Officiating

Officials are the lifeblood of any hockey game. Without officials, no games would be played. In ice hockey, an official is a person who has some responsibility in enforcing the rules and maintaining the order of the game. There are two categories of officials, on-ice officials, who are the referees and linesmen that enforce the rules during gameplay, and off-ice officials, who have an administrative role rather than an enforcement role. For youth hockey, we are focused on and work with on-ice officials 99.9% of the time. 

If you're interested in becoming an official here are some things you'll need to get started.

1. Register with USA Hockey as an ice official.
2. Receive your rule book and instructions in the mail.
3. Watch level-specific pre-officiating seminar modules.
4. Take the open book exam. USA Hockey will provide an email 24 hours after you register as an official with all the necessary information.
5. Attend a USA Hockey Officiating Seminar. You can find more information on the Wisconsin Hockey Officials Association (WHOA) website. 
6. Take a closed book exam within 7 days of attending a USA Hockey Officiating Seminar.  

After you finish those steps and pass your closed bok exam, you'll receive your USA Hockey patch and can start officiating games. Keep in mind, you'll need to refresh your certification as an official each year. 

If you have any questions, please contact the Referee Coordinator. 

USA Hockey Ice Official (USAH)

Wisconsin Hockey Officials Association (WOHA)