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)

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Eligibility

• Brand new entry-level officials (Level 1).
• Officials who were previously registered but have not yet attended a Seminar for the 2008-09 season.

Officiating Levels

Dates, Times, Locations

• Saturday - March 21st – North - Lehigh University/Steel Ice Center – Bethlehem, PA - 9 am to 5:00 pm.
• Sunday - March 29th - South - Ice Works - Aston, PA - 9 am to 5 pm.

Registration will open online on the AAHArefs Seminar Schedule Page on Monday, March 9th 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

• Hockey skates (NOT goalie skates or figure skates)
• Hockey helmet
• Suitable clothing to go on the ice (do not need a referee uniform)
• Pad and pen to take notes

Posted by Dave Aiello at 4:59 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)

Many officials have requested contact information for assignors for the youth hockey programs in the Atlantic District. These assignor lists are provided to us by the Atlantic District member leagues:

• Atlantic Youth Hockey League
• Atlantic Junior Hockey League / Metropolitan Junior Hockey League
• New Jersey Youth Hockey League
• Delaware Valley Hockey League and Pennsylvania High Schools

Continue reading "Officiating Assignors for Youth and Junior Hockey Programs in the Atlantic District" »

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Once again this season, all officials must pre-register for the Seminar that they would like to attend.

There is a new procedure to register for an Atlantic District Seminar:

• New and returning officials must first go to http://www.usahockeyregistration.com/ with a credit card to register as an official with USA Hockey and the Atlantic District (even if you are already registered as a player and/or coach).
• Once you have registered with USA Hockey, you must wait at least 24 hours before registering for an Atlantic District Seminar.
• Through the USA Hockey registration process, you will be provided with a USA Hockey Officials Number.
• Once you have received your USA Hockey Officials Number and waited at least 24 hours, you can go to http://www.aaharefs.org/seminar_schedule.php to select a seminar.

At the end of your seminar registration process, you will be prompted to print your Seminar Admission Ticket.

You must have this ticket in order to be admitted to the seminar.

The on-line seminar registration system will open on Sunday, August 2 for all officials. Please note that these seminars often fill up quickly!

Those officials without Internet access should call Tony Mariconda (District Referee-in-Chief) at 973-823-8116.

Questions on Seminar Registration:

• contact Tony Mariconda (District RIC) at tonyrefx3 [at] aol.com

Posted by Dave Aiello at 8:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Many officials have requested contact information for assignors for the youth hockey programs in the Atlantic District. These assignor lists are provided to us by the Atlantic District member leagues:

• Atlantic Youth Hockey League
• New Jersey Youth Hockey League
• Delaware Valley Hockey League and Pennsylvania High Schools

Continue reading "Officiating Assignors for Youth Hockey Programs in the Atlantic District" »

Posted by Dave Aiello at 3:19 PM | Permalink

If you have not received your USA Hockey 2003/04 Officiating Program card and crest, you are probably not completely registered as an official for this season. Let's review all of the steps required and see where the problem may be.

Each official is required to do the following in order to become completely registered as an official. ALL of these steps must be repeated every season. They may be completed in any order.

1. Registration with USA Hockey

   Officials must register with USA Hockey's National office in Colorado Springs, CO. The registration form is red, white and blue. The form is to be mailed into Colorado Springs, CO with a check for the level you are applying for. After USAH processes you application, they will send you the OPEN BOOK TEST.

   Please note that USA Hockey Registration is separate from the AAHA fee, which is collected at the seminars. The AAHA fee is your registration with our local District. You must still register with USA Hockey, even if you are already registered as a player or as a coach.

2. Officials must complete the OPEN BOOK TEST and mail it to USA Hockey

   Level 1 officials must answer only the first 50 questions. Level 2, 3 and 4 officials must answer the entire 100 questions.

3. Seminar and CLOSED BOOK TESTS

   Officials must attend a full day USA Hockey Officiating Program Seminar. At the seminar, Level 2, 3 and 4 applicants will be administered a CLOSED BOOK TEST. You will be required to fill out and sign an attendance sheet at the end of the day. Failure to sign this sheet will result in you NOT receiving credit for attending the seminar.

   
   

If you have not completed all of these steps, that is why you do not have your new card and crest. You must have all steps completed by Nov. 30th if you are a returning official. If you are not completely registered, you may not officiate USA Hockey games until you do become complete.

If you are unsure of what step in the process you have missed, USA Hockey has a Registration Verification System. To use this automated system, please call 719-576-8724:

• Press 3- to access the automated system
• Press 2- for Ice Hockey
• Press 3- for Referee Registration Status

Then follow the instructions to see what step(s) you have missed.

If this does not help you find where you stand as far as being "completely registered” for the 2003/04 season, or if you feel the information that USA Hockey has is incorrect, DO NOT CONTACT USA HOCKEY DIRECTLY. Please contact Tony Mariconda (tonyrefx3@aol.com), the District Referee-in-Chief and he will help you in anyway he can.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:25 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)