NOCP LEVEL 2-3

1. NOCP LEVEL 2-3 Instructors:

2. L2/3-01-08 Ringette Canada Officials Crest

3. L2/3-02-08 NOCP Resources • Official Rules • Case Book • Handbook on Body Contact • Minor Official’s Handbook • Official’s Crest • Stick Gauge • Evaluation Journal

4. L2/3-03-08 NOCP ORGANIZATION STRUCTURERINGETTE CANADA’SOFFICIATING COMMITTEE

5. L2/3-03-08 NOCP ORGANIZATION STRUCTURERINGETTE CANADA’SOFFICIATING COMMITTEE

6. L2/3-04-08 OVERVIEW OF N.O.C.P. STRUCTURE Table 1. Overview of N.O.C.P. Structure LevelCategory 1 ‘C’ calibreC U12 2 ‘B’ B U16 3 ‘A’ A all 4 ‘AA’ 5 National (i.e., CRCs, CWGs) For example, a … 1C official is considered capable of doing U12 'C' games and lower  2B official is considered capable of doing U16 'B' games and lower 3A official is considered capable of doing All age divisions within the ‘A’ category

7. L2/3-5 A-08 DETAILS OF NOCP LEVEL 1-5

8. L2/3-5-B-08

9. L2/3-5 C-1-08

10. L2/3-05 C-2-08 Maintenance of Officiating Certification Rank 2A through 1B officials Officials will be given until December 15th of every second year to acquire appropriate maintenance evaluations for their current rank. Rank 4A through 3C officials Officials will be given until December 15th of each year to acquire appropriate maintenance evaluations for their current rank. Should an official not provide a maintenance evaluation by that date, their certification Rank will be downgraded one full level at the same Category (e.g. 4A to 3A, 4B to 3B, etc.). 1A/B officials not providing a maintenance evaluation will be downgraded to 1C. Officials will continue to lose one level per year (to a minimum Rank of 1C) that maintenance evaluations are not provided. Extenuating circumstances for not providing said evaluation will be considered providing same are outlined in writing to the respective provincial Officiating Director/Chair. An official may be reinstated at the level above by providing the same number of evaluations required to originally attain that level (e.g. a 3A official who is downgraded to 2A as a result of failure to provide a maintenance evaluation at Level 3 may be reinstated at 3A by obtaining three (3) 3A evaluations).

11. L2/3-06-08

12. L2/3-07-1-08 Considerations • POSITIONING • - basic "J" • - net • - blue line/free play line • - as lead/back official • - anticipation • Hustle • MECHANICS • - free passes • - penalties • goal reporting • TEAMWORK • - 2 blue line pass • - free passes • - penalties • - ring retrieval APPEARANCE - uniform (clean, fit) - skates & laces (clean) Conditioning PRE-GAME DUTIES - minor officials - ice surface - clock - doors - nets Rings SKATING - balance - acceleration agility - striding

13. L2/3-07-2-08 Considerations RULE APPLICATION - Judgement • Consistency  ATTITUDE -interest in game - enthusiasm - dedication - firmness - fairness • COMPOSURE • - resolution of problems • - rapport w. player/coaches • - control of temper • - facial expressions • reacting to spectators • GAME CONTROL • - reaction time • - confidence • - earned respect

14. L2/3-08 A-08 Absolute and Relative Evaluation Criteria Evaluated characteristics fall into two basic categories: 1) ABSOLUTE CRITERIA - not dependent on the level of play or the game itself Absolute criteria (7 in total) include characteristics of the official such as appearance, pre-game duties, signals and the like which should be performed consistently well by all on-ice officials regardless of their Rank. 2) RELATIVE CRITERIA - likely to be affected by the calibre of the game and/or age of the players. Relative criteria (6 in total) include skating ability, rule application (judgement and consistency), composure, game control and positioning. It is the ratings on these relative criteria which assist the evaluator in attaching an appropriate RANK (Level and Category) to the official's performance.

