Earlier today, USA Hockey announced that Leo Boylan of Chalfont, PA has been appointed the new Referee-in-Chief of the Atlantic District.

Leo Boylan

Leo brings a wealth of on and off-ice officiating knowledge and experience to the position which will help continue to strengthen and develop the district and USA Hockey. He has been a member of the officiating staff of the American Hockey League and the ECAC Hockey League for many years. He also works with the off-ice officiating staff for the Philadelphia Flyers on behalf of the National Hockey League. Leo has also worked international hockey as an IIHF-licensed official.

Leo received the Mike Condon Award for Outstanding Service to the American Hockey League in 2008.

The Atlantic District and the District Officiating Staff would like to congratulate Leo as he takes office.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 4:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mark Wilkins, the USA Hockey Section Director for Referees, sent the following email to supervisors a few days ago regarding the new provisions of the Fighting Rule, Rule 615(c).

Please note that the information contained in this memorandum is consistent with the stated policies of the Atlantic District Officiating Program since the rule changes for the 2011-2012 season were made public. If, after reading this, there are any further questions about what happens if a player removes his or her helmet during an altercation, please send an email to webmaster [at] aaharefs.org, or post a question on our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/aaharefs.

Due to some misinterpretation and differences in opinion throughout the country regarding New Rule 615(c), the Interpretation Committee has discussed and developed the attached document which will clear up the confusion.

Memorandum

To: All USA Hockey Officials, and District Referees-in-Chief
From: Dave LaBuda - USA Hockey National Referee-in-Chief,
Matt Leaf - Director, USA Hockey Officiating Education Program,
BJ Ringrose - Coordinator, USA Hockey Officiating Education Program

Date: September 30, 2011

Re: Rule 615(c) - Fighting

There has been a lot of discussion regarding the new rule change to Rule 615 in regards to Fighting and removal of the helmet. This memorandum serves to clarify any misconceptions and misinterpretations our 26,000 USA Hockey Officials may have. Please note this memorandum is a product of the USA Hockey Rules Interpretation Committee and should supersede any contradictory presentation or interpretation given by any member of USA Hockey (volunteer or staff).

To start, Fighting is a strict Point of Emphasis among the USA Hockey Board of Directors (the governing body of USA Hockey) this season. The general message that should be understood by all players, coaches, and officials is that under no circumstances should fighting be tolerated at any level of our game. The act of fighting threatens the safety of all players and the integrity of our game, and it should not be condoned by any official, coach, or parent.

The official interpretation of Rule 615(c) is as follows,

Paragraph 1: "A game misconduct penalty shall be assessed to any player whose helmet/facemask comes off their head during an altercation." - This means that a player is responsible for wearing his helmet properly during a game. If his helmet is removed during an altercation (whether deliberate or not) and the officials deem that the helmet was not worn properly by the player (straps too loose, unfastened, or missing, etc.) then that player shall receive a Game Misconduct in addition to all other penalties he incurs during the altercation.

Paragraph 2: "A match penalty shall be assessed to any player who deliberately removes his (or opponent's) helmet/facemask prior to or during an altercation." - This rule states that anytime a helmet is removed deliberately by a player (either his own or an opponent's) during an altercation, a Match Penalty must be assessed under Rule 615(c). A deliberate attempt to remove a helmet can be defined as holding, pushing, or punching the helmet or facemask of the opponent.

The purpose of this rule is to,

• Hold all players accountable for wearing the mandatory equipment properly


• Prevent all types of contact that targets the head


• Prevent all types of altercations in general


• Prevent any deliberate removal of head protection during the game

The judgment is very limited and restricted to whether the removal of the helmet is deliberate and was the helmet worn properly? To help with the understanding of these rules and interpretations, we have provided several scenarios beyond the ones contained in the 2011-13 USA Hockey Playing Rules Casebook.

Continue reading "USA Hockey Issues Additional Interpretations for New Provisions of Rule 615(c), Fighting" »

Posted by Dave Aiello at 4:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tom Koester wrote:

Dear Members of the Atlantic District:

The Atlantic District is now accepting applications for the position of Referee-in-Chief.

