Now that another Olympic Games is over, many across Canada know the stories of our athletes and the various roads they took to get to their ultimate goal. But what about the officials? Every sport has officials and they also have stories about hard work and sacrifice but their accomplishments are seldom recognized by anyone outside their inner circle. Well, meet Derek Amell, 17-year NHL linesman and now an Olympian. When I turned on the mens hockey gold medal game between Canada and Sweden, I was happy to see that an old acquaintance would be working the lines for the biggest game on the worlds biggest stage. You see, over 25 years ago, Derek and I worked together at a drug store chain in Whitby, Ontario. I was a university student taking a year off school and he was a high school student looking to improve on his first job working the night shift at Burger King for $2.85/hr. There were two things I remembered about Derek back then: he was a lot bigger than me, and he had a very calm personality. Looking back, those are two good attributes for an NHL linesman. For Derek, the dream took off at the age of 24 when he worked his first Ontario Hockey League game. Three years later, he started working American Hockey League games and this is where our paths would cross again. I was an off-ice official with the Hamilton Canucks and Hamilton Bulldogs in the 1990s and we would touch base now and again at Copps Coliseum. I could see then that he was on his way to the NHL. "I felt the NHL was an attainable goal after working the AHLs Calder Cup Final in my first year," said Amell. He wouldnt have to wait long for the big moment. The following year, he found out he would be working NHL games in the upcoming season. In his first NHL season, the league made the decision to return to the Olympics in Nagano, meaning there was now another rung on the ladder of success for NHL players and officials. There would be some career highlights along the way, such as the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, the 2009 and 2012 Stanley Cup Finals as well as the 2012 NHL All-Star Game. Could the Olympics be next? And then he got the news. Unlike the athletes who are introduced at news conferences, Amell was contacted through e-mail by Stephen Walkom, the NHLs director of officiating. The message was sent on December 1, naming the 13 NHL officials who were chosen to work in Sochi. Of course, when athletes go to the Olympics, they stay in the Athletes Village and invite family and friends to share in the experience. Is it the same for the officials? "The officials stayed together in a hotel right inside the Olympic area. It was great to be together with all the amateur officials," said Amell, who is a married father of two children but did not have any family join him in Sochi. To work the gold medal game, he had to prove himself again. "The gold medal officials were chosen by a panel of supervisors from various countries and it was based on performance during the tournament. We were told by e-mail after the semifinal games," said Amell. When the officials for the gold medal game were announced, former NHL player and Swedish international Peter Forsberg was incensed that Canadians would be working the game but some current Swedish players defended the decision, saying their nationality wouldnt affect their decision-making. "We knew there would be extreme scrutiny on the officiating when it was announced that the officials were Canadian," said Amell. "We knew the players would be comfortable with us since we are all in the NHL. It was more an issue with the media than with the players. "At the end of the game, the entire Swedish team came over and shook our hands and told us we did a great job. That was very satisfying for us." So which was more nerve-racking: the first NHL game or the gold medal game? "Working the gold medal game was the most nerve-racking game I have ever officiated," he admitted. Its been a long road from collecting shopping carts in Whitby to officiating at the gold medal game in Sochi. And while Amells appearance at the Olympics may not have been as celebrated as many of the athletes, or even noticed by most viewers, the accomplishment is no less significant. And just like the athletes, family plays an integral role in the success of officials, offering support and enduring hardships over the years. "Since we only work 6-8 games a year at home, the family sacrifices are large," said Amell. "I miss most of my childrens sports activities and birthdays. They understand the life of an NHL official, but it still can be very difficult on my wife and children," said Amell. As for the hundreds of people who show up at the airport for our returning athletes, how does the return of an official compare? "No one met me at the airport," Amell laughed. "It was like coming home from any other road trip!" The Olympics is a place where dreams can come true. Most people dream of winning a gold medal but dont tell Derek Amell that his accomplishment is anything less. He just achieved his Olympic goal with a lot less fanfare. And, like a linesman who goes unnoticed when he does a good job, thats the way he likes it. Comprar Adidas NMD Baratas . -- The Denver Broncos retired John Elways No. Adidas Ultra Boost España . That time around, the