15. L2/3-08 B-08 Absolute and Relative Evaluation Criteria A summary of the minimum standards for Level 2,3 and 4 officials on the basis of the evaluation criteria included on the evaluation form is shown on the template below. An ‘A’ beside a characteristic indicates that it is an Absolute performance criterion. An ‘R’ indicates that the characteristic is Relative to the age of the players and/or calibre of game.

16. L2/3-09-08 Referee Positionning (zone coverage)

17. L2/3-10-08 Two Official System

18. L2/3-11-08 One Official System

19. L2/3-12 A-08 Advanced Mechanics This section describes situations which may require a departure from "accepted mechanics" as well as some basic mechanics (in terms of signals) which have been found to be inconsistently administered by on ice officials.  1) Free Pass Signals:   • 'hold' and 'all clear' signals are used only by the official not starting play • in some cases (e.g. a goalkeeper adjusting a goal pad trap), the 'hold' may be used to stop play from being blown in after the ‘all clear' has been given  2) Blue line, free play line and crease violations:   Shown by pointing to the violated area using the non-whistle hand, arm and fingers fully extended and fingers together. 3) Touched/redirected ring:   • on single/two blue line passes; goalkeeper throwing ring toward the blue line • back official 'brushes' the fingers of the non-whistle hand over the fingers of the whistle hand. If this series of gestures is not seen by the lead official, a verbal "touch" can be added to better communicate the call.

20. L2/3-12 B-08 Advanced Mechanics 4) Potential single blue line violations:   Indicated by gesturing to the player last in contact with ring.  5) Clock mechanics:   • the back official (starting the play) watches the clock to ensure that it has started on the whistle for the free pass or goalkeeper ring. If the clock fails to start on the whistle, the back official blows the whistle a second time (to stop play), has the clock reset (as necessary) to the time at the start of play, and restarts play on a free pass.   • should the back official fail to notice that the clock has failed to start, play continues until the next stoppage in play. At that time, the clock time is adjusted accordingly at the direction of the on-ice officials in consultation with the official timekeeper.   • all goals scored in legal time stand. All penalties assessed, whether in legal time or not, are recorded and served (if appropriate). 6) "Hand in the lower third" infraction: • begins with clenched fists, back of the hands facing up, held at chest height, shoulder width apart (as in the starting position for the cross checking signal)   • the fists are then brought together and apart once at the thumbs (horizontally in front of the body).

21. L2/3-12 C-1-08 Advanced Mechanics 7) "Deep to the right" coverage:   • used when the official responsible for the end zone to their left is unable to cover that area • their partner accelerates 'deep right'; the officials are then in reverse position of that normally used, with the covering official assuming a net position to the goalkeeper's left • recovery of 'deep left' coverage may occur during play if possible done quickly during "lull"); if not,'deep right' coverage is maintained until the first stoppage in play.  8) "Official down":   • handled in a similar fashion to that involving a player • play continues if the official appears to be recovering • if the official is apparently injured, play is stopped immediately • team in control/possession on stoppage is awarded the free pass.  9) Free Play Line (FPL) Violation (Too Many Skaters):   • play stopped and FPL violation signal given by official at that line • fingers on non-whistle hand used to indicate total number of skaters in restricted area and causing the stoppage in play

22. L2/3-12 C-2-08 Advanced Mechanics 10) Goalkeeper Ring • administering official blows the whistle to stop play, signals "goalkeeper ring" by extending both arms up (hand outstretched, palms facing forward) at a 45° angle to the body, and verbally indicates "goalkeeper ring" • the net official points to the defending crease, directing the ring to be immediately transferred to the defending goalkeeper • if there is a shot clock violation by the attacking team that will result in a goalkeeper ring the net official should signal goalkeeper ring

23. L2/3-12 D-1-08 Advanced Mechanics Discussion Situations Situation #1 Officials in a two official system have switched positions during play (as a result of one of them getting "boxed in" along the boards), and find themselves in a "deep to the right" 'J' system. Questions: At what point should they switch back to the correct ("deep to the left") coverage? How should this switch be carried out? In Situations #2-#4, should the official maintain the accepted position? If not, to what position should the official move? Why? Situation #2: Team A is awarded a free pass at centre. The set play at the free pass has Team A players line up between the free pass circle and the back official. Team B players pick up their checks, obscuring the back official's view of the free pass circle.

