The RHOA Handbook

Updated February 20, 2003

No Show Policy

For a given season (spring 2001, 2002-2003, etc)
-First no-show, 100% game fee fine
-Second no-show, 150% game fee fine plus removal from schedule of your remaining games that month
-Third no-show, 200% game fee fine plus suspension from any more games until the following season.
Level 3 and 4 refs have one "exemption" each, earned by their years of service and ability to pass a closed book test.
This exemption starts at the second no-show level, meaning a level 3 missing for a second time is fined
at the 100% rate.
For all refs, two or three no-shows on back-to-back assignments (ie, consecutive games in the same building
on the same day when no other games are played in between those games) each counts as the "first" no show and
each is fined at 100% game rate.

Attire

For GRYHA, ACCHL and Women's League games, and for all MYHL and HNIR playoff and tournament games, let's make an effort to look professional from the moment we enter the building. No sweats or bluejeans, please.  Sport coat and collared shirt preferred, weather permitting.

Control of Players During Stoppages

During an extended stoppage that does not involve a timeout, one referee or one linesman should stand at the spot at which the faceoff will occur. Get the players lined up as quickly as possible and keep them there.  Let your partner and the referee handle the cause of the stoppage without having ten players milling about.

Expectations of Professionalism

• The code of conduct applies when you are playing, too.

• When you are a linesman, do not shake your head in disbelief if you don't agree with the ref's call.

• Dress as a professional.

• No pins on crests.

• Sweater zipper up.

• Keep hands out of pockets.

• Do not lean on boards

• Give courteous answers to all questions posed on the ice or before or after games.

Faceoffs

• Do not waste time with the players behind you when you are dropping a faceoff. Check them once and get them out of the circle.  After that, let your partner watch them while you concentrate on the centers and the players in front of you.

• Do not use your hands to motion players into position.  Once you are set, use your head to motion players and tell them who has to move. "Red, take a step to your left, please."  Yes, be polite.

• Centers must be positioned fairly. They do not have to be positioned perfectly. Whatever standard you set in your first drop of the game, stick to it for the entire game.

• Make sure your partner is in position before you drop the puck!

• The last thing you should see before you drop the puck should not be the ice. Focus on a player's helmet or a spot on the boards across from you to avoid looking down.

• After you drop the puck your only responsibility is to get out of the way and back into position  without getting run over.  Let your partner call any infractions until you motion to him that you are set.

For new refs

Please review all pages of the web site before you ask questions that may be answered here.

Game Clock

• Anticipate the game clock not starting after a stoppage.  The back linesman or the referee who does not drop the puck should note the time before the faceoff. Then, AFTER watching the faceoff and moving with the play, glance at the clock to see if it has started.

• Also anticipate the penalty time not being displayed or started correctly.  The back linesman or the referee who does not drop the puck should note the time play begins so you will know when the penalty expires.

• If the clock does not start, DO NOT STOP PLAY.  Count the time in your head until the clock does start.  At the next stoppage have the time keeper subtract the seconds you counted.

• If the period should end before the next stoppage--based on the time you counted off while the clock was not moving--blow your whistle to end the period.

• When the clock is operating and the period gets down to the final ten seconds, the back referee or linesman should count off the time in his head and look at the clock for the final three seconds.  If there is a play at the net, the back linesman should look at the clock, not the play, and listen for the referee's whistle. In the two-man system, the back referee should watch the play and listen for the buzzer.  If it does not sound when it should have, blow your whistle. This way you will no for sure if a goal was scored before or after the buzzer sounded.  Remember it is the sound of the buzzer, not the clock reaching zero, that determines the end of the period. When the SkateNation clocks display :00 there are nine-tenths of a second remaining.

Goal Crease

The new ice sheet at Ice Zone has the NHL creases painted on the ice. In a USA Hockey game, the USAH goal crease applies regardless of what is painted on the ice. Please advise the coaches or captains before the game not to be fooled by the NHL crease and that the officials will call the USAH crease even though it is not there.

How to Be Scheduled

• Dates and times you are unavailable to scheduler by the 7th of the prior month. If If scheduler does not have this information by the 7th you will not be scheduled for that month. List specific dates and times, not--"I am playing B league" or "I am in Midget house league."

• Schedule will be e-mailed and faxed as draft on the 14th.

• You have one week to alert scheduler if you were assigned a game on an unavailable date or if a new conflict has arisen.

• Final schedule goes out on the 21st. After that, if you can't make a game it is your responsibility to cover it.

