Certification Process

Every USA Hockey official is required to attend a yearly seminar and pass a yearly exam in order to be certified at any level. There are 4 levels of certification. New officials begin at Level 1 and progress from there. There are no age requirements to be a USA Hockey official and a growing number of youth hockey players are also officials. Each level attained allows and official to referee at a different age level as follows:

Boys’/Men
Level 1 10 and under
Level 2 12 and under
Level 3 16 and under
Level 4 all age levels

Girls’/Women
Level 1 10 and under
Level 2 12 and under
Level 3 15 and under
Level 4 all age levels

Seminars

This year, Vermont will hold 3 seminars. Any official regardless of level, with the exception of Level 4, can attend each of these. Those officials wishing to be certified at Level 4 must attend a Regional Seminar. Information on that is available at the New England officials’ website. The seminars this year in Vermont are:

10/1/06 St. Michael’s College
10/14/06 Hartford High School
11/5/06 Rutland High School

Each seminar will start with registration at 8am. There will be approximately 5 hours of classroom instruction and 90 minutes of ice time. Seminars last until about 4pm. You must attend the entire seminar.

There is a $10 fee for the seminar payable that day.

Each official is required to be in full officiating uniform except new officials. New officials should have skates, helmet and whistle. New officials will receive all necessary forms and manuals at the seminar.

Returning officials receive their material in the mail directly from USA Hockey’s National office.

Systems

The most common officiating system used in Vermont is the 2-man system in which both officials may call penalties. The 3-man system, which consists of two linesmen and one referee, is used at times in State and Regional Tournaments, and in all National Tournaments. In this system, only the referee may call penalties.