The Atlantic District is now accepting applications for the position of Atlantic District Referee-In-Chief, which was formerly held by Tony Mariconda.

The duties of the Atlantic District Referee-In-Chief are below for your review.

Interested applicants are to email the following information to Tom Koester, Atlantic District President, at tkoes3 [at] aol.com.

The deadline for receiving applications will be October 20, 2011.

Your application should include your name, address, phone numbers, email address, short description of education and profession, your officiating resume, and any information you believe would be helpful as the Atlantic District Referee-In-Chief.

Your application also needs to include answers to the following questions in 200 words or less.

A.) The local officiating community has many qualified officials that are available and willing to participate in the program. These experienced officials are waiting for the next Referee-In-Chief to reach out and engage them. How do you plan on gaining their trust and commitment to contribute to the Atlantic District Officiating program for the long haul?

B.) How would you improve our current seminars to make them more interesting and informative?

On October 21, a district committee will be convened to review the applications. The committee will notify the individuals, who they believe are best suited for this position, hold interviews with them and then make a recommendation of three persons to USA Hockey. The final selection for the new Atlantic District Referee-In-Chief will be made by USA Hockey.

Thank you for your interest and best of luck to all that apply!

Sincerely,
Thomas C. Koester
Atlantic District President
USA Hockey Director

Continue reading "Atlantic District Seeking Applicants for District Referee-in-Chief Position" »

Posted by Dave Aiello at 3:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Tony Mariconda, the Atlantic District Referee-in-Chief. Tony passed away this afternoon after a valiant battle with cancer. He was 67 years old.

Tony Mariconda

Tony became the Atlantic District Referee-in-Chief in 1999 and among his many accomplishments, he was the Camp Director of numerous USA Hockey Officiating Regional and National Camps; helped produce the USA Hockey Seminar Instructor Program and the original USA Hockey Officiating Evaluation Program.

Tony is survived by his wife Joan, two sons and daughter's-in-law Philip and Susan Mariconda, and Paul and Holly Mariconda, and his beautiful grandchildren. Tony and Joan were both recently named to the Atlantic District Hall of Fame. Joan is an AAHA board member and a USA Hockey Director. Philip and Paul are both veteran ice hockey officials.

The family has requested that we provide the following information about funeral arrangements:

• Visitation: 2 - 4:00pm and 7 - 9:00pm, Wednesday, September 7
• Funeral: 10:30am, Thursday, September 8

Browning-Forshay Funeral Home
557 Lafayette Avenue
Hawthorne, NJ 07507
[ Directions ]
973-427-0800

• Burial: Following funeral

Holy Sepulchre Cemetery
52 Totowa Road
Totowa, NJ 07512
[ Directions ]
973-942-3341

Obituary and on-line condolence book provided by the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to:

• The USA Hockey Foundation
  1775 Bob Johnson Drive
  Colorado Springs, CO 80906
• American Cancer Society
  PO Box 22718
  Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718

Follow the District Officiating Program on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/aaharefs and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/aaharefs for further updates to this story.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 4:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

USA Hockey's Board of Directors overwhelmingly passed all aspects of the Progressive Checking Skill Development Program today during its 2011 Annual Congress. 
The program includes the following elements:

• It encourages more body contact in the pre-body checking age categories by providing more training and support for coaches and referees; and encouraging more legal body contact in the pre-body checking age categories through "Point of Emphasis" rule #1 passed by the Board.
• Beginning in the 2011-12 season, legal body checking in games will begin at the Bantam age level (ages 13-14). It tightens the standard of play for intimidation hits in the legal body checking age categories.

Continue reading "USA Hockey Approves Progressive Checking Skills Development Program" »

Posted by Dave Aiello at 9:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tony Mariconda pointed out that the North American Hockey League (NAHL) is creating the new position of Officiating Coordinator. This position is a result of some restructuring USA Hockey is doing within the Junior Program. The new coordinator will work closely with USA Hockey to best serve our membership.

