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In order to become a USA Hockey certified referee, you must:
- Apply for certification. You can do this online at
http://www.usahockeyregistration.com/.
The fee depends on your level of officiating; for first-year officials, it
is $35.
- Attend a USA Hockey Officiating seminar. These seminars are
held in August and September each year. They are a full day,
with both classroom and on-ice portions. Registration for these
seminars is required. Click here to
see the schedule and to register.
- Complete a written test. When you apply for certification (see above),
USA Hockey will mail you a rulebook and a short written test. This is an open
book test. You complete the test and mail it back.
Once all of these things are successfully completed, USA Hockey will mail
you an official crest, to be attached to your referee sweater, and a
referee certification card. You are now a certified referee -- but CTHOA
won't assign you to work any games until you also register with CTHOA.
This is easy and there's no fee; just fill out the
CTHOA Registration Form.
There are several things to do while waiting until your seminar date:
- Work on your skating.
Even the most experienced officials work
to improve their skating. You should think twice about officiating if
you are not comfortable skating on rockered hockey skates. (Goalie
skates are not acceptable for a referee.) In addition to general
skating proficiency, focus on backwards as well as forwards skating,
stops and starts, tight turns both directions, and especially being
able to skate while looking in any direction and while making signals
with your arms.
- Learn the rules.
Study the rulebook, and the playing rules
handbook. (These can be found in the Rules menu on this site.)
Rule knowledge is absolutely essential for an official.
(Note: you're probably better off ignoring the league-specific
rule exceptions for our local leagues until after you've taken the
written test.)
- Play the game.
Referees do not have to also be players --
but the better ones are. The more you can understand the mindset of
a player, the better official you can be.
- Get your equipment and insurance (see below).
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