lack of compensation systematically excludes younger, diverse, and less affluent participants. She adds that umpires themselves need to reinvest earnings in their own development—training, equipment—and make a habit of immersing themselves in hockey: “We all need to watch more hockey, all of us … We need to go to events and sit our butts in the stands and pay the money to sit there and watch this amazing sport.”
Umpires in Training Sessions: Integrating with Teams
Ernst suggests that umpires should participate more in training sessions with top teams to hone their skills in live environments, not just matches. Keely agrees, noting that practical experience and integration are crucial for growth, provided of course, that paid time is available to make this viable.
Access to Hockey: Myths and Realities
Jaspreet shifts focus to the broader question of hockey’s global popularity, citing myths that it’s the world’s second most popular sport. Keely counters: “We’re in this weird space ... There's a word that's escaping me right now that we're in between things. We've got this myth of where we are in terms of a spectator sport that just isn't quite there yet.” Ernst is more blunt, calling such figures “absolutely fabricated,” reminding listeners that hockey is a small sport that needs to act accordingly to grow.
Positive Steps and Social Media Growth
In a more optimistic vein, Keely notes that positive strides have been made in recent years, such as better streaming platforms and engaging content from national associations, particularly highlighting the Pan Am Hockey social media accounts for their effective showcasing of the sport.
Law, Technology, and Analytical Umpiring
Jaspreet circles back to Keely’s academic background in law and how it shapes her umpiring philosophy. Keely shares that her legal education has helped her analyze rule wording and think logically about complex scenarios, even if emotional intelligence and the “spirit of the game” must be added to the mix. “It’s also made me really good at arguing,” she says with a laugh.
Challenges of Growing Hockey in Canada and North America
Turning to Keely’s homeland, Ernst inquires about the difficulties of growing field hockey in Canada. Keely identifies geography as a major impediment, with vast distances between population centers making travel and regular competition expensive and impractical. “You can’t grow a sport if you only have one center playing,” she laments, explaining that most national-level tournaments for adults have vanished, leaving only under-18 and under-16 competitions.
The U.S. Comparison: Collegiate Pathways and Gaps
Keely highlights the professionalism in the U.S. college system for women, while noting the collapse of playing opportunities beyond graduation and an even deeper void for male athletes. “They lose just a ton of players once they graduate,” she observes, suggesting the need for equity-based support to help men’s hockey grow.
South Asian Communities’ Grassroots Impact in Canada
Jaspreet brings up the dynamic grassroots scene among South Asian communities in Canada, who have self-funded astroturf fields and vibrant tournaments. Keely credits these communities’ local business connections for supporting such initiatives and suggests the broader hockey community could learn from their model: “We need to hire these folks and teach us how to do it, because clearly we're missing some pretty big tricks.”
Attracting Top Players to Umpiring
Moving back to umpiring, Ernst probes how to entice more competitive players into officiating, using Belgium’s Laurine Delforge as an example. Keely stresses the importance of changing perceptions: “This notion that we are this community apart and separate ... that's what we have to change.” Umpires, she says, need to be seen as engaged, passionate, and human, not distant or unapproachable.
Safety and Equipment for Umpires
Jaspreet raises the question of whether umpires should wear more protective gear. Keely’s response is clear: “No, I don't.” She argues that serious injuries are extremely rare, and protective equipment like gum shields or face masks would impede communication and visibility, doing more harm than good.
The Life Balance Challenge for Professional Umpires
Ernst asks about balancing umpiring with career and life demands. Keely notes that most top umpires succeed thanks to accommodating employers and professions, such as teaching, that allow flexibility. She highlights her own path as a rarity and underscores the importance of professionalizing coaching so retiring umpires can become paid mentors rather than leaving the sport entirely.
Rule Changes: Offside, Penalty Corners, and Aerials
With a nod to debates past, Jaspreet brings up the specter of reintroducing offside, which Keely vehemently opposes: “Offside was taken out in 1996 and it was the best thing that they ever did for a sport … it's a non starter. Thank goodness.”
On the future of penalty corners, Keely argues they are “one of the least entertaining parts of our game,” dominated by specialized skill. Both co-hosts disagree, seeing these set pieces as a key source of hockey’s uniqueness and drama, a lively moment that showcases differing perspectives.
When asked which rule is next on her radar to change, Keely identifies the aerial ball trial as likely to be implemented—praising its impact on both safety and fairness:
“It is so much safer now. And I think the defenders feel it's a lot more fair. But the attackers are still able to express their skill.”
Raising the Level of Asian Umpiring: Exchange and Exposure
Jaspreet asks how to raise the standard of umpiring in Asia and whether exchanges with Europe or the Americas would help. Keely believes such exchanges are crucial for experience and development: “You need to have strong umpires from Asia who can umpire European top matches at world tournaments and give the game the service that you need.”
We hope you enjoyed this episode of Studio Hockey, where we strive to bring you insightful conversations that span the international and domestic game. Until next time—happy hockey!
Have you seen Keely Dunn, Phil Roper, Joep de Mol & Ernst about 3D skills ↓
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