In this guide
- Step 1 — write down the officiating system for each division
- Step 2 — plan officials by sheet and slot
- Worked example — one Saturday at a two-sheet arena
- Limits, rest and young officials
- The weekly routine
- When the rink moves a game
- How Play 2 Earn Sports supports this
- Frequently asked questions
- Related guides
Watch the video guide
Read the video transcript
Officials on the same ice as the games
0:00 By the end of this video, you will have a hockey officials schedule that follows your ice. Every game has its referees and linespersons, and every official knows which sheet to be on. We will cover officiating systems, counting assignments, planning by sheet, a worked Saturday, young officials, and game changes. Then we show how Play 2 Earn Sports helps.
Which officiating system does each game use?
0:22 Start with the system each age group uses. Younger games often use two officials. Older games often use three, a referee and two linespersons, and some use four. Your association's rules decide, so check your association's rulebook. Then write the system for each division into your league rules, so everyone reads the same plan.
Plan officials by sheet
0:43 Hockey officials work best when they stay on one sheet. The ice is booked in slots, and games run back to back. A crew that stays put is ready for the next faceoff. So build the officials plan from the ice slots.
0:58 For each sheet, list the slot times, the division and the system. Then group back-to-back games into one crew's block. Here is a typical example. It is illustrative, not a specific league.
1:10 A two-sheet arena runs ten games on Saturday, in seventy-five-minute slots. Younger divisions play in the morning, and older divisions after.
A worked Saturday
1:19 On Sheet 1, three younger games use two officials, then two older games use three. On Sheet 2, three games use two officials, then two of the oldest games use four. That is twenty-six assignments. But with four crews, each staying on its sheet, eleven officials cover the whole day.
1:37 Each crew works its own block of back-to-back games. The busiest slot is late morning, when both older crews start. Seven officials are on the ice at once. Count that slot first when you recruit, and add one or two spares.
Limits and rest
1:53 Ask each official how many games they will work in a day, and keep it on the roster with their days off. Give crews a break between blocks, and water on the bench.
Young officials
2:05 Many hockey officials start young, often as linespersons. Pair a new official with an experienced partner, start them on younger divisions, and follow your association's safeguarding rules. Kind, specific feedback after each game helps them come back.
The weekly routine
2:22 Assign on the same day every week, two to three weeks ahead. Collect every answer by a deadline, and reassign any declined or handed-back game the same day.
When a game moves
2:33 When the rink moves a game, confirm the new slot with the whole crew, or reassign. Keep it on your list of games that need officials until everyone has confirmed.
How Play 2 Earn Sports helps
2:42 Now, how Play 2 Earn Sports helps. Each rink is a venue with availability windows and a buffer between games, so league games land in the ice you hold. The officials plan follows the same slots. The league assigns a referee to each league game.
2:59 The picker hides referees of the wrong sport, and flags anyone below the league's level or with a blocked date that day. The referee accepts, declines or hands the game back, and the league sees each game's state. Today, the league assigns the game's referee in Play 2 Earn Sports. Your assignor schedules linespersons and second officials the way they do now. For tournament and club games, referees can claim open games their level allows.
When a league game moves
3:28 When a published upcoming league game moves, is postponed or is cancelled, Play 2 Earn Sports queues a change notice for both clubs' staff, affected coaches, rostered players, linked parents and any assigned referee with an account, with updates in existing team chats. Email and push are on by default, and people can opt out.
Try it with your own ice
3:49 Write the system for each division, plan by sheet, keep crews together, and give young officials a kind start. The full guide is on the page linked in the description. Try it with your own rinks: Starter is free for clubs with up to 10 teams. Thanks for watching.
Step 1 — write down the officiating system for each division
Illustrative example, not a specific league. Your association's rules decide; check your association's rulebook.
| System | Officials on the ice | Often used for |
|---|---|---|
| Two-official | 2 (two referees, or a referee and a linesperson) | Younger divisions |
| Three-official | 3 (a referee and two linespersons) | Older divisions |
| Four-official | 4 (two referees and two linespersons) | The oldest divisions and playoffs |
Write the system for each division into your league rules, and add the certification level each role needs.
Step 2 — plan officials by sheet and slot
Hockey ice is booked in slots, and games run back to back on each sheet. Officials work best when they stay on one sheet for a block of games.
- List the slots on each sheet: start time, division and system.
- Group back-to-back games with the same system into one crew's block.
- Check the block against limits: each official's games-per-day limit, and a break between blocks.
- Count the busiest slot: the most officials on the ice at once. Recruit for that number, plus one or two spares.
Worked example — one Saturday at a two-sheet arena
Illustrative example, not a specific league. Crew labels are made up.
Seventy-five-minute slots. Younger divisions play in the morning, older divisions after.
| Start | Sheet 1 | Officials | Sheet 2 | Officials |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00 | Younger division | 2 · Crew A | Middle division | 2 · Crew C |
| 9:15 | Younger division | 2 · Crew A | Middle division | 2 · Crew C |
| 10:30 | Younger division | 2 · Crew A | Middle division | 2 · Crew C |
| 11:45 | Older division | 3 · Crew B | Oldest division | 4 · Crew D |
| 1:00 | Older division | 3 · Crew B | Oldest division | 4 · Crew D |
Check the numbers.
| Check | Count |
|---|---|
| Games | 10 |
| Assignments | Sheet 1: 3 × 2 + 2 × 3 = 12; Sheet 2: 3 × 2 + 2 × 4 = 14; total 26 |
| People needed | Crews A (2) + B (3) + C (2) + D (4) = 11 officials |
| Busiest slot | 11:45 and 1:00: 3 + 4 = 7 officials on the ice |
| Games per official | Crews A and C: 3 each; Crews B and D: 2 each |
Every crew stays on its sheet for its whole block, so each next faceoff starts on time. If Crew A's officials have a limit of two games, split the morning block between two crews of two.
