HEY STRIPES - The Easiest Job You'll Ever Love!
SPRING LAKE PARK, MN – Are you a Peewee (U12) or older hockey player looking for the perfect side hustle? Are you tired of your chores earning you a measly $5? Do you love watching Mite hockey, but wish you could make the big decisions? Look no further! The Spring Lake Park Youth Hockey Association (SLPYHA) is now recruiting youth referees to officiate our Mite games.
This isn't your average officiating gig. We're talking half-ice, tiny humans, and more innocent chaos than a snow day. Your job? To maintain a semblance of order while ensuring maximum fun is being had. Plus, you get to blow a whistle a lot, and let's be honest, who doesn't love that power?
The perks of the job are as sweet as a post-game chocolate milk:
- Easy Money: Forget flipping burgers. You’ll earn some cool cash while staying involved in the game you love. As one former youth referee, now a college student, once said, "The cash I made reffing Mite games was my first real taste of financial freedom. It was a game-changer. Almost as big as that time I saw a Mite score on the wrong net."
- A "High-Pressure" Job: We know what you're thinking: the pressure must be insane. But don't worry, the biggest threat is usually a lost glove or a player banging their stick on the glass to see if mom is watching. It's a low-stress environment where you get to guide the next generation of hockey stars.
- The Best Fans: Mite parents are a different breed. Instead of shouting obscenities, they’re usually yelling things like, "Great effort, sweetie!" ; "Other net! Other net!" ; or "Are you having fun?!". It’s a guaranteed ego boost, even if it’s not directed at you.
- Stay active: You get paid to skate around, burn off that post-game pizza, and generally move more than you would while playing on the couch.
One current referee, who wished to remain anonymous, told us, "One time I blew the whistle to stop play, but the two 5 year olds chasing the puck kept going. They weren't fighting, they were just… having a conversation about what 6-7 means. So I just skated over, gave them a minute to finish up, and then dropped the puck again. You have to adapt."
So, if you’re at the Peewee or U12 age or older, possess a high level of integrity (or at least, the ability to tell when a puck is in the net), and are looking for a fun way to earn some extra dough, then click on the link below to head on over to the SLPYHA youth referee webpage.
Your whistle awaits!