​​CONTACT A LOCAL SCHEDULER

• Each rink/league/association has a person(s) responsible for assigning officials to games.

  • A list of assignors in Western PA, Eastern OH, and Northern WV is located at the bottom of this page: https://www.pahockey.com/referees

• The onus is on the official to contact an assignor(s); no assignor has an obligation to contact new officials about skating games.

  • The initial contact should not be made until the official has completed all registration requirements.

  • The correspondence should include the age of the official and should cite the general availability of the official.

  • If the official has worked less than 10 games, note that in the message so the official is paired with an experienced partner in games.

  • Officials can contact and work with as many assignors as desired.

• Assignors coordinate their process for scheduling games as they see fit.

  • Some schedulers will ask the official to create an account in an online scheduling system;

  • Some schedulers handle this via email; a few schedulers conduct their business via phone.

  • Each scheduler will inform the official on how his/her scheduling is done.

  • The official will need to apply the process in order for that particular scheduler to routinely assign the official to games.

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​BE AVAILABLE

• Officials need to be available to get games!

  • You do not pick your specific game assignments; assignors will give you games based on when you are available.

  • It is difficult to play on a travel team and expect to officiate a lot of games; your time is already limited and must be managed.

  • Maintaining a personal calendar is highly recommended to know your full schedule and to avoid conflicts.

• More availability generally equates to more game assignments. 

  • An official who is rarely available or only available for a short span is simply unlikely to get many games.

  • More assignments go to officials who are available for multiple games in succession, spanning a few hours.

  • Being available when games are actually being played naturally leads to being considered for game assignments.

  • Being willing to work for more assignors (and at more rinks) also increases your chances of getting more games.

• Letting the scheduler know of your availability is an important aspect of getting assignments.

  • Online scheduling systems allow the official to set availability for the scheduler to view.

  • Officials need to stay active in keeping their availability up-to-date to avoid being double-booked for assignments.​

  • A personal calendar is still recommended to track all personal activities in a compiled location.

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CONFIRM GAME ASSIGNMENTS

• Notification of a game assignment usually comes via email/call/text from the scheduler or via a notification from the scheduling system.

  • The official should confirm/deny the assignment within about 24 hours by accepting it in the system, responding to the message, etc.

  • Always put the assignment into your personal calendar and/or regularly view your online scheduling calendar.

• Do not accept games that you cannot or should not work.

  • Officials should only work games at an age classification lower than the official’s age.

  • If you are not available to accept the assignment, let the assignor know immediately.

  • If you are unsure if you should be assigned to a certain game, always ask the assignor for guidance.

  • Assignors will appreciate flagging a potential error in assignment instead of attempting to skate a game beyond the official's ability.

• Always avoid potential situations where you can be accused of having a conflict of interest.

  • Integrity is an important component to officiating a game well and preventing unnecessary criticism.

  • Examples of conflict include games where a sibling is on one of the teams or an uncle is a coach on one of the benches.

  • Proactively block teams with which you have conflicts in a scheduling system (or otherwise inform an assignor of your conflicts).

  • Addressing these situations before taking the assignment far better than hoping that it goes unnoticed.

  • When unsure, talk to your assignor about the situation.

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BE THERE

• It is the responsibility of the official to ensure that the official is present and on time for all accepted assignments.

  • It is not the responsibility of anyone else (not the parent, not the assignor) to be sure the official appears when scheduled.​

  • Securing a ride to an assignment should be done before accepting the assignment.

• Check your bag before you leave home to ensure you have all of your gear.

  • Individuals who are coaching, playing, and officiating often need the same gear moved from one bag to another.​

  • Many rinks do not have extra referee sweaters available, and most rinks do not have (or lend out) helmets with a visor.

• Officials should plan to arrive 30 minutes prior to each assignment.

  • Traffic/travel delays are usually avoided if the official plans to arrive 30 minutes prior.

  • A “late” official would still be on time for a game despite a 20-minute delay if the official planned to arrive 30 minutes prior.

  • If you will be unexpectedly arriving late for a game assignment, communicate immediately with your partner and/or the assignor.

• All rinks have a dedicated locker room for game officials.

  • Ask the reception desk in the rink lobby for the location of the referee room if you are unsure of its location.​

  • Inform a member of the rink staff if all referee rooms are currently occupied by non-officials.

  • Always adhere to the applicable Locker Room Policy, such as: https://www.keystone.hockey/lr-policy

• Officials should be fully dressed and ready to go on the ice before the teams.

  • Officials who delay the start of a game are already giving a bad first impression.

  • The ice surface is not visible from many official's locker rooms, so the officials need to remain aware of the time.

  • Do not give teams (especially coaches) a reason to criticize you before the game even starts!

• Officials must stay through the full completion of the game (unless otherwise clearly injured or ill).

  • Always plan for your games to run a bit later than scheduled.

  • Be aware of your personal calendar for that day; “I have a game” is not an acceptable reason to leave another game early.

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FINISH THE JOB

• Review and sign/initial the scoresheet at the conclusion of the game.

  • Do not sign for your partner nor have your partner sign for you.​

  • Ensure the penalties listed on the scoresheet match what was called in the game (and make necessary corrections).

  • The final contents of the scoresheet are your responsibility, not the responsibility of the scorekeeper or home team.

• Any game where a significant penalty was assessed requires a game report to be submitted in a timely fashion.​

  • If you issued a Game Misconduct or Match Penalty, a USAH incident report must be filed: https://www.usahockey.com/incident report

  • ​Ensure that you know the details of the incident (player, time of penalty, team name) or take a photo of the scoresheet.​

• If a highly unusual incident occurred in the game, it is best to notify your assignor immediately.

  • Reporting your version of the story first helps keep the story straight (be honest).

  • Examples include suspending a game due to disciplinary issues or a threat made towards you on your way to your car.

  • It is also wise to talk to your assignor if you feel that you and/or your partner might have made a serious mistake in a game.​

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GET PAID

• The method of payment varies among assignors, associations, and leagues.

  • The assignor generally communicates this information when using an official for the first time; ask otherwise!

  • It is rare that an official receives a cash payment at the time of the game; payment usually comes from the assignor at a later date.

  • Payments cover all games worked within a specified period of time.

• The payout for each game is largely dependent on the level of play and can vary slightly between rinks, leagues, and tournaments.

  • Games available to Level 1 officials generally start around $30 per game.

  • Payment cited for an assignment is specifically for that official, not for the crew.​​​