24. L2/3-12 D-2-08 Advanced Mechanics Discussion Situations Situation #3: Team A is awarded an attacking zone free pass. The ice surface is narrow, and the outside edge of the circle is only one meter from the side boards. Players wish to position themselves between the edge of the circle free pass circle and the boards. Situation #4: Team A has the ring in their attacking zone. They wish to set a player just off the edge of the crease to the goalkeeper's right (i.e. in the area usually occupied by the net official).

25. L2/3-13-1-08 Teamwork In contests which require more than one official, such as the game of Ringette, the ability of the officials to work effectively as a unit is imperative to a well-officiated game. Although this teamwork consists of many factors, seven (7) of the more important aspects are:  1. Cooperation - with each other (both personally and in game coverage) 2. Physical Conditioning and Appearance - in order to stay in the game (both physically and mentally) - inspire confidence in players, coaches and spectators 3. Integrity - businesslike (not political) in relationships - accepting assignments matching officiating skill

26. L2/3-13-2-08 Teamwork 4. Reliability - meeting all accepted assignments on time - willingness to accept (appropriate calibre) assignments 5. Uniformity of Decisions - being aware of current rules and interpretations - attending clinics and studying rules - supporting partner at all times - conferring about and correcting incorrect decisions when possible 6. Mechanics and Positioning - knowing and practicing correct mechanics - awareness of responsibilities 7. Constructive Criticism - post-game discussions to learn from game experience - acceptance of performance assessment via formal evaluation

27. L2/3-14 A-08 Pre and Post Game Duties Prior to the game, the officials should:  • be present during and oversee the pre-game warm up and examine the: • ice surface (for holes, excess water, etc.; repair as necessary) • nets (for holes and anchors) • playing area (for gaps under boards, security of gates, etc.) • game rings (for cuts, air loss, warping) • game report (for numbers of players, "C"'s and "A"'s, "G"'s and "AG"'s, signatures of team staff). After the game, the officials should:   • oversee the post-game activity of the teams • complete the official game report: • verify final score • sign (print) legibly • complete additional reports (as necessary)including information on: - game date, location and officials names - teams and age divisions competing - details leading up to the incident - injuries, abuse, penalties assessed - incidents following penalty assessment.

28. L2/3-14 B-08 Travesty Referees are empowered to apply only book rules to situations which arise during a game which may be deemed by the offended team to constitute "travesty". Should a team deem that a "travesty" has occurred in their game, a member of that team's bench staff may notify the on-ice officials, either at the time of the alleged "travesty" or at the conclusion of the game, of their intention to file a grievance. The on-ice official's responsibility is simply to note on the game sheet the team's intent to file a grievance. At no time should the on-ice officials make public their opinions as to whether they feel that a "travesty" has occurred. Should the team carry through with the grievance, the officials will be asked for their version of the situation at the Protest and Grievance Committee meeting. Given that a full account of the situation leading to the grievance will be requested of the officials, it is suggested they make notes (in the privacy of the referees' room immediately following the game in question) which accurately describe the situation.

29. L2/3-15 A-08 Fighting It is the responsibility of the on-ice officials to attempt to ensure the well-being of ALL parties involved, INCLUDING THE OFFICIALS THEMSELVES. The actual breaking-up of fights is an exercise in mechanics and technique, NOT philosophy. The only applicable philosophy would read as follows: Participants in fights are entitled to consistent treatment by the officials involved. Neither player should at any given time gain an advantage over their opponent as the result of the actions of an official. MECHANICS: • immediately stop play by blowing the whistle • note the team in possession of the ring on the stoppage • put your whistle in your pocket • instruct players not involved, excluding goalkeepers, to go to their respective benches or to a designated neutral area; goalkeepers are to be instructed to stay in their respective creases • communicate with your partner at all times.

