“If you have trouble, you can look in the mirror”

The story is familiar.

When your career as a player is in full swing, refereeing doesn’t seem interesting at first, it’s downright embarrassing – but when you pick up the whistle, the whistle goes with you.

That’s what happened too Given to Bomaneight times in a row for the champion judge voted the best in the league players’ vote.

– A career as a judge never occurred to me, he laughs.

– It was a pretty far-fetched thought.

Boman did not have a great career as a player. The statistics recorded 139 league matches in the shirt of Ässie and Tappara, as well as visits to the Euroseries.

When his career ended in the spring of 2005, Boman didn’t have a big vision for the future.

– The motivation to study had been lost in the past.

A gamer from spade years, already initiated into the world of whistling Petri Tuomisto Turkish Boman for the refereeing course.

– Petri of Tuomiston advised me to go and try it. That’s how it started, Boman recalls.

– There was someone in that whistling.

“Demand grew”

The first match with a whistle on my lips was exciting, Boman says, even though there were ten-year-old beginning gamblers chilling in the rink.

– It didn’t really go well, at least in my opinion. Probably the first year went by when I was nervous about matches.

Despite the tension, the whistles hit the spot.

– I was able to progress very quickly, and the demand grew. I don’t know if I would have been able to wade through petty games for many years.

In the fall of 2007, one and a half years after the referee course, Boman was already in the SM league. He recalls that the debut game was Blues–Pelicans.

– It went very well.

In the match, the second referee’s vote was used Jari Levonena hero colleague from Pori respected by the players.

– Japa said to just let it go and take it easy. It was easy to go along with it.

Boman set out to pursue a career as a judge seriously, from the beginning with a professional attitude, as he puts it.

– In the beginning, it was quite different when there were no media jobs. Sai could whistle in peace, Boman remembers.

– Now if something comes up, all the media are immediately full. Time was kinder before, from the judge’s point of view.

Worst mistake

The players are constantly on the field, the referees less often. Still, the judges get quite a lot of rap storms.

– Kura doesn’t take a moment, Boman acknowledges.

– If you really have a problem, then you can look in the mirror – and swallow that problem.

Boman mentions conceding Tappara’s goal in the spring 2014 final series as the worst mistake of his career. Tomas Plihal rushed to the goal and forced the puck past the Kärppie net Jussi Rynnänsen.

Boman had positioned himself behind the goal, according to orthodoxy.

– Plihal collided with the goalkeeper, and the puck went into the goal, he says.

– Somehow I froze and showed the goal. I immediately realized that I was going crazy.

The goal ruling could have been overturned if the puck had not crossed the line or the post had been out of place or the goal had been scored by kicking. At that time, hitting the goalkeeper was not one of the video surveillance fouls.

Boman had no choice but to accept the goal he showed and whistled.

– Nothing could be done.

The decision was big, as Tappara took a 3–1 lead in the final series with Plihal’s overtime hit. Kärpät took the next three matches and turned the series around.

Great steps

Refereeing has taken great strides during Boman’s long, brisk league career of more than a thousand matches. A large number of head judges work as professionals, and the role of technology increases almost every year.

Boman admits that he previously had a squeamish attitude towards the video part of his work.

– At first I was against everything. It breaks the game if you watch something from the video all the time, he says.

– Now I think that the reforms are good. I’ll forgive it when I can check.

“Attunements”

Boman’s, 51, career is in the spring season-long final stretch. Last spring, during the season feedback, he was told that there is only one more league year available.

Boman admits that there were frustrations in the summer and desires to continue longer.

– I thought that this didn’t have to end yet, but now I’m with you.

According to Boman, the only reason was age.

– The matter is otherwise not justified, he says.

– I guess they have to get younger ones [tuomareita Liigaan].

Does the upset strike when the final whistle is blown?

– I can’t really say yet. In the fall, it probably hits when the games start, and you don’t have to leave anymore.

Boman does not have a more detailed plan for future work patterns.

– At least you have to find a new hobby that fits your pants.

Boman would like to stay involved with top hockey and refereeing. Jobs could be available, for example, in training and coaching referees and in the League’s situation room.

– There are some adjustments, Boman says.

– If only I could be involved somehow.