Tony Mariconda wrote:

Congratulations to Ian Walsh! On Thursday, April 16^th Ian became the first Atlantic District official to serve as the Referee in a Stanley Cup Playoff game.

(Pat Dapuzzo had previously worked as a Linesman.)

Ian was a Referee in Detroit for the Columbus Blue Jackets at Detroit Red Wings game that was Game 1 of the series in the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

[ Photo of Ian Walsh courtesy of The National Hockey League ]

Additional information: Profile of Ian Walsh from The National Hockey League Officials' Association.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 11:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: What are the game fees for officials in the Atlantic District?

Answer: Game fees vary depending on the league in which you officiate, the level of the game, and your officiating role (referee in the 3 official system, linesman in the 3 official system, or referee in the 2 official system).

Continue reading "How Much Money Can I Get Paid to Officiate Hockey Games?" »

Posted by Dave Aiello at 3:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: How long do officiating seminars last? Are they all day affairs?

Answer:Seminars generally begin early in the morning (at 8:00 or 8:30am, check the Seminar Schedule) and last until 4:00pm or later.

Please arrive at or before the scheduled starting time of the seminar and be prepared to stay for the entire seminar. As other stories on this website say, late arrival or early departure from the seminar are among the reasons that you can be dismissed from the seminar without receiving credit for it.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 8:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: I want to attend the seminar in {town name here} that is happening tomorrow, but the website says I can't register for it. Why not?

Answer: The deadline for using the On-Line Registration System to register for a seminar in the Atlantic District is 48 hours before the seminar begins. The registration system automatically closes registrations at that time, whether the seminar is totally full or not.

The reason we have chosen to do this is to allow time for the Seminar Staff to receive a complete roster of the attendees.

In the past when we have allowed last-minute on-line registrations and walk-up registrations, the result has been long delays for the officials who have followed instructions, planned ahead, and registered in advance. We have decided that it is too frustrating both for the seminar attendees and the volunteer Seminar Staff to try to accomodate last minute registrants.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 3:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: I need to get in touch with the District Referee-in-Chief, one of the District Coordinators, or a Local Officiating Coordinator / Supervisor. How do I find a list of these people?

Answer: Contact information for the Atlantic District Referee-in-Chief and the District Coordinators is found on the AAHA Officiating Program Staff Page. A list of youth hockey assignors and supervisors can be found in the Officiating Assignors for Youth Hockey Programs in the Atlantic District article.

If you need to access the USA Hockey Officiating Program National Personnel page, you can find it here:

http://www.usahockey.com/usa_hockey/officials/directory/

Posted by Dave Aiello at 8:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: I moved last season, but AAHArefs still has my old mailing address and telephone number. This is making it difficult for me to register for a seminar for this season. How do I report my mailing address and phone number change so that the AAHArefs database is corrected?

Answer: The Atlantic District gets all officials' mailing addresses and phone numbers from USA Hockey itself. If you need to correct your address, you have to tell the Officiating Department at USA Hockey.

The easiest way to do this is to make the corrections through the USA Hockey National On-line Registration System at the beginning of the season. You can access that system by visiting http://www.usahockeyregistration.com/.

If you have already submitted your registration information for this season to USA Hockey, then contact Helen Fenlon at USA Hockey, helenf@usahockey.org, and provide:

• Your member number
• Your name
• Your old address
• Your old telephone numbers (home and work)
• Your new address
• Your new telephone numbers (home and work)
• Your new email address, if applicable

Posted by Dave Aiello at 6:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: When do my card and crest from last season expire?

Answer: The card and crest for a season expire on November 30 of the next season. For example, the 2001-2002 card and crest expire on November 30, 2002. This means that you must have your new USA Hockey officiating membership card and crest by December 1 in order to continue officiating.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: Can I start officiating games right away after I attend my seminar?

Answer: If you are a new official, you cannot officiate any games until you receive your officiating membership card and the officiating sweater crest from USA Hockey.

If you are a returning official, you can officiate games provided you have a valid officiating membership card and crest. If you were fully registered last season, you can continue to officiate until November 30 on last season's card and crest. After December 1, you must posess the card and crest for the new season.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: I may not be able to skate for the skating test, because I am injured. May I still attend?

Answer: Yes. However, you should bring a doctor's note stating that you are unable to skate. All Level 4 attendees must participate in the skating test at the seminar. No exceptions!

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: Can I skip an officiating level, or take two seminars in one season to move ahead faster?

