I've been meaning to write about this for a while, but kept putting it aside. For the past two years, I've been the head of officials for the RPI intramural ice hockey program. Here at RPI, we currently have 5 levels of hockey: A, B, C (all checking), C-non and D (non-checking). "A" league is comparable to JV hockey, and is quite a challenge to ref. "D" league are people who can barely skate, but want to play hockey anyway. Each team pays about $450 for the season, and must have a team jersey, with unique numbers on the back. The referees that I hire are all students, as I am myself. (In fact, our entire intramural program is run by students). Referees are required to buy the official jersey, whistle, and black pants. Helmets are not required, but strongly recommended. All referees make $5.00 a game, where a game is exactly an hour. Our games are scheduled late at nite, from 10pm to 2am. We have 45 teams and 15 officials. I hold a meeting at the beginning of the season with all the officials, and I'm responsible for training in new ones. We usually have 2 referees at each game, but for the A league games, we go all the way with the 3-man system (one ref, two linesmen). It looks very professional. In fact, we've had some of our "3-man" games videotaped, and it really looks like an ECAC game. Now, I'd like to find out how intramural ice hockey programs are run at other colleges, especially with regards to officiating. I've been told that Yale hires outside refs, and pays them $18 a game. I've also been told that our "student" ref staff here at RPI is fantastic, and I myself can say that some guys on the staff are officiating much better than some AHAUS refs that I've seen (I've refereed some AHAUS and NIHOA during the summer and over Christmas break.) Some of the refs complain about making only $5/game, and when I hear about Yale, I can see why. So let's hear it... I'd like as many responses as possible. If anyone on this list is also directly involved with your college's ice hockey intramural program, that would be a plus. Comment on the size of the program, number of officials, requirements for both players and officials, cost to play, referee salaries, etc. I really appreciate any info you can give. Thanks. Kenny --- Kenny Zalewski -- Head Referee, RPI Intramural Ice Hockey Program Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 65 13th Street, 1st floor, Troy, NY, 12180 [log in to unmask] | [log in to unmask] | [log in to unmask]