Mary Owen Profile - Lady Zebra Home Ice

Refereed various recreational leagues around the Bay Area. Additionally refereed for the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Association (ECAC), and currently is a referee and linesman for the Western Collegiate Athletic Association (WCHA) Women's Division. Selected to referee US Nationals, Senior A's through Under-15's from 1998 to present. Also refereed first WCHA finals last year and selected again this year. Reffed the inaugural NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Women's Frozen Four this year. Registered as a linesman with the IIHF for international tournaments and participated in two international tournaments last Christmas and this Christmas in Lake Placid, NY. USA Hockey level 4 Referee.

Why did you become an ice hockey official?
Because I was a rough player and always used to yell at Pat Barr [former Referee Coordinator for NCWHL]. He finally invited me to give it a try since I knew all the rules from the penalty box, so I gave it a try and liked it.

What's the best, or your favorite, thing about being an ice hockey official?
All the places that I have been sent to, people that I have met through officiating, experiences in other places that I have been given, and teaching people the rules.

What's the worst thing about being an ice hockey official?
The most disappointing these days is the behavior I have seen exhibited by youths when playing the game. The taunting and vicious behavior has started to permeate the game, reflective, I think, of what they see from the pros, and it is very disappointing. Additionally, the parents who condone this behavior are appalling, as they sit in the crowd and shout obscene things to other people's kids... what I have seen around the country would make you want to pull your kid out of organized sports altogether.

How do you think being a woman has affected your career, good or bad, as an official?
Being a woman in this profession is a double-edged sword. You have the obvious, whereby when you step on the ice, as a woman your credibility starts at -5, whereas a man's will start somewhere above that. But when they see me skate and that I don't have two heads, the credibility level goes up. The other side of that is that as a female I am expected to not be aggressive for fights or confrontations. And as you know, from time to time we have confrontations. I sometimes catch players off-guard with being forthright. Having a clear understanding of the rules helps this immensely. They will say all sorts of things, but if you know your rules, skate well, and ref a good consistent game, you will gain respect.

What are your goals as an official?
To travel more internationally for USA Hockey and IIHF. To ref the Olympic tour next fall, and be in the mix for a shot at the Olympics.

Relate a memorable event you've had as an official.
This one is easy. The WCHA playoffs last year. It was the first ever for the WCHA and we were all very honored and excited to be there. Being selected for the final game was great. It was a packed arena, 3000+ including bands from both schools. Teams were University of Minnesota vs. University of Minnesota Duluth, who have an intense rivalry and dislike for one another. The crowd and the bands were so loud in between puck drops that you could not hear yourself think. I think it elevated my game that night and it was an awesome experience. Also reffing Russia vs. Germany, when Germany, for the first time in the history of their women's team, defeated Russia. It was fun.

Mary, 38, is the Bay Area's most accomplished female official. She has been a USA Hockey level 4 official for two years; last season she was licensed as a linesman with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), and can now work international games. While she occasionally works local games, including NCWHL, the bulk of her hockey work takes her out-of-state. In March, for example, she was selected to work the Inaugural NCAA Women's Frozen Four Tournament in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

She calls San Francisco her home, and is a technical writer for Tibco Software. She is a contributing writer for STRIPES, the official publication for USA Hockey's Officiating Program. Her most recent article, in the Winter, 2000 issue, was an interview with Krista Knight, one of the premiere female officials in the USA Hockey ranks.