If interested and qualified, go to http://www.nahl.com/news/story.cfm?id=2692 for details. Application deadline is May 27th.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 2:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tony Mariconda pointed out the following announcement:

Applications for USA Hockey's 2011-12 Brendan Burke Internship are now being accepted. The 10-month internship, to run Aug. 15, 2011 - June 15, 2012, is designed for a recent college graduate interested in pursuing hockey operations as a career.

The Brendan Burke Internship was established in memory of the late Brendan Burke, who passed away unexpectedly on Feb. 5, 2010, at age 21. Brendan, the son of Brian Burke, general manager of the 2010 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey and the National Hockey League's Toronto Maple Leafs, was a student at Miami University and served as a hockey operations assistant with Miami's men's ice hockey team.

The 2011-12 Brendan Burke Intern will be located in Ann Arbor, Mich., home of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program. The deadline for application submissions is June 3. Full details on the internship, including the application form, are available at BrendanBurkeInternship.com.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 2:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

 
Chris Pitoscia (left) and Brett Sheva were chosen to
officiate the 2011 USHL Clark Cup Finals.
[ Photos: USHL ]

Brett Sheva and Chris Pitoscia, two 24-year-old referees who got their start in the Atlantic District, were named to the staff for the USHL Clark Cup Finals yesterday. The announcement of the staff was made jointly by United States Hockey League Commissioner and President Skip Prince, and Director of Hockey Operations Scott Brand.

Brett, from Horsham, PA, and Chris, from Edison, NJ, are both in their second seasons with the USHL, the top Tier 1 junior hockey league in the United States. Sheva and Pitoscia are both alumni of the Atlantic District Officiating Development Camp which prepared them for success at USA Hockey Officiating Program regional and national camps. It was through these camps and through success in lower levels of the USA Hockey Officiating Development Program that they came to the attention of the USHL staff initially.

Ian Walsh, NHL Referee and director of the Atlantic District Officiating Camp said, "I'm very proud of Brett and Chris on being named to referee the Clark Cup Finals. They have worked extremely hard, both on and off the ice. It's great to see two young officials from the Atlantic District having success in the USHL."

Game 1 of the Clark Cup Finals between the Green Bay Gamblers and the Dubuque Fighting Saints will take place on Friday, May 13 in Green Bay at 7:05pm Central Time.

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

Congratulations to Ian Walsh!  On Friday April 15, Ian officiated Game 2 of the Vancouver Canucks - Chicago Black Hawks Western Conference Quarterfinal Series.  Here's a photo of Ian controlling an altercation after the whistle in the Vancouver zone late in the first period (photo courtesy of Versus and the National Hockey League).

Ian Walsh in Vancouver on April 15, 2011 (photo courtesy of Versus and the National Hockey League).

According to the National Hockey League Officials Association Website, Ian has worked over 400 games in the National Hockey League since his first game in October 2000. He worked his first NHL playoff game on April 16, 2009.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Congratulations to Atlantic District Official Dave Brown. Dave was selected to officiate the2010-2011 IIHF World Junior Championships in Buffalo, NY.

Dave is shown here during the gift exchange between Canada and the Czech Republic in their game on December 28 that was televised in North America by TSN and the NHL Network. (Photo courtesy of the NHL Network.)

Dave serves on the District Officiating Staff as the Northern Area Liaison for the Atlantic District Evaluation Program. He is also the president of the Metropolitan New York-New Jersey Chapter of NIHOA. He officiates at the pro, collegiate, high school, and youth hockey levels, and works as a professional firefighter in New Jersey.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 4:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This week, USA Hockey's Playing Rules Committee published the 2011-2013 Playing Rules Change Proposals. The document we are providing on AAHArefs is a summary of 103 major rules change proposals, and 27 proposals that are specific to the Junior "A" and "B" Playing Rules.

The Playing Rules Committee met on November 13 in the Chicago area to discuss all of the proposals submitted by November 1, and to vote on each of them in order to give other constituencies within USA Hockey recommendations on the disposition of each proposal.

