There's more than one way to have an on-ice career in hockey. Traverse City native Sean Fernandez has found that the path for him involves officiating - not playing - the game he loves and while his career has taken him all over the world, it was pretty special when he got to work in a place very near and dear to his heart; home.

"This is the home rink. It's exciting to be here," Fernandez told On Ice when we caught up with him at Centre Ice Arena during the TC NHL Prospect Tournament in September. A self-described "product of GTHA" (Grand Traverse Hockey Association), Fernandez also played for Traverse City Central High School. 

Fernandez began officiating Squirt games when he was just 13 years old and still playing hockey in order to make a few dollars and get more time on the ice. "I was pretty fortunate to work around my playing schedule and get a little extra ice time," said Fernandez. "But it can be very intimidating. You're working a Squirt game and you're a 14 to 15 year old kid and you have a grown adult on the bench who thinks he knows every rule in the rule book and he's yelling at you. But I guess I overcame all that and my passion really started developing when I was able to take it to the next level."

That "next level" presented itself when Fernandez attended Western Michigan University. "I didn't play hockey there, but worked some low-level junior hockey games and started working my way up the ranks," said Fernandez. "Then, a lot of doors opened up to follow my passion and my dream after I graduated and that's how I wound up here."

After graduating from WMU with a Sales and Business Marketing and Economics degree, Fernandez began officiating full time. He participated in the Officials Development Program through USA Hockey which focuses on various leagues and helps officials prepare for higher levels. Through this program, Fernandez was able to work within a variety of leagues including the North American Hockey League (NAHL), United States Hockey League (USHL) and Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL), the latter of which is, according to Fernandez, "the pinnacle of the Officials Development Program because it gets guys involved in lower level professional hockey. It's great experience because it's different than juniors. You're dealing with men now. You're getting involved where players are getting paid and making a living playing hockey." Because of being involved in those leagues, Fernandez has lived in Chicago, Omaha and outside Atlanta.

Fernandez worked the finals for the SPHL and then was hired as a full time on ice official for the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) this year, the position that brought him back to Michigan - he now lives near Detroit - and, ultimately, to his hometown to officiate during the TC NHL Prospect Tournament. Although the position is full time, Fernandez gets the summers off and returned to Traverse City. As he put it; "What better spot to come back to than TC?"

Goals are not just something scored in hockey, and Fernandez has set some big ones for himself. "My ultimate goal and dream is to work in the NHL" he said. As for short term goals, Fernandez aspires to work the Kelly Cup - the ECHL League's championship finals - and in March 2017 will travel to Mexico City to work the International Ice Hockey Federation's championship tournament. "This will be my first double IHF tournament," said Fernandez. "It's cool to get the first one in and grow in the international side of things."

As for steps that Fernandez would suggest for young people who have an interest in pursuing officiating, it came down to these suggestions: "Enjoy where you're at and enjoy the process," he said. "There's a lot that goes in to moving up in the leagues and in the ranks and there's a lot of opportunity out there."

Fernandez added this final takeaway: "Officiating is a thankless job. But, you want to know what? If I didn't enjoy it, I wouldn't still be doing it. It's a fun group to be a part of on the officiating side."