cage is as much a part of baseballs daily routine as a beer and a hotdog is to a fan in the stands. Coaches, scouts, broadcasters and other media hover, tossing verbal barbs, telling stories and sharing laughs. Occasionally, especially in spring when the atmosphere is relatively laid back, the list of invited guests expands and on this day, Gibbons welcomed two men strongly influential in his life. http://www.baratasnmd.com/adidas-deerupt-baratas.html. The top-ranked Spaniard won his fourth Madrid Open on Sunday after Kei Nishikori was forced to withdraw with a hip injury when trailing 2-6, 6-4, 3-0 in the final. And Nadal, who is coming off to uncharacteristic quarterfinal losses on clay, said his mental strength is still lacking just two weeks ahead of the French Open. Adidas Deerupt Hombre Baratas . Starting from pole, the 26-year-old Vettel turned in a trademark clinical performance to win the Indian Grand Prix on Sunday and join F1 greats Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher as just the third driver to win four consecutive championships. Adidas NMD R1 Baratas . -- Center Max Unger and tight end Zach Miller are both probable for the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday against the New York Giants and Percy Harvins recovery continues to be slow.PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Gregory Polanco stepped into the batters box with the bases loaded and one out in the fourth inning. His team led the Miami Marlins by a run, and he had a golden opportunity to put the game out of reach. After taking two pitches out of the zone, he fouled one back behind the third-base dugout. The next was hit foul down the left field line. Polancos third cut did the trick as he laced left-hander Brian Flynns 2-2 offering to his opposite field for a two-run single that gave the Pirates a three-run lead. The rookie finished 2 for 4 and drove in four runs, Edinson Volquez pitched one-hit ball over seven innings, and Pittsburgh beat Miami 7-2 Thursday night. "I was just trying to see the ball and not hurry with my swing," Polanco said. "He was throwing really good. Thats why I was fouling off so many balls." Polanco is showing he can handle left-handers early in his big league career. "I think thats the third time hes shown that ability to hit a ball into left field off a left-hander," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. "When theyre throwing down and away, he stayed out over the plate and covered it." Marlins reliever Dan Jennings was hit in the head by a line drive off the bat of Jordy Mercer in the seventh. Miami manager Mike Redmond said Jennings had his eyes open and was responding to questions when he was on the mound. After the game, the Marlins announced that a CT scan on Jennings was negative and that he was diagnosed with a concussion. He was kept in a hospital overnight for observation. Jennings momentarily stumbled before going to his knees after the play. He stood up to get in a cart and held up a hand to acknowledge the crowd as he was driven off the field. Volquez (9-7) didnt allow a hit until the fifth, when Donovan Solano singled with one out. Volquez struck out seven batters and walked three. Flynn (0-1) was chased before he got an out in the fifth. Mercers leadoff double started a three-run fourth. Polancos two-run single maade it 3-0.dddddddddddd Mercer and Gaby Sanchez added RBI singles in the fifth. Mercer finished with three hits and scored twice, and Josh Harrison extended his hitting streak to a career-high 11 games. Polanco hit a two-run double in the eighth. Giancarlo Stanton hit his 27th homer of the season, a two-run drive in the ninth for the Marlins. "Its just one of those nights," Redmond said. "Weve got to be able to swing with these guys and we werent able to do it." TRAINERS ROOM Marlins: 1B John Baker was held out of the game after fouling a ball off his foot Wednesday night. Pirates: Center fielder Andrew McCutchen (rib) missed his third straight game. Hurdle said the reigning MVP is adding to his recovery routine but it is still in a "wait-and-see" situation as to whether he will go on the disabled list. ... Second baseman Neil Walker (back) sat out for the fourth time in five games. ... Infielder Clint Barmes (groin) is nearing a return, with baserunning being the only obstacle in the way of a plan to come off the DL. UP NEXT Marlins: RHP Nathan Eovaldi (5-6, 4.22 ERA) starts for the Marlins against RHP Mike Leake (9-9, 3,46 ERA) on Friday night as Miami continues its six-game trip in Cincinnati. Eovaldi makes his second career start against the Reds. He pitched seven innings and allowed a run on two hits in Miamis extra-inning win Saturday. Pirates: Pittsburgh opens a three-game set with San Diego at home as RHP Vance Worley (4-1, 2.43 ERA) faces RHP Ian Kennedy (8-9, 3.59 ERA). Worley has allowed just one run in his last two starts, which included his first career shutout on July 28 in San Francisco. GETAWAY DAY STRIKE ZONE Of Volquezs seven strikeouts Thursday night, four were called third strikes. After Volquez one-hit the Miami Marlins for seven innings, Redmond thought the Pirates right-hander received aid from the umpire, "He got some help back (behind the plate) too," Redmond said. "He got some strike calls there. A lot of them." ' ' '