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So you want to become a hockey referee? Not sure how old you need to be to start?  Well in this short article we're going to cover age requirements for both USA Hockey and Hockey Canada.  Hockey Canada Under the Hockey Canada level system, newcomer officials begin as a level 1. The minimum age to become a level 1 is set individually by the branches. So for example, this would mean that a Hockey Nova Scotia, or a Hockey Alberta, would be setting the minimum age requirements.  That being said, to become a level 2 in Hockey Canada, a person...

As officials first and foremost we love the game of hockey. But at the same time it is a profession, and just like any other profession we get paid to work. So as an official what can you expect to make?  Well first and foremost it depends on the level you are officiating. Often times, the higher the age and skill level, the more you get paid. However, at the same time, you need to consider that at certain levels you can do several games in a row, whereas as some higher levels you might just be doing one game...

So you're thinking about becoming a hockey referee? That's great! Don't know where to start? Well the biggest thing is to find your local officiating body. So if you are in Canada, you will be governed by Hockey Canada. Likewise, if you are in the United States, it will be USA Hockey.  You can check out their websites below: USA Hockey Hockey Canada On those websites you can find an introduction to their respective officiating programs. Generally, what you will need to do is find a local association to kickstart the process. So this could be your local city or...

Written by: Jessica Doiron The choice to become a hockey official comes with many rewards; in addition to the opportunity to bring order and apply rules to the game, it is beneficial health-wise and comes with a monetary reward. However, being a hockey official does come with its ups and downs. It’s all about how you and your fellow officials work as a team that will help you to deal with the “downs” of the job. To be effective, you must always be aware of your surroundings and have quick reflexes to help keep the players and yourself safe. Most...

Let’s face it — most hockey playing kids don’t grow up wanting to become referees. A kid doesn’t go to bed at night dreaming about calling that critical tripping penalty in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. I was the same way. As a hockey player I always had dreams of making it as a player, of being the one that scores the goals and gets to lift the cup. Well, according to the book Selling the Dream: How Hockey Parents and Their Kids are Paying the Price for Our National Obsession, only 0.02 percent of hockey playing boys in Ontario will...