MARQUETTE, MI—On Saturday night October 17th, 28-year old Leah Wrazidlo will change from business attire into a striped sweater with orange armbands to officiate a game between the Marquette Rangers and the visiting Alpena Ice Diggers of the North American Hockey League. The business attire comes naturally as Wrazidlo recently earned her MBA at Minnesota’s Bethel University. The striped sweater also comes naturally. While Wrazidlo is not yet a well known official in men’s hockey, the fans and participants will be watching one of the top flight officials in USA Hockey’s Officiating Development Program.
In this case the referee’s sweater will be pink with black stripes as the 16-20 year old players in the only Tier II Junior A league in the United States will be also be playing to help raise funds for cancer awareness campaigns and medical research as part of a month long campaign in all of professional and high level Junior A hockey.
Wrazidlo has already worked a number of men’s games this year at the Junior B and Tier III Junior A level in the Metropolitan Junior Hockey League and the Atlantic Junior Hockey League. Her work there and more importantly her extensive experience in major international competition has led to a number of cross over assignments in men’s junior hockey. The game in Marquette will follow an NAHL assignment on Friday night in Traverse City, Michigan.
Leah Wrazidlo Photo Courtesy USA Hockey
Wrazidlo as mentioned is no stranger to competitive hockey. She has officiated several seasons in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, one of the most competitive leagues for both men and women Division-1 NCAA college teams. Additionally her resume’ lists the International Ice Hockey Federation’s Women’s World Championships in Winnipeg in 2007, Harbin China 2008 and Hameenlinna, Finland in 2009.
More recently, she was chosen by the IIHF to work the premier event in women’s hockey, the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver British Columbia. She is one of three American women officials scheduled to work the winter games.
Her officiating career began in 2001 when she an undergraduate at the University of Minnesota-Duluth where she also played on the women’s ice hockey team. She stepped on the ice as a last minute replacement to officiate a squirt bantam double header. She came off the ice hooked. “Even though my uncle had officiated for years and I enjoyed playing I hadn’t given much thought to officiating. However, I was immediately hooked.”
Wrazidlo attributes her feel for the game to her many years of playing. Just as she has been successful as an official she had lots of on-ice success including being a player on UMD’s 2001 NCAA Women’s Ice Hockey Championship team.
She attributes her success to a number of mentors such as USA Hockey’s Director of the Officiating Education Program Matt Leaf and Steve Tatro the Minnesota District Referee in Chief in her home state. “Both saw my potential, encouraged me and provided timely guidance as I progressed.”
Saturday night in Marquette is also important personally as two of her officiating colleagues were diagnosed with breast cancer over the past few years. She went on to say “Thankfully, both of them have recovered but I am sensitive to the need for ongoing education and research.”
While women officials do not currently have the opportunity to make a full-time living from officiating, Leah believes her career has paid off. “I have been able to travel world-wide, make what will be life-long friendships and now have the chance to participate at the current pinnacle for women officials, the Olympics.”
Contact the author at Phil.Brand@prohockeynews.com
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