30. L2/3-15 B-08 Fighting When players are standing: • enter together and from the side (never the back) • immobilize the arms of the player by reaching over with one arm and under with the other above the player's elbows; join your (own) hands on the far side DO NOT INTERLOCK YOUR FINGERS • lock the player's arms close to the body and push down toward the ice • separate the players and skate between them • should the players try to get together again, use open hands and your body to prevent them from doing so.  Note: • if the players are involved in an "even fight" where neither is gaining an advantage, allow them to continue until one (or both) stops, one begins to gain an advantage or they go to the ice • if players are swinging sticks, stay out of range until they stop swinging • never allow a player who has broken free to strike another player being restrained by an official • once separated, players should be escorted separately to the gate closest their respective dressing rooms.

31. L2/3-15 C-08 Fighting When one or both players is/are on the ice, the officials must: • enter immediately • protect the player on the ice by approaching from in front of and over that player's head and face • be particularly careful about protecting a player having lost their helmet  Helpful Hints:   • use only sufficient force to separate players • continually talk to the player's involved • avoid holding players once they are separated • use open hands to "ward-off" players • avoid grabbing a player's sweater • mentally record the uniform numbers of players involved • protect yourself from injury, particularly if you wear eyeglasses while officiating

32. L2/3-16 A-08 Philosophy The purpose of the playing rules is "to penalize a player who, by reason of an illegal act, has placed an opponent at a disadvantage".   • rules provide a framework within which the official must work   • the rules are to be applied in relation to the effect the illegal act has upon the opponent (in terms of Illegal advantage)  • as an official progresses through the levels of the N.O.C.P., they are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the game and intelligent rule application on an increasingly consistent basis  • an official can encourage players to avoid breaking the rules by establishing a subtle and consistent Influence early in the game   • infractions can be actively discouraged by demonstrating an acceptable and consistent limit for each action   • the official must know and understand the correct rule interpretation so that decisions are as consistent as possible. Philosophical rule application allows the official to be flexible, but if inconsistency accompanies this flexibility then both the official and the game will soon be in trouble.

33. L2/3-16 B-08 Philosophy of Officiating Discussion Situations "Split-Calibre" Games: • same age group (e.g. U16) at different calibre (e.g. 'A' vs. 'B') • same calibre (e.g. 'A') at different age groups (e.g. U14 vs. U16) What factors should officials use to decide where 'incidental' contact ends and a foul that may be penalized begins, particularly in terms of body and stick contact?  Factors to consider (in order): • Legality of contact • Degree of contact • Effect of contact (in terms of hindrance, preventing fair opportunity, etc.) • the same degree of contact may produce little or no advantage when players are of equal size, stature and skill • problems arise when players are of differing size and/or skill • shared responsibility - between officials and coaches - between players • ruling must be based on combined factors of legality, degree and effect of contact between opponents.

34. L2/3-17-08 Psychology • pertains to the mental state, processes and behaviour of the official in dealing with the game and its participants  • involves such things as the official's "officiating personality" (or "style"), mental processes used to improve game performance and actions used to 'sell‘ or 'clarify' rulings  • these areas are covered in the Psychology section of the Level 2/3 Participant's Manual under the headings of "style", "anticipating the correct sequence of events" and "normalizing tactics“  • "ejections" (to eject or not to eject) may also fall under the broad heading of psychology:  • circumstances surrounding such events require the official to appear to be in complete control  • ejections resulting from dissension with or verbal abuse of officials can often be avoided using "preventative officiating" tactics such as calmly talking to the individual(s), ensuring their awareness of the consequences and so on  • actions which place opponents or officials in danger of injury result in automatic ejections (i.e. Match penalty assessment)

35. L2/3-18-08 Body Contact PRINCIPLES   1. Every player has a responsibility to avoid body contact 2. Every player is entitled to occupy any vacant space on the ice in areas in which that player is eligible to play 3. A player may move to vacant ice provided that player does not initiate contact with an opponent, and moving opponents are given the opportunity to avoid contact 4. A moving player who recognizes a situation where contact might occur must attempt to take action to avoid it. SITUATIONS   1. Contesting a free ring (from the same, opposite and converging directions) 2. Checking the ring carrier 3. Ring carrier going by a defender 4. Teammates of the ring carrier (moving and stationary) 5. (Attacking) Screens and Picks (position and distance) SCREENING THE GOALKEEPER 1. Facing the Goalkeeper 2. Following the ring with their back to the Goalkeeper

