Referee-in-Chief Eddie’s Advice Before Your First Game
Starting as a Hockey referee can be intimidating.
You know the rules. You have completed the training. You have your equipment.
Then you step onto the ice and suddenly Players, Coaches and Parents are watching every decision you make.
Referee-in-Chief Eddie has a simple message for new officials: You are not expected to be perfect. You are expected to learn.
Every Experienced Referee Was Once a Rookie
Eddie has spent more than 25 years as a Hockey referee.
However, there was still a first game.
There was a first penalty call.
There was a first offside decision.
There was also a first mistake.
That is something every new referee should remember.
Experienced officials did not become good because they never made mistakes. They became good because they worked games, learned from experienced officials and kept improving.
Your First Job Is to Learn
A young referee can feel pressure to get every call right.
That is understandable. However, trying to be perfect can make officiating harder.
Instead, concentrate on the fundamentals.
Be in position.
Watch the play.
Make the call you see.
Communicate clearly.
Keep learning.
Good positioning makes calls easier. Clear communication helps Players and Coaches understand decisions. Most importantly, experience gradually slows the game down in your mind.
The game that seems incredibly fast during your first assignment becomes much easier to read after you have officiated dozens of games.
You Will Make Mistakes
Players make mistakes.
Coaches make mistakes.
Experienced referees make mistakes.
Therefore, expecting a new official to call a flawless Hockey game makes very little sense.
When you make a mistake, learn from it.
Ask an experienced referee what they saw.
Think about whether your positioning could have been better.
Then take that lesson into your next game.
One difficult call should not define your performance.
Do Not Let the Stands Officiate the Game
You may hear Parents disagree with a call.
You may hear Coaches question a decision.
Sometimes they will be right. Sometimes they will be wrong.
Your responsibility is still the same.
Call the game you see.
A referee cannot make decisions based on which bench is louder or which section of the stands reacts the most.
Stay focused on the ice.
Ask Experienced Officials Questions
One of the fastest ways to improve is remarkably simple:
Ask questions.
Talk with the Referee-in-Chief.
Talk with senior officials.
Ask about positioning, communication and difficult situations.
For example, if something happened during a game that you were unsure about, discuss it afterward.
Experienced referees have probably encountered the same situation many times.
Use their experience.
Confidence Comes From Experience
Confidence does not arrive with your referee sweater.
It develops game by game.
Your first game may feel uncomfortable.
Your tenth will probably feel different.
After dozens of games, situations that once seemed overwhelming can become routine.
That is why young officials need something every developing Hockey Player needs:
An opportunity to learn.
Eddie’s Message to New Referees
If you are starting your officiating career, remember this:
You belong on the ice.
Prepare properly.
Work hard.
Listen to experienced officials.
Accept constructive criticism.
Learn from mistakes.
Come back for the next game.
Hockey needs referees. More importantly, Hockey needs young referees who are given enough time and encouragement to become experienced referees.
A Message for Hockey Parents and Coaches
There is another side to this conversation.
If Hockey wants more referees, the Hockey community has to help keep them.
Young officials are learning their position just as young Players are learning theirs.
That does not mean every call must go unquestioned. Respectful communication and accountability are part of the game.
However, screaming at a young official after every disputed call teaches very little.
DISAGREE WITH THE CALL. RESPECT THE PERSON.
And remember:
YELLING AT AN OFFICIAL IS NOT A STRATEGY FOR GETTING A DIFFERENT CALL.
Hockey Needs the Next Generation of Officials
Today’s nervous first-year referee could become tomorrow’s Referee-in-Chief.
But that only happens if young officials stay in the game long enough to develop.
Give them instruction.
Give them feedback.
Give them experience.
And, most importantly, give them room to learn.
The Hockey Resource™
WE MAKE BETTER HOCKEY PEOPLE.™
As always, thank you for being part of The Hockey Resource Community.
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