Attention All Registered Montclair, NJ March 25, 2012 Seminar Participants:

Due to situations beyond the control of the Atlantic District Officiating Program, the Montclair seminar scheduled for March 25th, 2012 has been moved to April 1, 2012. We apologize for any inconvenience this will cause but this situation cannot be avoided. All registration for the March 25th seminar have been moved to the new date and you will not need to re-register to attend. Unfortunately, we will not be able to schedule any other spring seminars for the Atlantic District other than the Aston PA, and now the Montclair NJ both on April 1, 2012.

Once again I apologize for the change and hope officials registered will be able to attend the April 1st date in Montclair NJ.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Marty Maglio via email at marty.maglio [at] verizon.net

Marty Maglio
Atlantic District Seminar Coordinator
USA Hockey

Posted by Dave Aiello at 5:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Registration is now open for 2012 Atlantic District Officiating Program Spring Seminars on March 25 in Montclair, NJ, and on April 1 in Aston, PA. If you are registered as an official with USA Hockey for the 2011-2012 season and have not yet attended an officiating seminar, we hope that these seminars are convenient for you.

Please visit the Seminar Schedule and sign up if you can attend.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On January 18, 2012, the AAHA Officiating Program held a winter meeting in Trenton, NJ. The meeting was attended by approximately 65 people, including Tom Koester (Atlantic District President), Colleen Marinari (Atlantic District Executive) and Mike Lichtenberger (Atlantic District Coach in Chief). Leo Boylan, our District Referee-in-Chief, chaired the meeting, which lasted about 2 hours. Other attendees that were invited were any evaluators, instructors and assignors in the District as well as various other leaders from the Atlantic District. Below is a summary of each speaker and their comments.

Leo Boylan opened and closed the meeting with a constant message that this is "your" District and he wants input and help from everyone who is interested. He will certainly guide programs, but wants ideas and will willingly accept help from all of us. Leo outlined his plans for structure in the future and told everyone that he hoped to have this laid out at the beginning of the summer. In the meantime, a re-cap from the USAH winter meetings included:

• Registration numbers are down in the district and nationally.
• 2013-2014 will be a rule change year and after that, rule changes will be every 4 years

Continue reading "Recap of Atlantic District Officiating Program 2012 Winter Meeting" »

Posted by Bob Fyrer at 4:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Did you know that 210 officials in the Atlantic District don't get a copy of the District Newsletter because they do not have a unique, up-to-date email address listed in the USA Hockey Membership Database?

Constant Contact, our email list management service, automatically filters out officials who give the same email address as another official when they register with USA Hockey. Most email list management services that we evaluated also do this, so we couldn't really avoid the problem.

As a result, every official should have their own email address, despite the fact that USA Hockey doesn't require this.

Continue reading "Each Atlantic District Official Should Have a Unique, Up-to-Date Email Address" »

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Online Seminar Registration for Atlantic District Officiating Seminars is now open. To register, visit http://www.aaharefs.org/seminar_schedule.php and follow the instructions.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 6:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Atlantic District Officiating program will host USA Hockey Officiating Seminars for new and returning officials beginning on Saturday, August 13 and continuing through Sunday, November 6, 2011 at arenas throughout the District.

Starting on August 1, 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.

On-line registration is required for all officiating seminars run by the Atlantic District Officiating Program. That registration process will begin on August 2.

If you have any questions, please contact USA Hockey Atlantic District Referee-in-Chief Tony Mariconda at tonyrefx3 [at] aol.com or Seminar Coordinator Marty Maglio at marty.maglio [at] verizon.net.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Atlantic District Officiating Program has announced that the last USA Hockey officiating seminars for the 2010-2011 season will take place as follows:

• Saturday, March 26th at Richard J. Codey Arena / South Mountain Arena in West Orange, NJ at 8:00 AM.
• Sunday, March 27th at Ice Works in Aston, PA at 8:30 AM.

Registration for these seminars will be accepted beginning on Monday, February 28, 2011 at 7:00pm 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 2010-2011 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.

Continue reading "Atlantic District Announces 2011 Spring Officiating Seminars" »

Posted by Dave Aiello at 11:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Atlantic District Officiating Program is pleased to announce a series of follow up seminars called the Atlantic District Level 1 Officials' Continuing Education Program.

Note: These seminars are intended only for officials who have already completed a 2010-11 Officiating Seminar— they cannot be used as an initial seminar for 2010-11 USA Hockey Referee Registration. We may hold one or two full-day seminars that will satisfy 2010-11 USA Hockey Referee Registration requirements in late March. Details about these seminars will be made available on AAHArefs in early February.

These one-evening, classroom-only training sessions will take place in several arenas or nearby facilities in New Jersey and Pennsylvania throughout January and early February 2011. Each seminar will be led by a senior officiating supervisor with Seminar Coordinator experience. They will be joined by a team of experienced officials who have been through the Seminar Instructor Training Program and will be focused on the questions and concerns of first-year officials. Local Officiating Assignors are also being invited so they can meet first year officials and possibly offer game assignments to them.

First-year Level 1 officials are urged to pre-register and attend one of these seminars.

For more information, including dates, times, and locations of the Follow Up Seminars, please look at our event calendar:

• Follow Up Seminar Event Calendar for January
• Follow Up Seminar Event Calendar for February

Posted by Dave Aiello at 9:00 AM | 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)

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 former Atlantic District Referee-in-Chief who passed away in September 2011, wrote this letter to all people interested in becoming ice hockey officials in New Jersey, Delaware, and Eastern Pennsylvania.

What Tony said back in 2002 is still excellent advice today. We continue to publish it with minimal changes, in his memory.

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)