ECHOA: 2007 Summer Memo from Mike McDevitt

NEWS

To all ECHOA officials:

The 2006/07 season was a very successful season for the ECHOA. Some highlights:

ECHA Championship & Playoff officials: Mark Alansky, Mike Schubert, Tom McCollough, Mike Dumas, Scott Pomento, John Horan, Jason Smith, Frank Monaco....Congratulations to these officials for an outstanding season.
Jim Doyle joined the ECHOA staff as a game supervisor.
Dave Brown joined the ECHOA staff as a game supervisor.
With the exception of (1 linesman assignment) we had 100% coverage on all games.
Mike Dumas was hired as a linesman by the ECHL. As a direct result of being supervised,in a ECHOA game, by Jim Doyle ECHL Supervisor of officials.
ECHOA member Luke Murray worked full-time professionally in the ECHL this season.
ECHOA members Scott Pomento and Dave Brown were selected to work IIHF World Championships.
The following ECHOA officials worked Southern Professional League games this season; Mike Dumas, Marcus Currie, Jeff Nygaard.
The following ECHOA officials worked ECHL games this season; Luke Murray, Mike Dumas, Scott Pomento, Bob Fyrer, Mike McDevitt.
The following officials worked American Hockey League(AHL) games this season; Bob Fyrer, Scott Pomento, Mike McDevitt, Dave Brown.
ECHOA official Brett Sheva was invited by the USA JR Development Program to work a tournamnet in Michigan with USA National 18 team.
ECHOA Official Kate Connolly was selected to work ACHA Womans National Championships.

Looking ahead to 2007/08 season. This has been a busy off-season for the ECHOA. There has been many changes in ACHA Hockey. Through your hard work, the ECHOA is in position to take the lead for Division 1 ACHA Hockey in this Region.

As many of you already know. Shane Hanlon did not have to relocate for his work. I have invited him back to the ECHOA. Shane accepeted. Shane represented the ECHOA at the ACHA National meeting in Naples, Florida. He was very influential in securing the new assignments for the ECHOA for the upcoming season.
The ECHOA will continue to have a working relationship with the USA Hockey and the USAH Junior Development Program.
The ECHOA will be assigning all games next season via a web-based system(i.e. the arbiter, assign by web, ref ranger). I will keep
The ECHOA members will be working games for the ECHA, ESCHL, ECAC and new D-1 league that has yet to be named.

Shane Hanlon was in Naples, Florida for the ACHA National Meetings. Here is Shane's report from the meeting:

Item 1- ECHA

As you know the ECHA has lost a couple of teams and added a few. In speaking with Marshall Stevenson, ACHA President and ECHA commissioner, he expressed his overall pleasure with the ECHOA. He also said that he would like to continue the relationship going on after the 3rd year of our contact. He also seemed very pleased that I would be returning to the ECHOA. The other coaches I met with mirrored Marshalls comments. It just shows that the ECHOA has grown into a very strong group, that strength being based on the hard work of the officials and the dedication of the leadership.

Item 2- Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League

The new D1 League was finalized at the meeting. The teams will be Drexel, Navy, Penn State Main, URI, Delaware, and Scranton. I have been ask to handle ALL of the officials for the league. I will not only serve as assignor but as Referee-In- Chief. Personally, I am very excited by this news. Four years ago NIHOA lost the Penn State assignments to USA Hockey. We can all agree, that issue started the ECHOA ball in motion. In 4 short years those assignments are back where they belong! The hope is we will use the ECHOA as a springboard into the new league as well. Of course, we will continue to share work with the Development Program. They have been sharing their assignments with us, and the benefits to the teams and officials speak for themselves.

Item 3- Addition D1 League

Rutgers and Penn State Berks have been approved as D1 ACHA teams and have formed a league with 6 teams from North Jersey and New York (I do not have the finalized list yet). Andy from Rutgers is the commissioner of the new league and has asked that I handle the assignments for his league as well. Locally, this adds 1 more D1 team to our games. It also allows us to expand our geographic and pool of officials.
Item 4- ECAC
I met with ECAC on Thursday and they asked me to assume the responsibilities that I was originally handed in 2006, but had to pass on because of my personal/work issue. I will be assigning Lebanon Valley and Neumann College. I would like to move these teams into our automated assigning program, however, I don't think ECAC will go for that. I will also be on their Training Staff for their officials camp in Sept. I will also have full control over my assignments. I will be asking USA Hockey to consider insuring our officials during these ECAC games.

As you can see there is alot going with the ECHOA. The board will be meeting soon to establish a plan for the 2007/08 season. You can begin spreading the word that the ECHOA is looking for new officials and will be conducting a tryout in the summer.

I will be in touch with more info as it becomes available.

Nice job!! to everyone for a great season! You should be proud of your involvement in the ECHOA. The ECHOA is finest officials association in the country.