Official
Originally from Oradell, New Jersey, Steve has been a cornerstone of the officiating community for over five decades. He has been a member of the Metropolitan New Jersey/New York NIHOA for 40 years and a member of the New York State BOCES for 43 years.
Steve’s distinguished career includes 25 years as a Division I ECAC college referee, as well as serving as a linesman in the North American League and the American Hockey League (AHL). He also officiated in five National Championships for AHAUS (now USA Hockey).
His journey in the sport began in 1965 playing for the Oradell Rovers in the four-team Bergen/Rockland league, which included teams from Ridgewood, Ramsey, and Rockland County. The league was run by Les Dodson and played at the small Low Tor rink in Haverstraw, New York. In 1967, while still a player, Steve was handed a whistle and asked to help officiate games he wasn’t playing in. A goalie by trade, he began calling lines in his playing jersey and goalie skates—once he was taught exactly what “offside” was.
After high school, Steve joined the Tri-State referee association and began officiating high school games in Rockland County in 1971, expanding into New Jersey in 1974. Dedicated to his craft, he attended four referee schools in Canada. He broke new ground as the first Referee-in-Chief for the Northeast Ice Hockey Officials, the Bergen High School league, and the Metropolitan College league.
Though medical issues forced his retirement from on-ice officiating after 46 years, Steve has remained a vital part of the game as a supervisor and evaluator, marking over 50 years of service to the officiating side of hockey. Outside of the rink, Steve was a four-year Division I Lacrosse starter. He is married to his wife, Toni, and they have two sons who followed in his footsteps as referees.
