With their partners; officials will be responsible for administering the rules of the game to ensure it is played in a fair and safe manner for all participants
Understand basic rules and procedures
Confidence in managing a game and developing
Get an opportunity to make some money
Have fun and want to come back the following year
Officials are eligible to officiate at levels of play that are one age group below their current age category. Officials will likely begin working games at the U7 & U9 levels. They can advance to older age categories based on their level of skill, proficiency and maturity after being assessed by local assignors and official coaches.
Hockey Canada and Hockey Saskatchewan recommended that officials be 12 years old as of December 31. However, the decision is up to the parent, official and local association.
Please ensure to check with the local association that there will be games for younger officials to work as well as the required mentorship. Some local minor hockey associations have a minimum age requirement, but Hockey Saskatchewan can certify officials as young as 10 years old as of December 31 depending on the official’s location.
Official registration fees are $60 if they are also registered with a Hockey Saskatchewan sanctioned team as a player, or $108 if they are not registered with a sanctioned team. This should be the first step of the certification process.
Officials must complete the full registration and certification process each season. An official is certified for that season once completing the full training camp process and will remain certified up until December 31 of the following season if they chose not to recertify. Officials are required to complete the HU Online Officiating 1/2 Modules through their Spordle account and attend an in-person clinic.
Officials will need the basic equipment of helmet (preferably black) with a visor, finger whistle, black pants, skates, official jersey (maybe be provided by local MHA) with Hockey Canada and Hockey Saskatchewan crests.
Optional protective equipment includes shin pads, elbow pads, athletic cup, girdle, shin tights.
These officials should be working in the 2-Official system of my be linespersons in the Modified 3-Officials or 4-Officials systems as they progress.
Officials 15 and under are in their first season are considered Level 1 officials.
Each MHA uses their own system to assign officials which may include direct phone contact or an online program that may require officials to enter the dates they are or are not available. Assignments should be based on ability and availability to best balance out the number of games for all officials. Payment of officials may done in a variety of ways; either monthly via check or etransfer, cash or cheque right after the game, or two or three times per season. Hockey Saskatchewan officiating rates are posted on the website here.
Officials should be scheduled with an experienced official early on in the season and should have an official coach watching or on-ice mentoring from the local association or assigned from the Grassroots Officiating Committee.