The Playing Rules Committee will review each proposal one more time during the USA Hockey Annual Congress in June. This review will take place in an open forum prior to final consideration by the USA Hockey Board of Directors.

If anyone has any questions about any of the proposed Rule Changes, or wants to provide feedback through our Atlantic District representatives at the Annual Congress, contact Tony Mariconda at tonyrefx3 [at] aol.com.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 4:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Kerry Fraser will be at the following locations to do a book signing for his new book-- "The Final Call."

• Friday, December 17: Nashville Predators at New Jersey Devils game at The Prudential Center in Newark at 7pm.
 
• Saturday, December 18- NY Rangers at Philadelphia Flyers game at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Doors open at 11:30am and Kerry will be on the main concourse at the Flyers Charities kiosk where the book will be sold and personally signed. He will be signing there through the end of the 1st intermission. Then he leaves there to go to...
• Saturday, December 18- Borders Bookstore, 1 South Broad Street, Philadelphia from 3pm to 5pm.
 
• Sunday, December 19- Barnes & Noble, 200 W Route 70, Marlton, NJ from 3pm to 5pm.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tony Mariconda wrote, "Last season NHL officials began using a redesigned official's sweater. Please be advised that this new sweater (as was the previous version of NHL sweater) is not acceptable for use in USA Hockey games. We continue to use the traditional black-and white officiating sweater."

See the illustration below for further clarification.

Sources: Illustration of NHL Style officiating sweaters courtesy of Reebok / CCM.  USA Hockey 2009-2011 Official Rules of Ice Hockey cover illustration courtesy of USA Hockey, Inc.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 9:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Recently two articles have appeared on ProHockeyNews.com that illustrate the progress that some of the Atlantic District's young officials have made through the USA Hockey Officiating Development Program.

One article tells the story of Peter Schlittenhardt from East Brunswick, NJ. Peter was initially rejected by the ODP but underwent an intense training and nutrition program that resulted in his addition to the staff for the next season. Schlittenhardt said:

"I left my first camp devastated but on the ride home decided that if my goal of staying involved in hockey through officiating was to be realized I needed a major change. The change needed to be complete both on and off the ice...."

The second article talks about the leagues to which the Officiating Development Program supplies officials, and the kinds of opportunities that young Atlantic District officials get in them. Tim Lyons from Princeton, NJ, Sam Sufler from Huntington Valley, PA, Pat Cunningham from Newtown, PA, and Andrew Mortensen from Chatham, N.J. are each interviewed in that article.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 5:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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)

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)

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

Posted by Dave Aiello at 9:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 6:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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 District
  see NE District officiating seminar schedule for information
  
• Saturday, October 3
  Rockville Ice Arena
  Rockville, MD
  Sign up through USA Hockey
• Sunday, October 18 at 9:30am
  Cantiague Park Ice Arena
  Hicksville, NY
  Patrick Cooney
  516-496-7625
  contact Patrick ASAP to ensure admission
  
• Saturday, October 24
  Extreme Ice Center
  Indian Trail, NC
  (Charlotte area)
  register on southeastrefs.org Website
  
• Saturday, October 31
  Prince William Arena
  Dale City, VA
  (30 miles S of Washington, DC)
  register on southeastrefs.org Website
  
  

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.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 5:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tony Mariconda wrote:

Each year, the Milt Kaufman Award is presented to someone at each USA Hockey Officiating Instructor Training program. Milt Kaufman was the original Camp Director for this program when it first started in the mid-80’s. The criteria for this award embodies the characteristics best displayed by Milt: Leadership, Class, Character, Integrity and Friendship.

It is my pleasure to report that the winner of this prestigious award at the recent 2009 Eastern Instructor Training camp at Lake Placid was Atlantic District Official Rob Navickas.

Congratulations to Rob on receiving this honor!

Posted by Dave Aiello at 2:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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)

Luke Murray wrote:

When the World University Games kick off February 18 in Harbin, China, Atlantic District official Kate Connolly will be one of three American officials working the international event.

A Philadelphia resident, Connolly holds an IIHF license and was assigned to officiate the Four Nations Cup tournament this past November, held at the Olympic Training Facility in Lake Placid.

