RANKIN INLET/WINNIPEG
A Winnipeg official who's been helping out with hockey games in Rankin Inlet is no stranger to the spotlight.
Winnipeg ref Blake Rempel, left, and movie actor and fellow hockey official Jeff Strome have a laugh while checking out the numerous Jordin Tootoo mementos at the Kivalliq News office in Rankin Inlet this past month. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo
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Jeff Strome, 28, had parts in the movie, Goon, and the TV miniseries, The Don Cherry Story.
Both roles were as far away from officiating as one can possibly get.
Strome got the acting bug and studied a little theatre and film acting while attending the University of Manitoba.
He said he got lucky with a couple of things after graduating from university, and managed to become a member of both the film and stage actor's unions.
"When you're part of the union, you get notified of auditions for projects that come into your city," said Strome.
"Goon was being shot in Winnipeg, Portage la Prairie and Brandon, and I was called to audition for a role.
"I've seen my share of hockey goons as a referee, so I knew what to do."
Goon, written by Jay Baruchel and Evan Goldberg, was directed by Michael Dowse and stars Seann William Scott, Baruchel, Alison Pill, Kim Coates, Liev Schreiber and Eugene Levy.
The film received mostly positive reviews and Goon 2 is already in the works.
Strome said a fair number of films shoot in and around Winnipeg.
He said it's cost effective for production companies, and especially attractive for anyone shooting a hockey movie.
"They come into town and there's hundreds of former pro hockey players, and all kinds of guys who are happy to take part in the filming and try to make the hockey look as real as possible.
"I play a goon on another team and I get into a bit of an altercation on the ice.
"The main character's coach sends him to confront me when I get out of the penalty box, some words are exchanged and we have a little scrap.
"The fight doesn't end well for my character."
As big as the Goon movie became, many Canadian hockey fans are even more impressed to learn of Strome's role in The Don Cherry Story.
The film was shot in two parts about a year apart.
Strome, whose role was in part two, said The Don Cherry Story was an exciting project to be involved with.
He said he plays a hockey fighter again, and gets to have a scrap with Cherry during a flashback to when Grapes was a young player.
"The role was a bit smaller than what I had in Goon.
"I didn't have any dialogue, just the fight against Cherry's character.
"Grapes was on the set for a few days, but, unfortunately, I wasn't around when he was there.
"His son, Tim, was heavily involved in the movie and was there the whole time."
Strome said Tim made sure the movie was accurate and didn't have too many distorted events.
He said most of the characters were based on real people, and Tim Cherry knew most of them.
"Tim knows his dad better than most people, so he was an important part of the film in that way, and it was neat having him around and hearing some of his stories.
"One story I heard was of Grapes going to a minor hockey game while in town and the coach of one of the teams, either peewees or bantams, recognized him.
"The coach asked Grapes if he'd come in and give his players a bit of a pep talk and Don was more than happy to do it.
"You can just imagine the shock on those kids' faces when Don Cherry walked in between periods to give them a pep talk."
Strome came to Rankin to ref in the Sakku First Aviation Avataq Cup, as well as two stops by the Northern Hockey Challenge.
He said he's already looking forward to his next visit to Rankin.
"I was blown away by the hockey in Rankin.
"I wasn't expecting that level of skill among the players or the overall quality of hockey I saw.
"I never would have imagined some of these smaller communities being able to ice such great hockey teams.
"It's obviously a bit different with no bodychecking, but I'd put the speed of the game at the junior level."
Strome said he's impressed with the creative ways Northern players use their bodies to shield the puck and block each-other's progress, leading to some physical games.
He said the crowds at the Avataq Cup, especially the final few games, were amazing.
"The atmosphere in the arena was really something special to experience.
"The amount of noise during the bigger games, with people lined all-around the glass, is one of the things I go home and tell everybody about.
"I had my friend and Referee-In-Chief for Hockey North Darrell Greer preparing me for the experience, but, no matter how many times you're told how high the level of play is, you don't really know until you're out here.
"Hockey is almost a sacred game here, and that comes through from the fans, players, local officials and everyone else involved."
