AAHArefs tag:www.aaharefs.org,2010://1 2010-02-23T06:32:39Z Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association Officiating Program Movable Type 4.25 Media Reports on Meg Hishmeh and Leah Wrazidlo Officiating Ice Hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics tag:www.aaharefs.org,2010://1.172 2010-02-23T06:13:05Z 2010-02-23T06:32:39Z 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... Dave Aiello http://www.aaharefs.org/ 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:

]]> Box Scores for Leah's games on ESPN.go.com:

Box Scores for Meg's games on ESPN.go.com:

Game Officials Assignments for the Women's Ice Hockey Tournament on IIHF.com (Acrobat / PDF document).

If you are aware of an article that isn't in our list, please email Dave Aiello at daiello [at] rinkatlas.com.

]]> Atlantic District Announces Spring Officiating Seminars tag:www.aaharefs.org,2010://1.171 2010-02-22T15:46:28Z 2010-03-03T14:33:25Z 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... Dave Aiello http://www.aaharefs.org/ 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.

]]> USA Hockey Provides Web-based Way to Check Officiating Status tag:www.aaharefs.org,2010://1.170 2010-02-14T06:53:25Z 2010-02-14T06:53:28Z 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... Dave Aiello http://www.aaharefs.org/ 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.

]]> USA Hockey's announcement continues:

If your registration information on the status page is incorrect or does not appear, please verify your personal information (name, zip code, birth date) and make any necessary corrections by clicking the "Update Profile" link above the information box. If your personal information is correct, but you still do not see the correct Officials Status, please contact us at RefHistory@usahockey.org.

Important note: Due to Federal (COPPA) Laws, no USA Hockey member (player or official) who is under 13 years of age is permitted to create a USAHockey.com profile. We're sorry that this feature excludes a small part of our membership, however all Registration inquires for our officials who are 12 or younger may still be answered by contacting your USA Hockey District Referee-in-Chief or the National Office.

Important note: Creating a USAHockey.com profile is not equivalent to registering with USA Hockey. While your USAHockey.com profile will remain active and unchanged year after year, all USA Hockey Officials must complete online registration, attend a seminar, and complete all required examinations annually to renew their membership and remain eligible to work assignments.

Needless to say we're excited about this new feature. The ease of use and accessibility of this feature should allow our membership to keep track of their status as they complete the steps of registration each season. We hope at some point over the next few weeks you will create a USAHockey.com profile and familiarize yourself with the webpage to prepare for next season.

]]> Spring Officiating Seminars Planned for March 27 and March 28, 2010 tag:www.aaharefs.org,2010://1.169 2010-01-27T19:25:27Z 2010-01-27T19:25:30Z 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... Dave Aiello http://www.aaharefs.org/ 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.

If you are interested, please reserve Saturday, March 27th and Sunday, March 28th for those programs. As soon as we have particulars available, we will post details on this site.]]> Request an Evaluation from the Atlantic District Officiating Evaluation Program tag:www.aaharefs.org,2009://1.168 2009-12-28T18:25:00Z 2009-12-28T18:26:21Z 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... Dave Aiello http://www.aaharefs.org/ 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.

]]> Atlantic District Officials Selected to Work Prestigious International Tournaments tag:www.aaharefs.org,2009://1.167 2009-12-24T02:16:30Z 2009-12-24T02:16:35Z Congratulations to the following Atlantic District officials who were recently named to the staff of prestigious international hockey tournaments by the IIHF: Meg Hishmeh- Winter Olympics Games, Vancouver Leah Wrazidlo- Winter Olympic Games, Vancouver Andrea Weissman- U18 World Championship- USA... Dave Aiello http://www.aaharefs.org/ Congratulations to the following Atlantic District officials who were recently named to the staff of prestigious international hockey tournaments by the IIHF:

  • Meg Hishmeh- Winter Olympics Games, Vancouver
  • Leah Wrazidlo- Winter Olympic Games, Vancouver
  • Andrea Weissman- U18 World Championship- USA Chicago
  • Kate Connolly- Qwest Olympic Tour- Madison, WI
  • Dave Brown- Men’s IIHF World Championship- Germany
  • Paul Carnathan- U20 IIHF World Championship- Canada
Happy holidays to all from the staff and management of the Atlantic District Officiating Program. Best wishes to you and your family for 2010.]]> Funeral Arrangements for Paul Puchalik tag:www.aaharefs.org,2009://1.166 2009-11-19T13:47:50Z 2009-11-25T19:09:03Z Tony Mariconda wrote, "I am sorry to report that Paul Puchalik has passed away after a long battle with cancer. He was a former on-ice official, the rink manager at Lawrenceville, the Commissioner of the Mid-Atlantic Women's Hockey Association and... Dave Aiello http://www.aaharefs.org/ Tony Mariconda wrote, "I am sorry to report that Paul Puchalik has passed away after a long battle with cancer. He was a former on-ice official, the rink manager at Lawrenceville, the Commissioner of the Mid-Atlantic Women's Hockey Association and a Vice-President of the Atlantic District."

