Hockey Canada Announces Female Officials Selected for Level 5 Seminar

Female referees selected for Hockey Canada Level 5 seminar 

In the Hockey Canada Officiating Program, Level 5 is the highest level of certification for female referees.

The female Level 5 Seminar is conducted in tandem with the Hockey Canada Level 6 Seminar for male officials.  

Female officials that obtain Level 5 Certification also become eligible to receive international assignments with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).  The pinnacle for all amateur officials being a selection to the Winter Olympic Games.

The following seven Hockey Canada referees were selected to attend this year's Level 5 Upgrade Seminar in Brossard, Quebec this past weekend.

Congratulations to you all on taking the next step in your officiating careers!

Referees: 

Kellie O'Dwyer - OWHA

Kellie has been officiating with the Ontario Women's Hockey Association (OWHA) for 13 years.  She also referees in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA), Provincial Women's Hockey League (PWHL), and Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL).

2019 has been quite the year for Kellie.  Last season she refereed in the CWHL All Star Game, the Esso Cup Nationals Gold Medal Game, the OUA McCaw Cup Final, and the PWHL Final 4 Championship.

As a cherry on top, O'Dwyer was name the PWHL Referee of the Year!

Amy Martin - Hockey Manitoba

It has been a busy couple of weeks for Amy, as she is fresh off an appearance at the 2019 National Women's Under-18 Championship in Morden & Winkler, Manitoba.

Martin also had the honour of refereeing the Gold Medal game at the tournament!  Clearly there are big things in store for Amy in the officiating world.

Marie-Eve Couture - Hockey Quebec

After a collegiate playing career with the University of Montreal Carabins, Couture has dove headfirst into officiating. 

In just her fourth season donning the stripes, Couture continues a rapid rise through the officiating ranks.  

She also has appearances at the Quebec Games, and the 2017 National Women's Under-18 Championship to her credit.

Marie-Eve has also had a busy couple of weeks which included travelling to Manitoba for the 2019 National Women's Under-18 Championship.

There she refereed alongside Amy Martin in the Gold Medal game!  

Krista Funke - Saskatchewan Hockey Association

Krista had an accomplished playing career on the ice, reaching the collegiate level with the University of Toronto Blues.

Since transitioning to officiating, her success has continued.

Some of her accomplishments include refereeing the 2017 Esso Cup Nationals Bronze Medal Game.  This past season, Krista was also a part of the first all female crew to work a game in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League.

Funke also joined Amy Martin & Marie-Eve Couture at last week's National Women's Under-18 Championship.  There she was selected to referee the Bronze Medal Game.

Nicole Bouteiller - Ontario Women's Hockey Association

Hailing from Belle River, Ontario, Nicole has been on a steady climb through the Hockey Canada officiating ranks.

In 2018, Nicole was selected as a linesman for the USports Women's Hockey National Championship in London, Ontario, alongside The Ref's Room's October Ref of the Month Amanda Morra.

This past season, Bouteiller was selected to referee the 2019 Esso Cup Female Midget National Championship in Sudbury, Ontario.  There she worked along with fellow Level 5 Seminar officials Michel Bodaly and Kellie O'Dwyer.

Nicole regularly officiates in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and the Provincial Women's Hockey League (PWHL), where she's been selected to work the PWHL Final 4 Series.

Alexandra Clarke - Saskatchewan Hockey Association

Alexandra is off to quite the start in the 2019-2020 season!

In addition to her selection for the Level 5 seminar, Alexandra was picked to work as a linesman at this year's International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Women's World Championship. 

Alexandra is an accomplished linesman in the Hockey Canada program with multiple IIHF tournaments to her name.

In addition to her IIHF experience Alexandra has worked the Four Nations Cup, an annual tournament between Canada, the United States, Sweden an Finland.

Back home Blair officiates both minor hockey and junior hockey in the province of Saskatchewan.  She serves as a referee for junior B games, and as a linesman for games in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL).

Michel Bodaly - Ontario Women's Hockey Association

Michel regularly referees in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and the Provincial Women's Hockey League (PWHL).

Her officiating career is on the rise, and her selection to this year's Level 5 Upgrade Seminar will only serve to accelerate that.

Previously Michel served as a linesman at the 2017 Female AAA Midget Atlantic Championship in Lantz, Nova Scotia.

She also joined Bouteiller & O'Dwyer as a referee at the 2019 Esso Cup Female Midget National Championship in Sudbury, Ontario.


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