36. L2/3-19-08 Body Contact (players approaching from same direction)

37. L2/3-20-08 Body Contact(players approaching from opposite direction)

38. L2/3-21-08 Body Contact(players approaching from converging direction)

39. L2/3-22-08 Body Contact (ring carrier going by a defender)

40. L2/3-23-08 Body Contact (stationary teammate of the ring carrier)

41. L2/3-24-08 Body Contact (teammate of ring carrier moving in the same direction- slows or stops - leaving lots of room for the opponent)

42. L2/3-25-08 Body Contact (teammate of ring carrier moving in the same direction- slows or stops - leaving no room for the opponent)

43. L2/3-26-08 Body Contact(teammate of ring carrier moving in converging direction)

44. L2/3-27-08 Body Contact(teammate of ring carrier moving in opposite direction- must avoid contact)

45. L2/3-28-08 Body Contactscreening the defender

46. L2/3-29-08 Body Contactlegal pick

47. L2/3-30-08 Body Contactillegal pick

48. L2/3-31 A-08 Penalty Shot Award A Penalty Shot is awarded if a member of the defending team prevents the scoring of a goal by:  - intentionally dislodging the net from its normal position.  - throwing a stick at the ring.  - committing a goal crease violation. A Penalty Shot is awarded if an attacking player is on a breakaway in the attacking zone, with the stick in the ring, and no opponents to get past other than the goalkeeper:  - and a member of the defending team commits a penalty that prevents that attacking player from taking a clear shot on goal.  - and the defending goalkeeper intentionally dislodges the net from its normal position, or removes their helmet, head protector, or facial protector. A Penalty Shot is awarded during goalkeeper substitution:  - if an attacking player is on a breakaway in the attacking zone, with the stick in the ring, and only a single opponent to get past; and a member of the defending team:  - commits a penalty that prevents the attacking player from taking a clear shot on goal.  - intentionally dislodges the net from its normal position.  - prevents the scoring of a goal by deliberately piling snow or making any obstacle on, around, or in the goal crease.

49. L2/3-31 B-08 Penalty Shot Award  - if a member of the defending team, in addition to the AGK, enters the goal crease and any of the defenders in the goal crease prevents the scoring of a goal. A Penalty Shot is awarded, during the last two minutes of regulation time or at any time during overtime: - if the ring is in an end zone and a skater, in excess of the maximum number permitted in that defending zone restricted area, deliberately enters that area and becomes involved in the play while there are too many skaters in that area. - if an attacking player is taking a free pass and a member of the defending team deliberately enters that defending zone free pass circle and becomes involved in the play. NOTE: A goal scored during the delayed signaling of a Penalty Shot Award nullifies the Penalty Shot Award. Penalty assessment following the goal is in accordance with the current penalty situation.

50. L2/3-32 A-08 Penalty Shot Mechanics 1. The administering on-ice official reports to the Scorekeeper the Penalty Shot award and time awarded, the player taking the shot and whether or not a goal is scored on the shot.  2. With the exception of the two players involved in the shot, all other players are moved to the side boards at their respective benches beyond the point where the ring has been placed to begin the shot. 3. The Penalty Shot ends when a goal is scored, or the ring crosses the goal line, or the ring comes to rest after the shot, or when forward motion of the ring or ring carrier ceases. No goal can be scored on a rebound off the side or end boards, or off the player taking the shot.  4. Normal goal crease violations and contact with the goalkeeper penalties apply.  5. The blue line violation does not apply. 6. The subsequent free pass is awarded to the team:   • against which the shot was awarded at centre should a goal be scored on the shot • awarded the shot in the nearest free pass circle in the zone in which play was stopped