At that tournament, the 25-year old Connolly worked a USA-Canada tilt
highlighted by a United States win in a six-round shootout following an
overtime period.

Only three months earlier she skated several exhibition games between the
two teams during summertime friendly matches.

Connolly joins referees Tara Leighton of Fairbanks, Alaska and Laura
Johnson, of St. Louis, MO on the ice and Supervisors Stacey Livingston and
USA Hockey Director of Officiating Matt Leaf at the games from the United States.
The World University Games conclude Friday, February 27.

The Atlantic District female officials are also well-represented at the international adult women's levels this year with Kinnelon, NJ's Meghan Hishmeh traveling to Finland to work the IIHF Women's A Pool World Championships. Andrea
Weissman, also of Philadelphia will head to Austria for the IIHF's Division
I World Championships. Both Tournaments will take place in April.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 7:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

USA Hockey is looking for a Coordinator for the Officiating Education Program at their headquarters in Colorado Springs, CO.

The person hired for this job will be responsible for: "Development and implementation of officiating education initiatives, supervise officials and instruct at officiating seminars, assist Director of Officiating and Manager Officiating Administration with day-to-day operations."

For more information and details about how to apply, please read the job description (in Adobe Acrobat format). Completed applications must be received by USA Hockey by March 2, 2009.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mike McDevitt, the Atlantic District Officiating Program Evaluation Coordinator, has been selected to officiate the 2009 ECHL All-Star Game Presented by Guardian Wear in Reading, PA on Wednesday, January 21. Mike will be a linesman, joining referee Shane Warschaw and linesman Mike Hamilton in the three-man on-ice crew.

According to the announcement from the ECHL:

McDevitt began officiating professional hockey in 1993-94 and has worked more than 900 regular season games in the ECHL and the American Hockey League while also working the Kelly Cup Playoffs and the Calder Cup Playoffs. He was a linesman in the 2002 International Ice Hockey Federation Under-20 World Championship and the Winter World University Games in 2000. McDevitt worked as a linesman for the 1999 Three Nations Under-20 Tournament and has been a referee in the Asian Professional Hockey League since 2004. He is an instructor at USA Hockey’s officiating camps where one of his students was All-Star referee Shane Warschaw.

Congratulations to Mike, Shane, and Mike, and good luck on Wednesday.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dear USA Hockey Coaches and Officials,

On behalf of USA Hockey, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your involvement with our programs and your dedication to the great game of hockey. We realize the commitment you have made contributes positively to numerous participants and this effort has not gone unnoticed or unappreciated. We hope that your season, thus far, has been filled with enjoyment for everyone.

As the 2008-09 season approaches the half way point, we thought it would be important to remind you to enforce the Standard of Play Initiative that was instituted by USA Hockey for the 2006-07 season. We recognize that maintaining the Standard of Play Initiative is a tough job and it is easy to relax or stray away and revert back to the way it was . . . that is human nature. It is difficult to stay the course, but we need your help and appreciate your efforts in maintaining the same level of excellence that we have had the past two years.

We would also like to take this opportunity to re-emphasize the commitment USA Hockey has made to create a safe, enjoyable and positive hockey environment for everyone. Your role in this process is vital to our success and we are asking you to review some important points that will help you continue to be successful. As part of this review, please be sure to pay special attention to the Standard of Play materials that can be found on USAHockey.com by clicking here.

For coaches, please take a few minutes to review your role in teaching hockey skills in an enjoyable and positive way. Evaluate the emphasis you have placed on your team and compare that to the USA Hockey ideals presented to you through the various coaching resources you have received. This is also a good time to review expectations as it relates to sportsmanship and fair play with both your players and the parents from your team.

For officials, now is the time to refresh your knowledge of the rules and renew your commitment to the Standard of Enforcement Initiative in doing your job on the ice, which is to simply enforce the rules of the game to the best of your ability. In doing so, pay special attention to the USA Hockey "Points of Emphasis" for the 2007-2009 seasons, which includes intimidation tactics such as the late avoidable check, contact after the whistle, stick work and Standard of Play infractions. USA Hockey's volunteer leadership is still committed to eliminating these tactics from the game and officials are expected to do the same.