Limits, rest and young officials
- Games per day. Ask each official how many games they will work in a day, and keep it on the roster next to their days off.
- Rest. Give crews a break between blocks, and water on the bench.
- Young officials. Many hockey officials start young, often as linespersons. Pair a new official with an experienced partner, start them on younger divisions, and share kind, specific feedback after each game: one thing that went well and one thing to try next time.
- Safeguarding. Follow your association's safeguarding rules for young officials, including dressing rooms, contact and travel.
The weekly routine
| Day | What happens |
|---|---|
| Sunday | Officials update days off for the next three weeks |
| Monday | Assign two to three weeks ahead, playoffs and oldest divisions first |
| By Wednesday | Every official accepts or declines |
| Thursday | Reassign declined and handed-back games |
| Friday | Confirm arena, sheet and start times with every crew |
| After the weekend | Update fee records and note feedback for newer officials |
When the rink moves a game
- Confirm the new slot with the whole crew, or reassign.
- Keep the game on your list of games that need officials until everyone has confirmed.
- Send one clear message with the arena, the sheet and the new start time.
Checklist: before you publish the officials schedule
- Officiating system written for every division.
- Every sheet's slots listed with division and system.
- Back-to-back games grouped into crew blocks on one sheet.
- Busiest slot counted, with spares.
- Days off and games-per-day limits on the roster.
- Young officials paired with an experienced partner.
- Arena, sheet and start time in every assignment.
Common mistakes
- Planning officials by game, not by sheet. Crews then move between sheets and the next faceoff waits.
- Recruiting for the season total. The busiest slot sets the number you need.
- Full days for new officials. Shorter blocks and an experienced partner work better.
- Moving a game without the crew. Confirm every official, not only the referee.
How Play 2 Earn Sports supports this
Play 2 Earn Sports keeps officials assignments on the same schedule as the league's games. For the season itself, see scheduling a season on contracted ice; for the whole officials picture, see how to assign officials on the same schedule.
Adult rec hockey teams changing apps can read about switching a rec hockey team off BenchApp, and leagues can see the league management software.
Using Arbiter for officials today? See officials for tournament and league games in one place.
- Rinks and slots. Each rink is a venue with availability windows and a buffer between games, and the league scheduler places league games inside the ice you hold. Your officials plan follows the same slots.
- The league assigns the referee. League staff with referee assignments, such as a referee coordinator, assign a referee to each league game. Referees do not claim league games themselves.
- Checks on every pick. The picker hides referees of the wrong sport and flags anyone below the league's required level or unavailable that day. The league sets the level its games need: any level, or Level 1 to 5 or higher.
- Days off. Referees set the days they can't work, and a referee who blocked a game's date isn't assigned to it.
- Answers you can see. The referee accepts, declines or hands the game back, and each game shows its state: Waiting for referee, Accepted, Declined or Handed back. Referees see their league games in My matches.
- Linespersons and second officials. Today, the league assigns the game's referee in Play 2 Earn Sports. Your assignor schedules linespersons and second officials the way they do now, from the same published schedule.
- Tournament and club games. Referees see an Open games list for tournament and club games in their sport, and can claim the ones their level allows.
- Fee records. Play 2 Earn Sports records each game's referee fee and shows the referee what is owed and what has been marked paid. The league or club pays the referee directly. For the routine, see recording referee fees game by game.
- When games move. When a published, upcoming league game is moved, postponed or cancelled, a notice goes to both clubs' staff, the affected coaches, rostered players, linked parents and any assigned referee with an account. It appears in the app and in the teams' existing chats, and by email and push for people who keep those switched on.
See your officials plan on the same ice as your games.
Frequently asked questions
Write down each division's officiating system, list each sheet's slots, group back-to-back games into one crew's block on that sheet, count the busiest slot, and assign on the same day each week, two to three weeks ahead.
Two officials (two referees, or a referee and a linesperson) are often used for younger games; three (a referee and two linespersons) for older games; four (two referees and two linespersons) for the oldest games and playoffs. Your association's rules decide.
Count the officials on the ice in your busiest slot. In the example, two sheets with a three-official and a four-official game at once need seven, plus one or two spares.
It depends on the official and the games. Ask each official for their limit, keep it on the roster, and plan blocks that respect it.
Use the weekend table on this page: one row per slot, with the sheet, division, system, crew and officials. Keep one version and update it when the rink changes a slot.
Pair them with an experienced partner, start them on younger divisions, keep their blocks short, share kind, specific feedback, and follow your association's safeguarding rules.
Today, the league assigns the game's referee in Play 2 Earn Sports. Your assignor schedules linespersons and second officials the way they do now, from the same published schedule.
Starter is free for clubs with up to 10 teams. Pro is $49.67 USD a month for 11 to 25 teams. Unlimited is $99.67 USD a month for 26 or more teams. For leagues, Starter is free for up to 10 clubs, League Pro is $97.85 USD a month for 11 to 25 clubs, and League Unlimited is $196.35 USD a month for 26 or more clubs. Every feature is on every plan, and players and parents are always included. See pricing.
Related guides
- League scheduling guides: every league scheduling guide in one place.
- How to assign referees in a youth league
