The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Sports Oakville Beaver 27 · Wednesday, October 17, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com SPORTS EDITOR:JONKUIPERIJ Phone 905-632-0588 (ext. 294) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com Cheers ROCK TRYOUTS: Cheerleaders (from left) Jennifer, Dayna, Jennifer, Norah-Jean and Devon practice a routine during the Toronto Rock's cheerleading tryouts Sunday at the National Lacrosse League team's practice facility in Oakville. Dayna and NorahJean, both Oakville residents, were looking to keep their spots on the 16-woman team that entertains the crowd at home games as well as attending charity and promotional events throughout the Greater Toronto Area. GRAHAM PAINE / OAKVILLE BEAVER / @HALTON_PHOTOG Young official earns his stripes -- and bands -- in OHL By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR Jeff Campbell's first game as an Ontario Hockey League (OHL) referee didn't quite go the way he'd always envisoned it in his mind. "It was nerve-wracking the whole day. It was an anxious but exciting feeling to get the game going," Campbell recalled of his OHL debut, a Sept. 27 contest between the Erie Otters and host Peterborough Petes. "Then, about five minutes in, I was accidentally tripped up by a player and fell." Campbell's spill drew the predictable cheers from the Peterborough crowd, but that didn't bother the Oakville resident. In fact, he's glad it happened. "That little moment of hilarity really settled me in," Campbell said. "I had wanted to go in there and not miss a thing." Falling early into his OHL debut was one of the few things that have gone wrong for Campbell so far in his officiating career. At just 24 years of age, he's already in his fifth year working games for the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) and has officiated contests at the Canadian university, senior AAA and junior A levels. Campbell also worked as a linesman at last year's world under-17 championships in Windsor before earning the OHL armbands this season. "I'd say the jump to the OHL has been a big difference for me... These kids are the best in the world in terms of major junior hockey," said Campbell, who used to prefer being a linesman but said he's now comfortable as a referee. "It's a jump, compared to junior hockey and the OHA, but the experience I had in the OHA has really helped me develop in terms of skating and positioning, learning how these guys play, reading the play and anticipating what's going to happen." Campbell's promotion to the OHL is the latest sign that Hockey Canada is happy with his work. Last weekend in London, Campbell participated in Hockey Canada's Officiating Program of Excellence for the second time and said he received plenty of positive feedback. Campbell ultimately aspires to be an official in the National Hockey League, but is also appreciative of how far he's already come. "Making the OHL was a dream of mine. If the NHL never came as an opportunity for me, I would say I'm more than satisfied with what I've accomplished so far," said Campbell, who credits his parents (Rob and Jane) and brothers (Greg and Bryan) for helping him reach the OHL. "I know a lot of guys who would like to be in my shoes. "The NHL is still a goal, but I'll just take one game at a time and work towards it, listen to my supervisors and other guys I work with. Hopefully it does work out someday and, if not, it wasn't meant to be." --Jon Kuiperij can be followed on Twitter @Beaversports OAKVILLE BEAVER FILE PHOTO OFFICIALLY IN OHL: Jeff Campbell, pictured officiating a minor hockey game three years ago, is in his first season refereeing for the Ontario Hockey League.