Referee Advice

[jds 20]

Okay,so I have been asked to help out in my low-level adult league by being the second ref on the ice during a game tonight. The other ref knows what he is doing and I have never reffed a game in my life. Not that big a deal since this is fairly tame hockey with no contact allowed so I will likely only be calling icing and offsides. I know the rules but I have no idea of where to be in relation to the other ref and any other basic guidelines. Any tips from any refs out there would be appreciated so I don't completely screw up.

(Just to add to the pressure, Don Koharski is hosting a ref clinic at the rink and he and the 100 or so refs from the clinic will be in the bar that overlooks the rink)

[cptjeff 0]

Well, Low level men's league or not there will be a lot more penalties then you think, especially if you call nothing. However, since you're new, only call blatant stuff, but do try to get offsides right. You'll really get bitched at if you screw those up consistently.

And since Don Khoharski is watching, make sure donuts are prominently displayed somewhere.

[fieldofdreams 0]

And since Don Khoharski is watching, make sure donuts are prominently displayed somewhere.

Excellent advice! :D

[chippa13 1844]

If you follow the one zone rule then you should be ok. If play is inside the zone then one guy should be down low and the other should be just the other side of the blue line. For neutral zone, basically blue line to blue line and maintain that distance moving with the play and be sure that you're either on or just to one side or the other of a blue line if you're on the play. Nothing drives players more nuts than the offside whistle that comes 30 feet from the line.

[chk hrd 164]

not to me am ass, but if you haven't had ref training and don't have the correct certification you shouldn't even be out there. Even though it's only a low level mens league they still deserve to have it reffed correctly. Are the players paying for reffing?

[Leafsrule16 5]

If theres just 2 refs and its a minor fun game, try and take a blue line and stay in your own zone, like for example if the other ref is in one end (his end) stay a little behind the blue line not much just enough so if the puck comes out u dont stop it from crossing the blue line, then if the play goes the other way go in and stand by the boards by the faceoff circle around mid and depending on where the play is go down to the corner and even almost behind the net like if the plays on the other side, but dont ever cross the ice.

[fieldofdreams 0]

not to me am ass, but if you haven't had ref training and don't have the correct certification you shouldn't even be out there. Even though it's only a low level mens league they still deserve to have it reffed correctly. Are the players paying for reffing?

I really agree. Just because the players aren't as good, doesn't mean they deserve less. I play in a lower league, and we get stuck with the guys who are still learning, and it's brutal.

If you are learning, call more rather than less. The guys might complain a bit at first, but you really nip bullshit in the bud.

Also, above all, please be consistent. Don't let something go in the first two periods, then call it in the third, and vice versa, don't call it in the first two, then let it go in the third.

If theres just 2 refs and its a minor fun game, try and take a blue line and stay in your own zone, like for example if the other ref is in one end (his end) stay a little behind the blue line not much just enough so if the puck comes out u dont stop it from crossing the blue line, then if the play goes the other way go in and stand by the boards by the faceoff circle around mid and depending on where the play is go down to the corner and even almost behind the net like if the plays on the other side, but dont ever cross the ice.

With all due respect, this is terrible advice:

A) don't use the blue line as a point of reference, just make sure all the players on both teams are in front of you if you are the back ref.

B ) Why would you tell him "don't ever cross the ice"? If he is down in the corner, and the players are skating towards him with the puck, he can certainly skate into the other corner to escape, and very well should. One of the main concerns as a referee is to never get caught in the way of the play.

If Koharski is running a ref clinic, attend and learn all you can. Don't be shy, speak up and voice any questions or concerns you may have.

[Leafsrule16 5]

I meant dont cross the ice in the middle, its okay to go around behind the net. I was refereeing a bantam aa game there was a kid on the lines (a linesman) crossed the middle of the ice and just about ran into a player, just figured it would be a stupid idea.

[jds 20]

not to me am ass, but if you haven't had ref training and don't have the correct certification you shouldn't even be out there. Even though it's only a low level mens league they still deserve to have it reffed correctly. Are the players paying for reffing?

I really agree. Just because the players aren't as good, doesn't mean they deserve less. I play in a lower league, and we get stuck with the guys who are still learning, and it's brutal.

If you are learning, call more rather than less. The guys might complain a bit at first, but you really nip bullshit in the bud.

Also, above all, please be consistent. Don't let something go in the first two periods, then call it in the third, and vice versa, don't call it in the first two, then let it go in the third.

If theres just 2 refs and its a minor fun game, try and take a blue line and stay in your own zone, like for example if the other ref is in one end (his end) stay a little behind the blue line not much just enough so if the puck comes out u dont stop it from crossing the blue line, then if the play goes the other way go in and stand by the boards by the faceoff circle around mid and depending on where the play is go down to the corner and even almost behind the net like if the plays on the other side, but dont ever cross the ice.

With all due respect, this is terrible advice:

A) don't use the blue line as a point of reference, just make sure all the players on both teams are in front of you if you are the back ref.

B ) Why would you tell him "don't ever cross the ice"? If he is down in the corner, and the players are skating towards him with the puck, he can certainly skate into the other corner to escape, and very well should. One of the main concerns as a referee is to never get caught in the way of the play.

If Koharski is running a ref clinic, attend and learn all you can. Don't be shy, speak up and voice any questions or concerns you may have.

Using players from the league to ref (many have ref training) is an experiment we are trying for the summer. The results have been good and bad. The idea was to above all else keep the play from getting too aggressive. Calling offsides and icing is pretty straightforward and there are rarely penalties since some of these folks in this level of the league are still really weak skaters. The idea is to encourage fun play, skill development for the players etc so they can move up to the upper level of the league where play is faster and a bit more aggressive. We always have one experience ref paired with a rookie like me and only in the lower league. Initially, there were games when this plan wasn't in place and we ended up with two rookie refs doing a game and it was brutal. Frustration ran pretty high. The new system has worked out pretty good so far. My game (thanks to advice from folks here) went pretty good. No bitching, no missed calls and I think I was in the right spot most of the time. Got some pointers from the experienced ref around positioning too. The cool thing is that I really enjoyed the whole thing and now am thinking about getting the official training so that I can do this more. This wouldn't have happened had I not been given the chance to try it out.

[fieldofdreams 0]

Calling offsides and icing is pretty straightforward and there are rarely penalties since some of these folks in this level of the league are still really weak skaters.

Sometimes, maybe most, the opposite is very much the case. They can't skate, so they rely on using their sticks to slow down the other players. Either that, or they are angry at the other players blowing past them, and use their sticks to let their opinion be known.