At 14 years old, Matt Williams was just trying to keep up.

Nervous and wide-eyed, the Langford-born teenager laced up his skates to officiate his first Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) game.

Thirteen years later, that same kid is now a professional official.

Williams, 27, and now living in the Comox Valley, has signed a contract to work as a linesman in the American Hockey League (AHL).

It’s a milestone that still feels surreal. Williams first picked up a whistle at 12 and has spent more than a decade between the VIJHL and the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), where he became one of the league’s most trusted officials.

“This year’s been a whirlwind,” Williams told the Goldstream Gazette. “It’s been a good chance to reflect on all the people who’ve pushed me or helped

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