Referee Tips and Techniques to make you a better official!!

Officiating Procedures/Coaching tips
 
Pre-Game Procedure
 

• Check the game sheet
  • Captains are noted on the sheet
  • Signed on the Verified line by a coach/manager
• Shake hands with coaching staff
• Linesmen
  • Check nets after warm-up
  • Grab pucks from home team

• Face offs
  • Beginning of each period
    • Face the time clock
  • After a goal
    • Face the benches
  • End Zone/Neutral Zone
    • Opposite the face off in the end zone
       
•  Line Change Procedure
  • Visiting team has 5sec to change
    • It is good practice to try and make eye contact with coaches to make sure they are good
  • Then put up your arm (arm to visiting team)
    • Any visiting players changing once your arm is up should be sent back to the bench
  • Home team has 5 sec. to change
  • Arm comes down
    • Any home players changing after your arm comes down should be sent back.
    • This indicated to the linesman dropping the puck you are ready
       
• Penalty Procedure
  • Arm goes up
    • Arm straight, close to ear, palm facing inward
  • Offending team gains possession
    • Whistle loudly
    • Stop and pause
  • Bring arm down and point to player
    • If player is beside you don’t point – that would be rude
  • Vocalize and Signal your call
    • Identify the # and color of the player
      • Be loud and clear so that your linesmen know who to take!
    • Make your signal nice and crisp
  • Skate to time clock
    • Repeat the signal
    • Make sure the time keeper gets it
    • Make sure the time is on the clock
• Always get yourself in the best position
• Let the play develop in front of you
  • don't be on top of the play because you will get tunnel vision
• Keep your head on a swivel
  • Don't be puck focused
  • Keep your eyes on the entire ice you need to see it all.
• 4-man System
   
  • End Zone Referee
    • Back skate into zone
    • Keep play in front of you
    • Typically focused on the puck
      • especially when it is a play at the net
         
  •  Back Referee
    • Positioned between the neutral zone face off dot and the boards
      • Bump out if you need to see the play along the boards
      • Watch everything else
        • Especially when the play is at the net
        • Watch for any infractions that happen in the slot or anywhere else.
           
  • Referees switch end zones
  • The back referee takes the end zone
  • The front referee goes to center for the line change procedure
     
• Both referees have a penalty
  • Make sure both referees have the same player/infraction
  • Typically the end zone referee will report the penalty
• Referee thatreports the penalty takes the end zone position
• Other referee will do the line change procedure at center ice
   
• End zone referee reports goal
• Back referee does line change and puck drop at center
   
• Whistle at buzzer
• Arm up to hold benches
• Allow them to come off the bench once all players are at their respectful benches
• Watch handshake
• Check game sheet
• Sign game sheet
   
• Face offs
  • Set players outside the circle behind you
    • Once you turn your back to them they become the back linesman’s responsibility
  • Whistle when line change procedure is completed
  • Make sure front wingers are outside the circle
  • Make sure centers are square and behind the lines
  • Drop the puck
    • Back linesman holds the line
  • Exit the zone safely, cleanly and back skate
  • Release your partner when your are at the blue line with a head nod or hand gesture
  •  One linesman takes the player to penalty box
    • Keep yourself between the player and referee
    • Watch the line change as you go toward the benches
    • Other linesman
      • Watch any hot spots, watch the line change
      • Get the puck
      • Conduct face off procedure
         
• Back linesman signals an icing
  • Watch line change once icing is whistled down
  • Position yourself between the tops of the circles
  • Point toward the face off location
    • This directs the traffic and tells your partner where to go
• Front linesman
  • Washout signal and vocalize if waving off the icing
  • Skate hard to goal line if whistling the icing down
    • Skate towards any players attacking the zone
    • They are a hot spot make sure you are there
    • Pick up the puck and skate hard to the face off dot
    • Proceed with face off procedure
       
• Front linesman takes players
  • Lead them to their bench to celebrate
  • If passing the opposing bench keep yourself between them and then bench
  • Get ahead of them and make sure to direct them away from the opposing team
  • Set up for face off on the bench side of the team that scored
• Back Linesman watches the line change
  • Pick up the puck
  • Go to center to stay between players until referee finishes reporting goal
     
• End of Game Procedure
  • Get to hot spots at the buzzer
  • Watch the handshake
  • Make sure teams curl away from each other so that they do not cross after the handshake
  • If teams are using the same door to leave the ice have
    • One linesman at the gate to make sure nothing happens
    • One linesman to make sure the other team waits
  • Sign the game sheet
  • Move the nets for the Zamboni
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  Additional tips for linesmen
   
  • Always anticipate the play
  • Skate hard to the scrums
    • Try to beat your partner!
  • Back lines man should bump down below center to cover line if front linesman needs help
  • Always look for hot spots
  • If a referee goes to the bench to talk to a coach go with them
    • Keep your back to the conversation
    • You don’t need to interject unless your referee asks you to
    • You are there as a second set of ears not to make it 2 on 1
  • Always look sharp, remain professional both on and off the ice and remember to have fun!!!