Answer: No, you may only advance one USA Hockey officiating level per year.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: I cannot stay for the whole seminar, is that OK?

Answer: No, if you leave the seminar early, or leave the seminar in the middle and come back, you will not receive credit.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: I may be late for my seminar. Is that OK?

Answer: No, you will not be admitted if you are late.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: What are the steps involved in becoming an official?

Answer: There are three steps to becoming a USA Hockey Official:

1. Registration with USA Hockey

   New officials will receive a National Registration Form at the seminar, returning officials will receive a National Registration Form in the mail).

2. Local Seminar Attendance

3. Testing

   
   All USA Hockey officials must complete an open book rules test. In addition, Level 2, 3, and 4 officials must complete a closed book test administered at the seminar. Level 4 officials must also pass a skating test.
   

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: How old do I have to be to officiate USA Hockey games?

Answer: USA Hockey has established a national minimum age of 10 years for officials.

Most youth hockey programs further restrict young officials. Young officials can generally only officiate games where all players are younger than they are. For example, a 12 year old official will not generally be permitted to officiate games where the players are 12 years old or older.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: Why do I have to pay the $25.00 Atlantic District Registration Fee in addition to the USA Hockey National Registration Fee?

Answer: The AAHA Fee covers the cost of local issues (i.e. criminal background checks required by the Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association, mailings, and seminar costs not reimbursed by USA Hockey). The National Fee covers administration of the officiating program, issuance of your officiating card and crest, training materials, insurance, and other National programs.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: If I am bringing someone with me to an officiating seminar, do I have to register each of us separately?

Answer: Yes, each person must have their own registration ticket in order to be admitted to an officiating seminar. Furthermore, the AAHA Officiating Program strongly recommends that each seminar attendee register themselves using the on-line registration process.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: If I am registered with USA Hockey as a player or a coach, do I still have to register as a referee?

Answer: Yes, each division of USA Hockey is separate. You have to register as an official and complete all registration requirements in order to officiate games.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 11:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: I was a Level 3 official, but I did not register last season. What level am I eligible for this season?

Answer: If you were a Level 3 two seasons ago and you did not register last season, you would be eligible to return at Level 3 this season. If you took two years off, you would have to drop to Level 2.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 11:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: If I am a returning official, what registration materials is USA Hockey supposed to send me and when should I receive them?

Answer: USA Hockey now longer mails registration materials to returning officials at the beginning of each season.

Everyone has to register online with USA Hockey for each new season, whether you are a New official or a Returning official. You must also do the Open Book Test online each season. In the Atlantic District, you must register for a seminar in advance using the On-Line Registration Process. Visit the Seminar Schedule page to choose a seminar and begin the seminar registration process.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: What should I bring with me to the seminar?

Answer:

All officials must bring:

• their AAHA Seminar Admission Ticket
  

• full officiating gear
  

• a hockey helmet
  
• hockey skates (no goalie or figure skates)
  
• suitable clothing to go on the ice
  

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: What if I do not bring my AAHA Seminar Admission Ticket with me to the seminar?

Answer: You will not be admitted to the seminar.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: How do I know that I successfully registered for a seminar?

Answer: Your web browser will display an AAHA Seminar Admission Ticket containing your member number, name, telephone numbers, email address, and seminar details. The Seminar Admission Ticket reads includes the following instruction:

**** PRINT THIS PAGE ****

You will also receive an email containing a summary of the information that was displayed on your Seminar Admission Ticket. This email message can be used as a backup, in case you cannot print the Seminar Admission Ticket when asked to do so.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: Can I register for more than one seminar, so I have a backup?

Answer: No. The on-line registration system will only allow you to register for one seminar at a time.

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

Question: What if the seminar I want to go to is full?

Answer: You will have to choose another seminar. The on-line registration system closes a seminar when capacity is reached. Registration is on a "first come, first served" basis.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Question: Must every official in the Atlantic District register On-Line for a Seminar?

Answer: Yes, we have implemented a system to insure that we have enough materials, staff, and ice time at each seminar. We also feel this will speed up the registration process and give us more time to spend working on the materials.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tony Mariconda, the Atlantic District Referee-in-Chief, wrote this letter to all people interested in becoming ice hockey officials in New Jersey, Delaware, and Eastern Pennsylvania. If you are interested in taking the first step toward becoming an official, read on for more information.

Continue reading "How Do I Become an Ice Hockey Official?" »

Posted by Dave Aiello at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)