• Alert scheduler of all changes as soon as you make them. Only trade with your own level.

• No GRYHA, High School, ACCHL or Women's League changes without prior approval from scheduler.

• If ref A says he will cover for ref B, and he doesn't, ref B is still responsible unless scheduler has been alerted to the switch and both refs confirm.

• If you are scheduled 3-man and don't show, you are still fined.

Scheduling Priorities:

• Who is available

•  What is the best combination for that game

• What is the best combination for ref development

• What is ref's preference of games

• Giving everyone equivalent number of games

Incident reports

• For every penalty that involves a suspension--game misconduct, gross misconduct. match penalty--an incident report must be completed by the senior official (2-man) or the referee.  This report must make its way to the residing president of RHOA within 48 hours of the game.  E-mail is preferred.  Fax is sufficient.  If neither is an option, leave the report in our locker room and call John before you leave the rink, 730-4655, to report the incident.

• For ACCHL, CBHL and High School games, the incident report must be done and filed the same day if it occurs on a Friday or Saturday.

• Do not take the original score sheet out of the building.  Make a copy.

• Call or e-mail Tom Owens immediately if there is a gross or match.

• Incident reports will go to the players/parents/coaches, so be professional and complete. If a player uses obscene language, quote him verbatim in the report.

• Do not use the narrative to write info we know from the other sections of the report.

Inclement Weather Policy

• Check for an e-mail message

• Call the rink.

• If no answer, call the scheduler. Try to be considerate of the time of day, but in some cases a "wake-up call" may be necessary. If a scheduler receives a call from the club or league to cancel or change a game, the scheduler will contact you ASAP.

• Finally, just like when officiating, use your best judgment. If you are forced to make a decision on your own and either the game was canceled and you showed up or you couldn't get out to the game, please contact the scheduler and let him know.

Picking up open games

Please be realistic and honest with yourself about your abilities and the levels you should work.

Scoresheets

Please fill out the scoresheet completely.  This includes:

• The team names or numbers and colors, and be specific with the color. There are both navy and royal blue teams in a couple of divisions. Red is not maroon. Maroon is not plum.  Teal is teal and dark green is not Kelly green.

• Game date and time.

• Game location.

• Final Score.

• Make sure scorekeeper writes the times of penalties. Show him/her how to do it when necessary. For CBHL games, please make sure they note time on ice and time 3rd period starts and the game number and age level. Also for CBHL, make sure the rosters appear on all the NCR copies.

• We do NOT need rosters filled out on MYHL or HNIR score sheets. Please stop asking the coaches to do this.

Keep the play going

• Let's please stop blowing the whistle so often for goalies covering the puck. A save is not a miracle and does not require a TV timeout for the instant replay. Make goalies play the puck if they are not pressured. Use your hockey sense.

• Let's not be tricked by lazy defensemen on potential icings. If he isn't skating as hard as he can, or if he chooses to cover an opponent instead of going for the puck, wave off the icing, please. Of course if there was no reasonable opportunity to play the puck, the icing should be called whether the defenseman tried to chase it down or not.  Remember that any puck that is in the air is considered "unplayable" in terms of icing

• Remember it is the sweep of the stick and not the spot at which the puck leaves the stick that determines if a pass is potential icing or 2-line offsides.

Injured Players

• An Injured player must be removed from the ice as quickly as is safe and possible. Coaches are not permitted to administer extraordinary medical assistance, transplants, open-heart surgery, etc. on the ice. If a player needs medical attention, either call 911 or get him off the ice. If he does not need a doctor, just get him off the ice. Remember, we are not medical professionals, with the exception of the few refs who are medically-trained. Comfort and reassure an injured player until his coach arrives, then get out of there.

• Under no circumstances should a referee assist a coach in removing an injured player who is non-ambulatory.

Internal Communications

• All but one of our active members now has e-mail and Internet access.  E-mail is the preferred method of communications.  Please check your e-mail at least once each day for RHOA info.

• Future updates will be done via e-mail only unless a special request is made.

Length of Games

• Youth house games (MYHL) are1 hour 20 minutes max. Do NOT let games run over. Note the time on-ice (the moment the zam door is shut) and calculate what time the slot ends. For example, a 9:10 am game at SN-West typically will not have the ice ready until 9:15. The slot is now 9:15 to 10:35. Write this on the score sheet as a note to yourself. When the second period ends, note the time again. If there are less than 17 minutes remaining in the ice slot, take the time left in the slot, divide by 2, and put that amount on the clock. This will pertain to most mite and squirt games.

