Want to Become an Official?

USA Hockey registration for new and returning officials opened online on May 1.

The Illinois Hockey Officials Association (IHOA), Mid-Coast Hockey Officials, will be offering in-person seminars this year that will satisfy the requirements for USA Hockey. These seminars include 5 hours of classroom and on-ice training.

These seminars are highly recommended for all new officials, as well as Level 1 officials who are not required to advance to Level 2 this season.

To be eligible to attend, you must:

• Be registered with USA Hockey as an official.
• Be a paid IHOA Level 1 member.

Both requirements must be completed prior to the seminar date.

Seminars are being added at various rinks throughout the area. Please click here for seminar registration.

Additional seminar dates and locations will be announced as they become available. We look forward to seeing you there!

USA Hockey Registration click here.

IHOA Registration click here.

Ask the Official!

Question:

The Referee has signaled a delayed penalty on #8 of the Red Team. During the delay, Blue Team #3 scores a goal and on his way to celebrate with his teammates he slashes a Red Team player #55; the Referee assesses a minor penalty for this action. Are these two penalties considered coincidental?

Answer:

NO

The goal nullifies the original penalty to Red Team #8, thus, the only penalty to be assessed is the slashing penalty to Blue Team #3, as this penalty occurred after the goal was scored.

Talking Hockey With New AHAI President Melissa Surrette

By Ross Forman

Her first job, while a high school student, was as a Learn to Skate instructor at Inwood Ice Arena, the original rink in Joliet that, on August 16, 1991, burned to the ground.

Flash-forward to today and Melissa Surrette is blazing a path still for Illinois hockey. On May 30, she was named the new AHAI President, succeeding Kevin Bolger.

“I’m excited and grateful for the opportunity,” Surrette said. “Kevin spent much of his presidency dealing with challenges that demanded immediate attention: COVID, league stability and strengthening AHAI’s relationship with USA Hockey. Because of his leadership and the work of our Board, we are now in a position to spend more time focusing on our purpose: growing the game and improving the hockey experience in Illinois. That’s an exciting place to start.”

READ MORE<<<

Veteran Eric Dazé Is Now A Rookie High School Head Coach – At Hinsdale Central

By Ross Forman

Éric Dazé brings a 601-game playing career in the NHL, all for the Chicago Blackhawks, to the Hinsdale Central bench as its new head coach – his first year coaching high school hockey.

He inherits a Red Devils team that went 16-8 in the Illinois West regular-season, which was tied for fourth-place in the 13-team league, however, Hinsdale lost 17 seniors to graduation.

“I’ve been coaching for 10 years,” said Dazé, 50, who lives in Burr Ridge. “This will be my first year coaching high school hockey, (though) I joined the team for the state playoffs last year.”

He coached peewees for the Chicago Hawks last season, and had four years with the Hawks and five years with the Chicago Mission has an assistant coach.

READ MORE<<<

Competitive D155 Predators Forward A.J. Mitchell Set For Senior Season

By Ross Forman



A.J. Mitchell is proud to wear uniform No. 21 this fall for the D155 Predators, his senior season on the IHSHL North-Central Division team that finished 6-15-1 last season in the Varsity Champions League.

“Growing up, I wore number (uniform No.) 17. Last year I changed my jersey number to 21,” he said. “My dad wore No. 21 when he played soccer in high school. My (grandfather) was one of my biggest supporters and came to all my games. He passed away during my sophomore season. He always wanted me to wear No. 21 like his friend and favorite hockey player, Stan Mikita. When I had an opportunity to change numbers, it felt right to change my number as a tribute to both.”

Mitchell, 17, lives in Crystal Lake and attends Crystal Lake South High School. He is a wing who formerly skated for the Crystal Lake Stingers and Crystal Lake Yellowjackets.

This past season, he was chosen one of the team’s alternate captains and was selected to play in the IHSHL North-Central All-Star Game. He was also an IHSHL All Academic honoree. READ MORE<<<

Ari Aberman Named New Highland Park Head Coach, Replacing Bob Melton

By Ross Forman

Ari Aberman has been coaching for 12 years, with 10 of those at the high school level. He’s been an assistant at Loyola, Deerfield and Highland Park. His coaching career has included a final four run in the IHSHL North-Central Division playoffs, a state tournament upset win over Brother Rice, a Stevenson Thanksgiving Tournament championship and three seasons alongside Highland Park head coach Bob Melton, arguably the most successful high school hockey coach in Illinois history.

Now Aberman moves into the head coaching role, as the 45-year-old was named the new Giants head coach, replacing Melton.

“I am grateful for the opportunity I had to coach with Bob Melton; his resume speaks for itself,” Aberman said. “Bob reminded me how fun it is to be around the rink with the boys, and how to be a players’ coach. His passion for the sport, his ability to make in-game adjustments and his unique approach to special teams are just some of the things I appreciated about him. READ MORE<<<