Round 3!

Well, not as long of a gap between posts this time!  At the end of September, International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) assignments for the 2012 season were announced.  I was fortunate enough to be selected to work the 2012 World Women's U18 Championship in Zlin and Prerov, Czech Republic.  The tournament begins on December 31 and ends on January 7th.

For those who may be new to following my adventures, I'll give a little bit of background on how all this came to be.  During my senior year at Penn State, I decided to start reffing to make a little extra cash.  I didn't work much but when I did I generally enjoyed myself - it didn't really seem like work.  After graduating and starting my "real job" I thought about not bothering to renew my certification for the next season.  However, I started playing on a women's team and for the first time in my life I had to pay out of my own pocket to play hockey.  While I knew hockey was an expensive sport, I guess I never realized just how expensive it was!  After writing the check for my dues I decided it couldn't hurt to renew my certification, maybe I could work a few games to help pay for my team.  To renew your certification every year, you must attend a one day seminar, take a rules test as well as an open book test online.  The day of my seminar I wasn't feeling well and almost skipped it but in the end I dragged myself to the rink.  I started working a few games locally and befriended some of the other officials.  One of them recommended me for the local playoffs and there I was observed by USA Hockey evaluators.  I must have done an ok job because not long after playoffs, I received an invite to referee the Chicago Showcase tournament.  Again, I almost didn't go but after talking to another female referee who had been I decided to give it a shot.  This was my first experience working higher level hockey as well as my first experience with the USA Hockey National Officiating Staff and boy was I in over my head!  I'll never forget my first game, I was absolutely lost out there!  However, after a long week of training and supervisions, I was selected to work the championship game and actually felt like I sort of knew what I was doing!  Shortly after I returned home, I got another call from USA Hockey inviting me to attend the 2006 Women's Regional Officiating Camp.  Again, I remember thinking "really, a whole week of ref camp?  Are they serious?" But I had such a great experience in Chicago I figured why not give it a try.  So for a week in July I, along with 9 other girls from around the country, headed up to Rochester for what was one of the most intense, hard fun weeks of my life.  It was there that I realized a couple of things:

1) There was so much to learn about officiating.  Working a hockey game is so much more than calling penalties and awarding goals.
2) There are a lot of opportunities out there for female officials if you are willing to learn and put in the work.
3) The officiating community is awesome.  These were some of the nicest, most genuine people I have ever met.

After a successful week in Rochester I decided to take officiating a lot more seriously than I had in the past.  After graduating I had become a little lazy with my workouts - I wasn't nearly as intense or consistent as I had been when I had been playing in college.  I got myself in much better shape, worked on my skating and studied my rulebooks.  I started working NCAA hockey as well as higher level boys hockey locally and gaining more experience.  I was invited to my first national championship tournament at the end of the season as well as a Select Camp the following summer.  After select camp I was asked to attend the Elite Experience in Lake Placid.  It was there that I had my first opportunity to referee the US National team and earn my international license.  USA Hockey gets a limited number of "licenses" from the IIHF every season and I was fortunate enough to be selected to have one.  Since earning my license in 2007 I have had the opportunity to work numerous international competitions.  I can't imagine how my life would be different had I not dragged myself to that seminar that Saturday morning!

In 2009 I was selected to work my first tournament abroad, the World University Games in Harbin, China.  I started this blog then to keep everyone at home updated since I wouldn't have a phone.  Everyone seemed to enjoy it so last season, when I was selected to work the Women's World Championships Division 2 in France I decided to blog again.  So here we go again, as I get ready for my next adventure I've decided to start up the blog again.  I'll update a few times before I leave as well as daily while I am away, but don't worry, most entries won't be this long!  Hope you enjoy it!