Finally, both coaches and officials are asked to renew their commitment to communicating with each other and working together to create a positive hockey environment. We also ask for your diligence in playing the game within the rules established by USA Hockey. As a reminder, it is not acceptable to vary from the established rules because it may be more convenient. We are counting on you to uphold the best interests of the game, whether you personally agree with them, or not.

As always, please use any of the resources available to you to assist you. USAHockey.com is continually updated with new material. Your educational manuals and publications are also up-to-date and share the ideals and goals of USA Hockey while your local volunteer leaders, or national office staff, are only a phone call away. Please do not hesitate to contact us if there is anything we can do to assist you.

Once again, thank you for your involvement with our game. Keep up the great work and best wishes for the remainder of the season.

Respectfully,

Mark Tabrum and Matt Leaf
Directors, Coaching and Officiating Education Programs

Posted by Dave Aiello at 7:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A bulletin from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission entitled Hockey Helmets Recalled by Reebok-CCM Due to Head and Neck Injury Hazard calls attention to problems with approximately 1,000 helmets sold between May 2008 through July 2008 at sporting goods dealers and on-line merchants throughout the United States.

According to the bulletin:

The helmet’s chinstrap can unexpectedly disengage while in use. If this happens, the helmet can fall off, posing a head and neck injury risk to consumers.... This recall involves RBK and CCM brand hockey helmets. Helmets included in this recall have a HECC sticker with date code JUN – 2013. HECC stickers and model numbers are located on the back of the helmets.

We urge you to read the CPSC bulletin if you or someone you know has a helmet that may be covered under the recall.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 5:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Atlantic District Officiating Program is pleased to report that Ryan Honig was featured in an article on USA Hockey Magazine called Nationals An Honor For Those Who Have Earned Their Stripes.

Here's the article:

Most fans go to a hockey game and follow the puck dance and dart around the ice. Ryan Honig looks at the game from an entirely different perspective.

Ryan Honig officiating in the Boys' Nationals
at Ice House in Hackensack, NJ. [ Photo:
USA Hockey Magazine ]

When you’ve dedicated half of your life to wearing the stripes, it’s bound to have an impact on how you view the world. “I haven’t gone to an NHL game in 13 years and not watched the refs,” says the 26-year-old native of Hamburg, N.J. “And if you talk to all officials, that’s how they all are. We’re just able to relate to them more.”

Players, parents and coaches participating in a USA Hockey National Championship may not be able to relate to the challenges of keeping law and order on the ice, but they have to respect the job done by those in stripes.

Like the teams they judge, only the best are called to work a national tournament.

And with so much riding on the line, only the strong survive. “They’re looking for the whole package,” says Honig, who worked his seventh USA Hockey National Championship this year at the Ice House in Hackensack, N.J.

“You need to be an excellent skater, have excellent judgment and you have to know the rules. The more high level experience you have will definitely help because you’re not going to be feeling the pressure.” While Nationals are a big deal for everyone involved, a referee can’t afford to get caught up in the excitement.

“As far as an official is concerned you’re going to go out and give your best every game,” said Honig, who has worked games from Peewee to minor pro hockey. “You have to block out what’s hap- pening around but you still notice it.”

Even after miles around the rink, Honig fondly recalls his first National Championship experience. Coming in as an unknown commodity, Honig worked hard to catch the eye of the evaluators who carefully watch every game, and then took their critiques to heart.

“I ended up being a linesman for the Peewee championship, which blew my expectations away,” he said. “I went out there seeking criticism from the evaluators and kept trying to hustle all the time. I thought that was a good foot in the door. Still, there is something special about working a National Championship tournament, where local New Jersey teams are facing off against teams from as far away as Los Angeles and Anchorage.

“Just the atmosphere here is something. You get to see the hockey world come together which is pretty cool,” he said. “No matter how many of these you work, you still take pride that you’re here. It’s still a privilege to work these games but you know you can handle the situation.”

