JOIN THE THIRD TEAM: Attention All Former College Hockey Players

 

 

Are you looking for a way to stay in the game at a competitive level? There is a great demand for college ice hockey officials. Officiating is terrific exercise, wonderful camaraderie and a fun way to supplement your income. College hockey officials earn game fees that are highly competitive with referee fees in other team sports and there are numerous opportunities for travel. Officials training clinics, sponsored by USA Hockey and the CCHA, are conducted by an official’s organization in your local area and will thoroughly prepare you for this great avocation.

 

Officials Needed
We welcome the opportunity to work with and train you. Former college hockey players have the proven "feel for the game"and often make excellent on-ice officials. Follow the path of other former CCHA players including Steve Piotrowski, Keith Sergott, Craig Lisko, Rod Tocco and Josh Hatinger to name a few. Consider giving something back to the sport that has given so much to you.

For those of you with officiating experience in other sports such as basketball, football, etc., you’ll find similar concepts of ice coverage and familiar judgments.

Your local USA Hockey officials association can assist you further in learning the basic rules, on-ice mechanics, judgment and communication. The training is clear, concise and designed to give you the skills and confidence you need. Our CCHA officials mentoring program will team you up with an experienced official who can answer all of your questions and guide you through your first season. As you progress in skill, advancement can come quickly. Qualified college hoc key officials can advance to officiating challenging, high-caliber games. The CCHA officiating program will prepare you to accept the challenges of officiating more demanding games.

How to Get Started:

1. Contact the CCHA Director of Officials – Steve Piotrowski
2. Get the CCHA training materials through the CCHA Office.
3. Attend a CCHA Officials training camp upon invitation.

Join the Third Team ...
Central Collegiate Hockey Association
23995 Freeway Park Drive
Farmington Hills, Michigan 48335
(248) 888-0600

What Former College Players and Current Officials Are Saying:

"It is such a privilege to be a part of college hockey. College athletics, in general, are such a unique experience and to be a part of that experience for a longer period than the four years of playing is such an honor. Most players you talk to say they miss the camaraderie with their teammates the most after their playing days are over. Officiating with the "Third Team"really has the same sense and feel as the player’s team. We are not out on the ice to win or lose, but we go out as a "team"to do the best job we can. It really is not that much different from playing … the dedication, the preparation and pride it takes to be a successful player really parallels being a successful member of the "Third Team." – Keith Sergott, CCHA official for 5 years and former Ferris State Bulldog (1992-96).
"I think having played helps you understand the intensity level of the players, the preparation and importance of each game due to the limited number of games played in a season. You can relate to the experiences of the players, the building environments and the intensity of the fans. Having the opportunity to play through those situations provides a good foundation to call upon when participating in a game as an official. I know for myself, I approach each game as an official like I did as a player. Give it 100 percent. The players deserve your best effort – now that’s not to say they won’t agree with you 100 percent of the time. Preparation is another area that can draw upon past experiences." – Craig Lisko, CCHA official for 8 years and former Ferris State Bulldog (1990-94).
"I started officiating for the teaching sense. I feel officials, especially in the youth arena are the teachers of proper rules and their implementation. Gradually the desire to continue officiating spawned from the competitive side of me that is always looking for a challenge; officiating a good game is always an awesome feeling of accomplishment," – Rod Tocco, First-Year CCHA official and former Michigan State Spartan (2001-05).
"It gives you a better feel for the game. It helps you read different situations during the game with the point of view that you’ve been there and done that or have seen it as a player. It also earns you some amount of respect from the coaches and players who are aware of it. They know you’ve been there and have gone through the same challenges they go through as "teams" do. It does not make you a good official just because you played. You still have to continue to work hard to become the best official you can be." - Josh Hatinger, First-Year CCHA officials and former Northern Michigan Wildcat (2004-07).