The viewing is Sunday, November 22, 2009 between 2:00 and 6:00 pm at Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vanderventer Avenue, Princeton, NJ. Mass of Christian Burial will be on Monday, November 23 at 10:00 AM at St. David the King Catholic Church, Village Road, West Windsor, NJ.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to American Cancer Society and/or the Lawrence Flames Scholarship Fund.

Obituaries: Trenton Times


]]> Clarification of the 2009 Rule Change for Major and Match Penalties tag:www.aaharefs.org,2009://1.165 2009-10-06T23:51:53Z 2009-10-06T23:52:41Z Tony Mariconda asked that the following interpretation from USA Hockey be posted immediately on AAHArefs.The important new information is shown below in bold print:The 2009 rule change to Rule 403 & 405 and its interpretation:For a player that is assessed... Dave Aiello http://www.aaharefs.org/ Tony Mariconda asked that the following interpretation from USA Hockey be posted immediately on AAHArefs.

The important new information is shown below in bold print:

The 2009 rule change to Rule 403 & 405 and its interpretation:

For a player that is assessed a non-coincident major penalty and game misconduct (or a non-coincident match penalty in the case of Rule 405), the offending team is not required to immediately place a substitute on the penalty bench and may do so prior to the expiration of the penalty. No player may enter the game except from the penalty bench with a bench minor penalty being assessed for a violation.

... will apply only to situations where players receive a Match penalty or a Major penalty and a Game Misconduct (or are injured). So if a player receives a Major plus Game Misconduct for checking from behind, he is removed from the game and his team may wait to put a substitute player in the penalty box. The substitute may enter the box at any stoppage during the Major penalty.

The substitute player may only enter the box by way of the ice and only during a stoppage. Any substitution made outside these guidelines shall be penalized for Illegal Substitution.

If the team does not place a substitute player in the penalty box by the expiration of the Major penalty they must continue to play short-handed until the next stoppage of play. Once play has been stopped, they may place five players on the ice for the ensuing faceoff (there is NO additional penalty given at this point). If they send a player onto the ice before the next stoppage, they shall be penalized for Illegal Substitution. At this time, the icing rule is in effect even though they are still shorthanded.

This rule does not apply to any goalkeeper penalties, penalty situations that include Minor penalties (2+5+GM), or penalty situations that include Major plus Misconducts (5+10). In these situations, player substitutions must be made immediately.


]]> Southeast District Adds a Level 4 Seminar on October 31 tag:www.aaharefs.org,2009://1.164 2009-09-19T05:06:20Z 2009-09-19T05:06:28Z Tony Mariconda reports that The Southeast District has added a Level 4 Officiating Seminar on Saturday, Oct 31st at Prince William Arena in Dale City, Virginia (about 30 miles south of DC). For details, go to the Southeast Officiating Program... Dave Aiello http://www.aaharefs.org/ Tony Mariconda reports that The Southeast District has added a Level 4 Officiating Seminar on Saturday, Oct 31st at Prince William Arena in Dale City, Virginia (about 30 miles south of DC). For details, go to the Southeast Officiating Program Seminar Schedule Page.


]]> Level 4 Seminar Alternatives in Other Districts tag:www.aaharefs.org,2009://1.163 2009-08-24T22:19:08Z 2009-09-19T05:01:47Z For any Atlantic District official who wants to apply for Level 4 but cannot attend our Level 4 Seminar on August 30, neighboring districts will be hosting Level 4 Seminars on the following dates:Sunday, September 20,Somewhere in the New England... Dave Aiello http://www.aaharefs.org/ For any Atlantic District official who wants to apply for Level 4 but cannot attend our Level 4 Seminar on August 30, neighboring districts will be hosting Level 4 Seminars on the following dates:

Tony Mariconda reminds us that you should sign an Out-of-District Seminar Attendance Form in most cases in order for your seminar attendance to be recognized by USA Hockey.


]]> Start Time Changed for West Chester, PA Seminar on September 19 tag:www.aaharefs.org,2009://1.162 2009-08-14T21:39:15Z 2009-08-14T21:41:03Z Please be advised that the start time of the Ice Line Seminar at West Chester, PA has been changed. Because the rink changed our ice times, the seminar will now start at 8:00 AM on Saturday, September 19, 2009. Be... Dave Aiello http://www.aaharefs.org/ Please be advised that the start time of the Ice Line Seminar at West Chester, PA has been changed. Because the rink changed our ice times, the seminar will now start at 8:00 AM on Saturday, September 19, 2009.

Be sure to arrive before 8:00 AM for the registration process.


]]> Referees for National Tournaments in the Atlantic District Required to Have Level 4 Credential tag:www.aaharefs.org,2009://1.161 2009-08-03T03:33:33Z 2009-08-03T03:40:50Z Attention potential Level 3 and Level 4 officials:The Atlantic District will be hosting the following USA Hockey 2010 National Championships this season from April 7th to April 11th: Tier II Youth 14U Nationals at the Ice Vault in Wayne, NJ... Dave Aiello http://www.aaharefs.org/ Attention potential Level 3 and Level 4 officials:

The Atlantic District will be hosting the following USA Hockey 2010 National Championships this season from April 7th to April 11th:

  • Tier II Youth 14U Nationals at the Ice Vault in Wayne, NJ
  • Tier II Youth 16U Nationals at Ice Line in West Chester, PA

Both of these Nationals will be in the new multi-state format (rather than by District as in the past), and so they have the potential to be very large Tournaments. As a result, we will need many qualified Level 3 and Level 4 officials to work at these sites.

