Referees

Falcon Officials of the Year
2022/23 – Ashley Snowden
2021/22 – Ara Cho


New Officials

Starting at age 12, girls and boys are encouraged to consider becoming on-ice officials.

The certification process is simple. The Hockey Canada Officiating Program (HCOP) must be completed, then the second phase is an in-person clinic, conducted over two days generally in September or early October. Day 1 is classroom (about 4 hours); Day 2 is on-ice (about 2 hours).

Click here to register for the HCOP program. This is the online course that must be completed prior to registering for the clinic.

Surrey Falcons Referee-In-Chief, Dan Hayward, is responsible for recruiting, managing, training, and assigning both new and returning officials. Once you’ve completed the online portion, email Dan, referee@surreyfalcons.ca, and he will put you on the list for the upcoming classroom and on-ice sessions.


Returning Officials
All officials at all levels must re-certify each and every year. Recertification clinics will be announced on the BC Hockey website each fall, as they become available.

If an official does not re-certify, she cannot officiate after December 31.

This link should answer any additional course questions you have.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Why Should I Become an Official?
Officiating is a great way to both deepen your understanding of the game of hockey and develop or practice important skills that are valuable in the hockey world and beyond – not just skating and judgement but patience, communication, decision making and development.  Once you begin officiating, you will see the game from a different perspective and it will improve your skills as a player or a fan. Officials are the critical third team on the ice – without them the game can’t be played. Beyond that, officials are a wonderful community of individuals who support each other in the challenging on-ice environment.

Who Can Become an Official?
Anyone 12 years of age or older can become officials in British Columbia.

Do Officials Get Tested Each Year?
Yes.  All officials re-certify each year via the “Super Clinics” BC Hockey offers. Stay tuned to the BC Hockey website where the dates and locations of the clinics are posted.

How Much Does It Cost to Become an Official?
Depending on the equipment you need to purchase (see below), the courses officials take each year generally cost around $100. Officials who are not also registered as a player, coach or team official are required to purchase Hockey Canada insurance at an additional cost of approximately $40.

How Many Games Can I Expect to Officiate in My First Year?
Officiating is truly a marathon rather than a sprint.  In the first year, a younger official can expect to be assigned games at the U9 level or perhaps U11.  Depending on your level of enthusiasm and availability, you can expect between 10 and 20 games in year 1. As your skills progress, you could see up to 60 games or more per year.

Do Officials Get Paid?
Yes, in fact many teenagers treat officiating as their part-time job.  It is not uncommon for officials in their fourth or fifth year to make over $2000 in a season if they are committed to constant improvement and are available to take games multiple days in a week.  If you are interested, PCAHA officials’ fee schedule is available at pcaha.ca

What Equipment is Required to Be an Official?
The baseline for officiating is:  A helmet with a half-shield, a hockey whistle (the Acme Thunderer is recommended), an officials’ jersey, black pants and player skates (not goalie skates). Shin pads, elbow pad, and most certainly a protective cup are highly recommended.

Once you have passed your certification, you will receive a BC Hockey and Hockey Canada patches that must be attached to the referee jersey in order to participate in a game.

 

I Still Have Questions. Who Should I Ask?
The links below should answer any additional course questions you have, or you can contact our Referee-In-Chief, Dan Hayward at referee@surreyfalcons.ca.

 

 

About Dan Hayward, Referee-in-Chief
Dan Hayward has been RIC of Surrey Falcons since 2019 and has actively officiated women’s, men’s, and integrated hockey for many years. Certified at Level III with Hockey Canada, Dan also sits on the BC Hockey/Hockey Canada Safe Sport Committee. He has trained and mentored dozens of officials, many of whom have continued on with the craft well into their adult lives.