Please read all of the forms carefully when you are registering online with the USA Hockey National Referee Registration System. Some people are evidently not doing so, and as a result are registering for the wrong level.

USA Hockey will not correct any errors you make if you choose the wrong registration level.

As you can see from the image posted below, USA Hockey has changed the level selector on the on-line registration form. As a result, you only see Choose Level or the one selected level at a time. In order to proceed with registration, choose the appropriate officiating level from the drop down list.

On the next page of the registration process, you are presented with a review of the level you chose and the registration fees.  Here is a hypothetical example of an official who has already made his level choice on the previous page:

Confirm that the correct level and correct fees are shown here before pressing the "CONTINUE" button.  If the registration level or fees charged appear to be incorrect, click the "EDIT" button and make the correct choice instead.

This article was updated on August 29, 2010 to reflect changes made to the National Registration System by the USA Hockey National Office.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Atlantic District Officiating Seminar Registration begins on the evening of August 2, 2010. Here are detailed instructions for those people who want to attend an officiating seminar:

1. Starting on Monday, August 2nd, new and returning officials must go to USAHockeyRegistration.com with a Credit Card to register as an Official with USA Hockey and with the Atlantic District. (You must register as an official in this manner even if you are already registered as a Player and/or a Coach).

   Shortly after successful registration, you will be sent with a USA Hockey Referee Registration number via email.

2. Wait 24 hours after you receive your USA Hockey Referee Registration Number, then go to the Atlantic District Officiating Program Seminar Schedule at http://www.aaharefs.org/seminar_schedule.php and follow the instructions to register for an Atlantic District Officiating Seminar.

   Print your Seminar Registration Form and bring it to the Seminar.

Most new and returning officials will not be able to register for an Atlantic District Seminar before the morning of August 3, 2010. This is because USA Hockey must notify the Atlantic District that you have registered for 2010-2011 before we will accept your seminar registration. So please wait 24 hours after receiving your Referee Registration Number from USA Hockey before attempting to register for a seminar in the Atlantic District.

The laws of some U.S. states require officials to be a certain minimum age before officiating sports events or performing other types of paid work. If you are under 18, check your state laws regarding work as an independent contractor.

Atlantic District Officiating Seminars often fill up quickly. So register as soon as you can.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tony Mariconda is making steady progress now. The feeding tube has been removed and he is able eat soft foods. He has started Physical Therapy and is working with small weights every day. Short walks are now part of the daily regimen too. Chemotherapy is still upcoming, and that should start soon.

The surgeon has cleared him to travel to the USA Hockey Annual Congress in Colorado Springs.  From there he and his wife will go on to visit the grandkids in Oklahoma for a few days.  He is really looking forward to that trip!

Thank you for all your kind thoughts and prayers!

Posted by Dave Aiello at 8:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tony Mariconda, Referee-in-Chief of the USA Hockey Atlantic District, is battling cancer again. This time, however, surgery was not able to clear his body of disease. As a result, after Tony recovers from this most recent surgery, he will undergo chemotherapy. We know the challenges going forward are great but with treatment and support we pray that Tony will recover.

We will continue to keep Tony and his family in our thoughts and prayers.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you have not registered as an Official for the current (2009-2010) season and have already attended an Officiating Seminar, please note:

Online registration will be available for Ice Hockey Officials only until April 5th. Between April 5th and April 30th, if anyone wants to register they will need to contact Atlantic District RIC Tony Mariconda at tonyrefx3 [at] aol.com. No one will be able to register for the 2009-10 season after April 30th.

Tests and Retests for the 2009-10 season all need to be completed by May 10, 2010.

If you have not already attended an Officiating Seminar, it is too late to register with USA Hockey for the 2009-2010 season.

Come back to this site in early July for information on Officiating Seminars for the 2010-11 season.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 7:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Back in December we reported that Meg Hishmeh and Leah Wrazidlo would be officiating the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Meg and Leah are both members of the Atlantic District Officiating Program who live in New Jersey. Each of them has officiated several Women's Ice Hockey games in the Olympics so far.

Here is a a roundup of the news reports that mention either or both of them:

• Hockey officials heading from Kinnelon to Vancouver in the Daily Record. The article talks mainly about how each of them learned that they had been selected for the Olympic tournament and recaps their playing and officiating careers to this point.
• NAHL referee to work Winter Olympics on The World of Junior Hockey Blog. This article talks mainly about Wrazidlo, her involvement in the Olympics, and the fact that she officiated a North American Hockey League game that was part of the Paint the Rink Pink Campaign.
• Female referee blazes trail from Duluth to Olympics in the Duluth News Tribune. Leah Wrazidlo is featured in this article. She is of local interest in Duluth, MN because Leah is a native of the area and a University of Minnesota Duluth alumnus.