Posted by Dave Aiello at 2:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For the third consecutive year the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) will be holding open tryouts for individuals interested in officiating intercollegiate ice hockey.

Tryouts will be held from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 21 at the ESL Sports Centre in Rochester, New York, and from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 22 at the New England Sports Center in Marlborough, Massachusetts.

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 tryouts must register at www.ecac.org. Questions regarding the tryouts can be sent to Michael Letzeisen, ECAC Assistant Director of Ice Hockey and Rowing (mletzeisen [at] ecac.org, 508-771-5060 ext. 236).

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tony Mariconda wrote, "Congratulations to three of our top Atlantic District officials on their selection to work Medal Round games at 2008 IIHF World Championships:"

• Megan Hishmeh worked as a Linesman in the Bronze Medal Game at the Women's World Championships in Harbin, China.
• Dave Brown worked as a Linesman in the Gold Medal Game at the U18 World Championships in Kazan, Russia.
• Bob Ritchie worked as a Referee in the Gold Medal Game at the U18 World Championships in Kazan, Russia.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 9:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last week, the NHL Officials Association Website reported that Leo Boylan is the 2007-2008 recipient of the Michael Condon Memorial Award from the American Hockey League. Leo is a Level 4 official from Chalfont, PA who has been a linesman in the AHL for 12 seasons.

According to the article:

Since 2002, the American Hockey League has presented the Mike Condon Award to an on-ice official for their outstanding service to the League.

This year the AHL selected Leo Boylan... to receive the award. AHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Jim Mill had this to say, "We felt Leo is a more than deserving receipient. He exemplifies all of the qualities the award represents - service to the league, longevity and on ice performance." Jim Doyle, Marty Demers, Dan Murphy, Matt Dunne and Luke Galvin are the past winners of the award.

Leo had a close relationship with Mike and for him to be honored with this award it is quite special. Mike was a mentor to Leo, helping him out along the way as he rose in the officiating ranks. "For me to win this award means a lot", said Leo. "To be included in this group of officials, with all their accomplishments and to have Mike's name on the award is very humbling. Mike helped open a lot of doors for me and I am truly honored to be recognized with this...."

{Leo} will receive the award in January, before an AHL game at the {Wachovia} Spectrum....

An article on theAHL.com about league award winners for 2007-2008 says, "The Michael Condon Memorial Award was created in 2002 following the sudden passing of veteran linesman Mike Condon."

On behalf on the Atlantic District Officiating Program, congratulations to Leo on being selected for this very prestigious award.

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

Tony Mariconda received the following announcement of a job opening in the Officiating Education Program Department at USA Hockey in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Please note that the deadline for applications for this job is November 1, 2007:

Job Description

• Job Title: Coordinator, Officiating Education Program Department: Hockey Operations –Officiating Program
• Reports To: Director, Officiating Education Program

Basic Function: Development and implementation of officiating education initiatives, supervise officials and instruct at officiating seminars, assist Director of Officiating and Coordinator of Officials registrations with day-to-day operations.

Continue reading "USA Hockey Seeking New Staff Member in Officiating Education Program Department" »

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tony Mariconda wrote, "On behalf of the entire Atlantic District Officiating Program Staff, we would like to congratulate Meghan Hishmeh and Bob Ritchie. They have been selected by USA Hockey to officiate in an IIHF tournament abroad."

• Meghan will be working as a Linesman in the Women's World Championships at Winnipeg and Selkirk, Canada, April 3 -10, 2007.
• Bob will be working as a Referee in the World Junior Championships at Leksand and Mora, Sweden, Dec. 26, 2006 - Jan. 5, 2007.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 9:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The USA Hockey Officiating Program is now accepting applications for officiating eligibility for the 2006-07 season. Applicants can simply go to the USA Hockey Online Registration site at http://www.usahockeyregistration.com/, and follow the prompts to the section for ice officials to register.

The open book rules exam will also be offered online this season. Upon receipt of an application, officials will be forwarded information on completing the open book exam requirement online.