• Let's move these games faster so the kids play their whole game. We can do this by hustling during stoppages and helping the players get lined up. Also, don't waste time trying to get mite and squirt players into perfect faceoff positions. Make it fair and drop the puck.

• Adult house league games (HNIR) are also 1 hour 20 minutes.  If the game starts more than 15 minutes late due to players not being there or the ice not being ready, shorten the third period to fit the slot.

Protective Equipment

Every season  some house league and visiting travel team players have no chin straps (just a facemask strap) and/or no attached mouthguard, and some no earflaps. DO NOT LET ANY YOUTH LEAGUE PLAYER (except mite and squirt which requires no mouthguard) participate in a game like this, including goalies, EVER!

Exceptions:

• In ice hockey, mites and squirts do no need mouthguards.

• In inline hockey, mouthguards do not have to be attached.

• There is a CCM shield designed for use without a strap. There is an Itech helmet, and the Mylec helmet (inline use only) designed for safe use with one strap for both helmet and face shield.

Referee equipment

Every official must use the Acme Thunder whistle. This is the large, not the small, whistle. It is important that all of our whistles sound alike on the ice to avoid player confusion. Do not take to the ice with a small finger whistle. SkateNation-West and Roger Hughes sell the Thunder whistles.  Officials Wearhouse is an excellent on-line supplier.

On-Ice appearance

How you appear to the players, coaches and spectators goes a long way in how you will gain their respect.

• Do not stand around during stoppages with hands in your pockets or with arms folded across your chest or on your hips. Arms should be at your sides or on you knees in the "ready" stance.

• Between periods, do not sit on the dasher boards. Sit on the bench or in a chair or stand.

• Be sure to tape or strap the tops of your skates to keep your pants from catching in the backs of your skates.

• Use ToeKote or similar product to fix scrapes on the toes of your skates.

Pre-game Procedures

• Arrive at least 20 minutes before game time

• Dress as a professional--No team insignias on your hat, jacket, shirt

• Meeting with captains and/or coaches

• Check score sheets and be sure scorekeeper knows what he is doing

• Check players' equipment during warm up

• Check nets

• Check gates

Post-game

• The puck is irrelevant, leave it alone

• Observe handshake properly

• Youth players keep helmets on. If after warning he does not put it on, it's a misconduct. If he persists it's a game misconduct

• Do not accept score sheet from scorekeeper during handshake

• Stand by exit as teams leave the ice

• Check score sheet in locker room for all info, including who played, where, when and the level.

• Leave score sheet in box above desk at South, or on bench at West

• Check off your name on schedule so we can double-check if there is a billing or fine conflict or question.

What Should Be in Your Pockets?

• Carry sections of old laces in your pocket to fix holes in the net.

• Have an extra whistle in your pocket.

• Take your whistle off and put it in your pocket as you are skating to a skirmish.  Also, put your whistle in your pocket during the post-game handshake.

• Have a notebook and pencil--sharpened at both ends--in your pocket in case a multiple-penalty situation arises in which you need to note the numbers of players to penalize or who leave the bench during an altercation.

ZERO TOLERANCE CUTS BOTH WAYS

• Officials are reminded that in the view of the District Referee-in-Chief, the Maryland and Virginia State Supervisors, and the RHOA leadership, the conduct and decorum portions of Rule 601 apply to officials as much as they do to players, coaches, and spectators. Provocative actions and foul language have no place in our game and, when committed by an on-ice official, have the effect of tarnishing that official's reputation while making it difficult for other officials to enforce the USA Hockey Zero Tolerance Policy.

• The code of conduct applies to refs even when they are playing.

• Under the provisions of the USA Hockey Administrative Rules and Regulations, Supervisors of Officials have authority to suspend officials for up to five games for a variety of reasons, including on-ice misconduct.

• Both Doug Wood, the Maryland Supervisor, and Kevin Upton, the Virginia Supervisor, have indicated that it is their common policy to impose this sanction in every case where an allegation of on-ice misconduct is substantiated. The two supervisors also state that repeat offenders will be automatically referred to a district-level disciplinary board, which has full authority to impose longer suspensions or even dismiss an official from the program. These sanctions are separate from and in addition to any fines or other internal sanctions that might be imposed by RHOA.

• The USA Hockey Official's Code of Conduct and related standards are adequately addressed in the USA Hockey officiating manuals and have been covered in the pre-season seminars. Please continue to be guided by these standards and do your part to ensure that RHOA-officiated games continue to meet the highest standards of professionalism.

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