In order to be considered as a Referee at Nationals this season, you must be a completely-registered Level 4 official by December 31, 2009. In order to be considered as a Linesman, you must be completely registered at Level 3 or Level 4 by Dec. 31, 2009. Note that successful registration at Level 3 or Level 4 is no guarantee of any National Tournament assignments.

If you have a desire to work in these Tournaments, be sure to register at the proper Level for the 2009-2010 season. If there are questions, please contact Tony Mariconda now at tonyrefx3 [at] aol.com.


]]> Fall Officiating Seminar Registration to Begin on August 2 tag:www.aaharefs.org,2009://1.160 2009-07-21T04:45:59Z 2009-07-21T04:18:32Z The Atlantic District Officiating program will host USA Hockey Seminars for new and returning officials beginning on Saturday, August 15 and continuing through Sunday, November 1 at various arenas throughout the District.The Seminar Schedule is listed on this website at... Dave Aiello http://www.aaharefs.org/ The Atlantic District Officiating program will host USA Hockey Seminars for new and returning officials beginning on Saturday, August 15 and continuing through Sunday, November 1 at various arenas throughout the District.

The Seminar Schedule is listed on this website at http://www.aaharefs.org/seminar_schedule.php, along with detailed registration instructions.

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


]]> Atlantic District Holds Sixth Annual Officiating Development Camp tag:www.aaharefs.org,2009://1.158 2009-07-21T04:41:33Z 2009-07-21T03:46:51Z The sixth annual Atlantic District Officiating Development Camp took place from June 11 to 14, 2009 at Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, NJ. Twelve of the best young officials in the Atlantic District were selected to participate after a competitive application... Dave Aiello http://www.aaharefs.org/ The sixth annual Atlantic District Officiating Development Camp took place from June 11 to 14, 2009 at Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, NJ. Twelve of the best young officials in the Atlantic District were selected to participate after a competitive application process.

The Officiating Development Camp was launched by NHL Referee Ian Walsh, the camp's director, with the goal of getting male and female officials from the Atlantic District ready to succeed at USA Hockey's Eastern Regional Officiating Camp.

Atlantic District Officiating Development Camp participants and staff: Left to right: Tim Lyons, Terrence Murphy, Ian Walsh, JP Waleski, Kate Connolly, Pat Cunningham, Brian Skursky, Kris Ungvarsky, Bill Novitski, Jonah Paul, Peter Schlittnehardt, Chris Bluem, Meghan Cassidy, Laura Gosnell, Danielle Bugge, Bob Walter, Dave Brown. [ Photo: Dave Zulla ]

The staff also included Brett Sheva, Chris Pitoscia, Kate Connolly, Tim Nowak, Dave Brown, Mike McDevitt, and Tom Steinel.

Camp participants this year also got to hear from several guest speakers during the four-day camp. This year guests included NHL Linesman Tim Nowak, USA Hockey Officiating Development Program Director Scott Brand, Atlantic Junior Hockey League Referee-in-Chief Chris Allman, Atlantic District Referee-in-Chief Tony Mariconda, and Atlantic District President Tom Koester.

Thanks to Mike McDevitt for his contributions to this article.


]]> ECAC To Hold Ice Hockey Officiating Tryout tag:www.aaharefs.org,2009://1.159 2009-07-21T03:45:22Z 2009-07-21T03:45:25Z For the fourth consecutive year the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) will be holding an open tryout at the ESL Sports Centre in Rochester, N.Y. for individuals interested in officiating intercollegiate men’s and women’s ice hockey. The tryout will take... Dave Aiello http://www.aaharefs.org/ For the fourth consecutive year the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) will be holding an open tryout at the ESL Sports Centre in Rochester, N.Y. for individuals interested in officiating intercollegiate men’s and women’s ice hockey.

The tryout will take place from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 15. Candidates will go through an on-ice skating session and will complete the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Ice Hockey Rules Exam.

Individuals interested in attending the tryout must register at www.ecac.org. Questions regarding the tryout can be sent to Michael Letzeisen, ECAC Director of Sport Administration (mletzeisen@ecac.org, 508-771-5060 ext. 236).

The ECAC assigns officials for the ECAC Men’s East Ice Hockey League, ECAC Men’s West Ice Hockey League, ECAC Northeast Ice Hockey League, ECAC Women’s East Ice Hockey League, ECAC Women’s West Ice Hockey League, Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC), New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), Niagara University, Robert Morris College, the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) and Syracuse University.

Link To Registration Form: http://www.ecac.org/officiating/ice/Forms/09_tryout_reg_roch


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