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February 10, 2020 GREETINGS FROM HERMAN COSTA
Hello everyone: With all the changes that are coming for next season’s Clinic program, the North Region Executive Committee has decided to open the reclassification program for all eligible Level 2 officials to reclass to Level 3 until February 28. One of the changes that will be implemented next clinic season is that all Level 3, 4, 5 and 6 officials will be eligible to attend a half-day clinic. More information will be coming as details on the changes are finalized. If you are interested in reclassifying this season for the 2020-21 officiating season, here is the link with all the requirements and procedures you must follow. Deadline to apply is February 28: APPLICATION FOR RECLASSIFICATION > Requirements to Reclassify from Level II to Level III:
Herman Costa, FEATURING OUR OFFICIALS FEMALE MINI CAMP
The North Region Female Mini Development Camp was held on Saturday, January 25 at NAIT and included the group watching an ACAC game together. There were a total of 13 participants from as far away as Olds, four guest speakers (Shelley Knowlton, Chris Despot, Tracie Kikuchi, and Michelle Gariepy), and lead instructor Carmen Boccanfuso. The participants got to meet the officials working the game - Suzanne Sawatski, Shawna Jaeger, and Despot. FRASER LAWRENCE AND HIS WORLD JUNIOR EXPERIENCE This was by far the best experience of my officiating career to date. Getting the call to go to a tournament all Canadians grow up watching at Christmas time was a dream come true, and getting to go with two of my good friends Mike Campbell from Vancouver and Chad Huseby from Red Deer made it even better. We had to depart a few days before Christmas which made it a very weird Christmas season. We arrived in Ostrava on December 24 and had two days of meetings prior to the tournament starting. As an officiating team we had a nice Christmas dinner, and had a fun gift exchange as some team bonding. The next morning, Boxing Day, the tournament started, and I got to work the first game of the tournament between the host Czech Republic and Russia. It was an amazing game. Something I had yet to experience with the European fans and the atmosphere that they create. I went on to work six games throughout the tournament including a quarter and a semi final as well as the absolute highlight of my career, the bronze medal game between Sweden and Finland, with my two good friends and the two other Canadians. I got to meet 19 other officials from across the world, and it’s safe to say I have 19 new friends from the officiating community. I would like to thank the North Region, Hockey Alberta and Hockey Canada for the opportunity to represent them on this stage, certainly a trip I will remember for the rest of my life. I’d also like to thank my wife, and family for all the support and being so understanding of my officiating career. COLIN WATT IN THE AJHL It’s the most thankless job in sports, but AJHL referee Colin Watt is motivated by the challenges that come with wearing the stripes.
BRODY MCGRATH AT THE MAC’S I was honoured to referee at this year’s tournament and received the gold medal assignment held at the Saddledome. It was truly amazing to skate and work the games of such a great group of aspiring hockey players as well as other officials nationwide. Other officials from across the province of Alberta as well as a couple from Ontario officiated this tournament. Meeting other officials from different zones was definitely one of my greatest experiences at the Mac’s Tournament. Officiating is a team sport just as the players would consider their team to be. Although we were all from different areas of the province and country, it did not take long to establish a good team bond amongst each other as to which I would call a brotherhood. Each game we would learn off of each other and pick our brains as to really excel and learn for the future. Every game being supervised by supervisors who are experienced, elite veteran referees and linesman who have worked in levels in which we as officials at the Mac’s aspire to obtain in our officiating careers. They were all very helpful and gave great feedback in an effort to enhance everyone’s game performance. The three officials who performed best in the quarter finals were then picked for the Gold Medal final. As the teams fought harder throughout the round robin and in playoffs, so did we as officials. The Gold Medal game was an experience I will never forget. Myself, Antoine Bujold-Roux (Ontario), and Keegan Lane (Lloydminster) were selected together to skate at the Saddledome. Personally, I have never skated a high caliber game on professional ice before, which was already a great experience and an even better reward. The game went really well and was the best game I had officiated in the tournament by far. It was amazing to see how many spectators and fans that had come out to watch the game as well. It really made the game feel more rewarding and important. We were truly honoured that the tournament’s officiating committee selected us to work the game, as this was probably the best assignment the three of us have received thus far in our officiating careers. AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS NEW SCHOLARSHIP The Edmonton Invitational Bantam Tournament of Champions is providing the North Region with a $1000 Scholarship to be awarded to an official who officiated at the Bantam Level this season. Full details and applicant criteria are available at the North Region website. COLIN HACKETT AWARD Applications are being accepted until March 1 for the Colin Hackett Award. Criteria includes attending a post-secondary institution on a full-time basis, and serving as a volunteer leader/mentor for officials. Full details and application are available on the North Region webpage: REFEREE COUNCIL SCHOLARSHIP Applications are being accepted until April 1 for the Hockey Alberta Referee Council Scholarship. Criteria include attending a post-secondary institution on a full-time basis, on-ice ability and off-ice contribution to the official’s Region. For details are available at the Hockey Alberta Officials Website: RULES OF THE MONTH For Junior Officials Rule 9.8(c) Throwing Stick or Object A minor penalty for throwing a Stick/Object (as applicable) shall be assessed any player who deliberately throws his stick or any part thereof or any other object in any zone, but not at the puck or puck carrier. For Senior Officials Rule 6.7(a), Situations 8, 13 and 14. A22 is the instigator and the aggressor in a fight. Before being escorted off the ice, he gets away from the linesman and becomes the instigator and aggressor in another fight. What penalties are assessed to A22? A22 is assessed 2 for instigating plus 2 for aggressor plus 5 + GM for fighting for the first fight, plus 2 for instigating plus 2 for aggressor plus 5 + GM for fighting for the second fight, plus a GM for taking part in a second fight on the same stoppage of play NORTH REGION GOLF TOURNAMENT The 2020 Hockey Alberta Officials North Region Open golf tournament will be held June 13 at Coal Creek Golf Resort near Ryley. The event includes a shotgun start at 2 pm and registration fee is $120. Included with your entry:
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER AND PAY > EDMONTON MINOR HOCKEY WEEK The 56th edition of Minor Hockey Week in Edmonton was held January 10-19. Thank you everyone who participated in the tournament as an official. 857 games are played in Edmonton, St. Albert and Sherwood Park and these games involve 640 teams. There were 1,466 assignments in Edmonton, 217 assignments in St. Albert and 168 assignments in Sherwood Park. The estimated value of these assignments is $45,000. 53 finals were played. In the non-Female finals of which there were 49 games, 111 officials were assigned and for the first time in many, many years, all 111 officials showed and completed their assignments in the finals. During the tournament in Edmonton, 407 officials worked games with the average being 3.6 games per official. The tournament leader was Leland Cannon who officiated 13 games. Rounding out the top nine were Thomas Nguyen, Terry Sidorchuk and Jim Williamson each with 12 games, Shawn Innes with 11 games, and Aiden Filipchuk, Lance Hyndman, Ryan Peterson, and Jacob Russell each with 10 games. Quikcard Edmonton Minor Hockey Week will again distribute 100 Referee Recognition jackets. Officials receiving a jacket will be selected by random draw and the jackets will be distributed in late March and in April. A highlight of Minor Hockey Week was three generations of members of one family working a game. The achievement was featured on CTV Edmonton Sports. The story can be found on the Officials Website Newsfeed: QUESTIONS? If you have any officiating related questions, the best place to start is the Hockey Alberta Officials Website. The website includes general information of importance to all officials, as well as a section with information specific to the North Region. You can access the Officials website at the link below, or through the Officials tab at hockeyalberta.ca. If you have a question for the North Region executive, click the link below to go to the Executive List: |