Continue reading "Media Reports on Meg Hishmeh and Leah Wrazidlo Officiating Ice Hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics" »

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Atlantic District Officiating Program has announced that the last USA Hockey officiating seminars for the 2009-2010 season will take place as follows:

• Saturday, March 27th at Protec Ponds in Somerset, NJ at 8:00 AM.
• Sunday, March 28th at Ice Works in Aston, PA at 8:30 AM.

Registration for these seminars will be accepted beginning on Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at 8:00am Eastern Time at http://www.aaharefs.org/seminar_schedule.php.

Training will be offered for new officials (registering at Level 1) and returning officials (registering at Level 1 or Level 2). Level 3 certification will not be offered at these seminars. Officials who are already completely registered at Level 1 for the 2009-2010 season are not eligible to attend these seminars to advance to Level 2.

Check-in begins at the time indicated for each site. Walk-up registrations will most likely not be accepted. The seminars will conclude around 5:00 pm.

Registration Steps

1. Go online to the USA Hockey website to register as an Official for the 2009-2010 season with USAH and with the Atlantic District. This must be completed first even if you are already registered as a Player or a Coach. Within 24 hours, you will receive a USA Hockey Referee Registration number via email. If you want to reserve your place for this seminar when registration opens on March 3, you must register with USA Hockey on or before March 1.
2. Go to the District Officiating Program website at http://www.aaharefs.org/seminar_schedule.php with your USAH Referee Registration Number and carefully follow the directions. Registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Space is limited and these seminars usually fill up very quickly.

Equipment Required to Participate

If you are a returning official, you will need to bring full officiating gear.

If you are a new official, you will need to bring: hockey helmet, hockey skates (not goalie or figure skates), suitable clothing to go on the ice (ex. warm-up suit) plus a pad and pen to take notes.

Officiating Candidate Conduct Expectations

Officiating candidates are not permitted to arrive late or leave early from these seminars. Candidates acting improperly at the seminar may be dismissed by the Seminar Coordinator with no refund.

Lunch will be available for purchase at the rink.

Registrations Completed Through This Seminar Expire in November

This referee registration will be valid until Nov. 30, 2010. All officials will have to re-register and attend a new seminar for the 2010-11 season starting in August, 2010. Note that there may be limited opportunities for game assignments depending on the amount of Spring and Summer hockey in your area.

Contact Person for Questions

If there are any questions, contact USA Hockey Atlantic District Referee-in-Chief Tony Mariconda at tonyrefx3 [at] aol.com.

Registration Update

Due to a technical issue, the Seminar Registration System opened at approximately 8:50am on March 3, rather than 8:00am as scheduled. We apologize for the inconvenience that this may have caused candidates who were trying to register.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tony Mariconda asked that the following announcement be posted on AAHArefs:

With the help of our Internet Communications Department, the USA Hockey Officiating Department is happy to launch the new Official Status feature at www.usahockey.com. This feature will offer our 28,000 registered officials the opportunity to review their current registration status with USA Hockey.

The feature will replace the automated telephone menu-system. The telephone system will no longer be in service after Friday, February 5, 2010.

If you live in a state that used the USA Hockey Online Seminar Registration Tool this past fall you already have the necessary USAHockey.com profile to access your information. If you do not have a USAHockey.com profile, the process is very simple and will take less than five minutes to complete. To create a profile and access your information:

1. Go to www.usahockey.com and click the "Create Profile" link at the top of the page next to the search engine.
2. Follow the instructions and enter the required data-fields to set-up your profile.
3. After your profile is created and saved, click the "Official Status" link at the top of the website (where the "Create Profile" link previously was) and you will be lead to your USA Hockey Officiating Program Registration information.
4. This webpage will provide valuable information to all our officials as they complete their registration each season. The webpage is designed to display your USA Hockey Officiating Number, Registration History, Seminar Attendance Information, and Exam Results.

This webpage will provide valuable information to all our officials as they complete their registration each season. The webpage is designed to display your USA Hockey Officiating Number, Registration History, Seminar Attendance Information, and Exam Results.

Continue reading "USA Hockey Provides Web-based Way to Check Officiating Status" »

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Atlantic District is planning to hold two Level 1 & 2 Officiating Seminars during the last weekend in March. New and returning participants may attend one of these seminars as part of the process to become USA Hockey-registered officials for the current (2009-2010) season.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 2:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mike McDevitt, the Atlantic District Evaluation Program Coordinator, said the following:

I would like to remind all registered USA Hockey officials to email me if they would like an evaluation. I will put them in contact with an Atlantic District Supervisor in their area, to perform an in-person written evaluation with them.

The USA Hockey Evaluation Program is designed as an educational tool to assist all officials. The evaluation process will provide instructional follow-up which reinforces the information presented at USA Hockey seminars and is outlined in the officiating manuals. The evaluator is there as an officiating 'coach' to help the individual on-ice official improve his/her game.

Mike's email address is mcdevittmike [at] hotmail.com.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)