Plans for our added USA Hockey Officiating Seminars are now set. Here are the details.

Eligibility

Brand new entry-level officials. Also for officials who were previously registered but have not yet attended a Seminar for the 2007-08 season.

Officiating Levels

1 and 2 only.

Officials who have already attended a Level 1 Seminar for the 2007-08 season are not eligible to attend this seminar and move to Level 2.

Dates, times, locations:

• Saturday - March 29th - Bridgewater Sports Arena - Bridgewater, NJ - 8 am to 4 pm.
• Sunday - March 30th - Ice Works Skating ComplexIce Works Skating Complex - Aston, PA - 9 am to 5 pm.

Registration will open online at AAHArefs.org on March 4th and will be on a first-come-first-served basis.

Officials may register for only ONE of these Seminars. Duplicate registrations will result in the name being removed from both lists. Officials MUST make the commitment to participate for the entire day.

Notes

Everyone must bring the following:

• Hockey skates (NOT goalie skates or figure skates)
• Hockey helmet
• Suitable clothing to go on the ice (do not need a referee uniform)
• Check (NO cash) for $25 payable to "AAHA" to cover the Atlantic District Referee Registration Fee
• Pad and pen to take notes

Lunch is on your own

All officials must register separately with the USA Hockey Officiating Program (even if you are already registered as a player and/or coach) - details to be provided at the Seminar. It is probably not a good idea to register with USAH until you are certain that you are attending a Seminar.

These Seminars are for the 2007-08 season only - your registration will expire after Nov. 30, 2008. Just like all other officials in the country, you will then have to re-register and attend a new Seminar for the 2008-09 season. Those Seminars usually run from mid-August to early October in our District.

In some areas, it is sometimes difficult to obtain game assignments during the summer since there are often fewer entry-level games. However, you would also be eligible to obtain game assignments once league play begins again around Labor Day.

Questions

Contact Tony Mariconda at tonyrefx3 [at] aol.com

Posted by Dave Aiello at 11:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Atlantic District Officiating Program has lost a veteran official. Joe Nardone suddenly passed away a few days before Christmas. Joe officiated hundreds of USA Hockey games in the Central New Jersey and Southeastern Pennsylvania area at many different levels. His loss is certainly a blow to officiating at the grassroots in his area.

Joe is survived by his stepdaughter Kristin Geno.

Joe's death was not well publicized within the officiating community. We hope that this message reaches officials who worked with him over the years. It is still possible to leave a note in Joe's memory on Legacy.com.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)