All officiating applicants are reminded that they must attend a USA Hockey officiating seminar for the level they are applying for each season. New officials may want to be sure they can attend their Seminar first and then register with USA Hockey. For a complete schedule of our seminars for the 2006-07 season, please go to the Atlantic District Officiating Program Seminar Schedule. Please note that these Seminars often fill up quickly.

Returning officials are reminded that their 2005-06 card and crest expires on November 30, 2006.

Thanks for your interest in officiating and best wishes for a successful season!

Posted by Dave Aiello at 3:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The ECAC Ice Hockey Staff will be holding two tryouts for any officials that are interested in officiating Division III Men's and Women's Ice Hockey.

Please note that the tryouts are for NEW OFFICIALS ONLY. If you are currently an ECAC Ice Hockey Official you do not need to attend.

We ask that you forward the information below to anyone that you know of that has an interest in officiating.

Tryouts will have two sessions, an exam (knowledge of the game and of NCAA Ice Hockey Rules) and an on-ice evaluation.

• First Date:
• When - Saturday, August 5
• Where - Horgan Arena, Auburn, Mass.
• Time - 12:00-2:30 p.m.
• Check-in begins at 10:00 a.m.
• Second Date:
• When - Sunday, August 13
• Where - ESL Sports Centre, Rochester, N.Y.
• Time - 12:00-2:00 p.m.
• Check-in begins at 10 a.m.

Interested candidates will need to register on the ECAC web site.

• http://www.ecac.org/officiating/hockeymen.asp or
• http://www.ecac.org/officiating/hockeywomen.asp

If you have questions or any of the interested candidates you know have questions please contact Michael Letzeisen at 508-771-5060 ext. 236 or by e-mail mletzeisen@ecac.org. In addition you may contact any of the ECAC Ice Hockey Staff.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 2:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Atlantic District Referee-in-Chief Tony Mariconda reports that USA Hockey has adopted new standards of play and rules emphases for the 2006-07 season. Here are the new standards:

USA Hockey 2006-07 New Standards of Play and Rules Emphasis

Through the new standard of rules enforcement, our game will continue to allow the opportunity for improved skill development and a more positive hockey environment for all participants. The mission of USA Hockey is clear; through this new initiative a greater emphasis will be placed on skating, puck possession and the proper use of the body to establish position and a competitive advantage.

The goal of the enforcement standard is to reduce restraining infractions in the game and not to remove legal body checking or body contact. A hard body check or using body contact/position (non-checking classifications) to gain a competitive advantage over the opponent should not be penalized as long as it is performed within the rules.

The principles of this new enforcement standard include the following:

• The use of the stick will be limited to only playing the puck.


• The stick will not be allowed to in any way impede a player’s progress.


• The use of a free hand/arm will not be allowed to grab or impede a player’s progress.


• Players who use their physical skills and/or anticipation and have a positional advantage shall not lose that advantage as a result of illegal acts by the opponent.


• Players will be held accountable for acts of an intimidating or dangerous nature.

Continue reading "USA Hockey Issues New Standards of Play and Rules Emphasis for 2006-07 Season" »

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Congratulations to the six Atlantic District officials who were selected to work in the Chicago Showcase tournament last week. All six officials were appointed to work Medal Round games!

Samantha Dorney worked as a Linesman in the Girls' semifinals. Danielle Bugge and Kate Connolly worked as the Linesmen in the Girls' Finals. Marty Kilcourse and Mike Schubert worked as Linesmen in the Boys' Semifinals. Bill Maurer worked as the Referee in the Boys' Finals.

In addition, Kate Connolly won the Chet Stewart Outstanding Female Official Award at the Showcase.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 9:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Over in The USA Hockey Officiating Zone, Matt Leaf reviews what happened at the Annual Congress that affects the Officiating Program. Much of his article talks about an on-line registration and testing initiative that is being pushed by the District Referees-in-Chief. They are hoping to have a national registration process in place for the 2003-2004 season.

There is also some information about a deadline change for rule change proposals, a slight increase in the national registration fee, and the winner of The Chet Stewart Award.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)