When Logan Dicus isn’t on the ice with a stick in his hands he might be found on the ice blowing a whistle. The Wissahickon senior is a USA Hockey referee and spends his Saturday and Sunday mornings officiating youth games.
Dicus started thinking about officiating last summer.
“I didn’t really have much going on so I thought I’d just look into it. A couple of my friends did it so I thought ‘Why not?’ So, I signed up and have been doing the early morning games and slowly making my way up.
I have a lot of fun doing it as well. And it’s a good time.”
As a Level 1 official, Dicus is certified to work games including players as old as age 10. But hockey, like all sports, is dealing with a shortage of officials and it’s theoretically possible he could be assigned at a high level.
USA Hockey’s requirements for new referees include paying an application fee ($55), completing on-line and classroom training sessions, a rules test, and a background check. Those 18 and older (birth year 2008, as Dicus is, or prior) must also complete a SafeSport training protocol.
Dicus says officiating has him seeing the game differently than he does as a player.
“When you’re reffing, you see a different perspective from when you’re playing the game,” he said. “You’re not even paying attention to the score, honestly.
“You’re staring at the puck. You’re staring at the players around the puck. You’re barely paying attention to the game, honestly. You’re just kind of watching in areas. It’s definitely a different perspective than playing the game.”
Dicus has gotten an abundance of support from his more experienced officiating partners.
“All the refs that I have {officiated} with have been very nice,” he said, “very respectful, and that makes it an easier environment to learn in.”
Dicus will head to college next fall but plans to take his striped shirt and whistle with him. He says being on the ice as a referee brings back memories of when he was getting started in the game himself.
“Watching younger kids playing the game and knowing that I was once on that position,” he said. “I didn’t really understand hockey at that point and how much it was going to have to do with my life. And I just get to see my life all over again.”
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