Tony Mariconda was more than a hockey official — he was an educator who impacted thousands of officials across the country and still influences referees, linesmen and off-ice administrators to this day.
For his efforts in educating the hockey community, Mariconda, who died in 2011 after a courageous battle with cancer, is being honored as the 2025 winner of USA Hockey’s Chet Stewart Award.
“It’s a great honor, and I know how much it meant to him,” said Joan Mariconda, Tony’s wife. “It means a lot to our sons and I, too. He would’ve been shocked and thrilled. He held others in a higher esteem than himself and he would’ve thought there were other people more deserving.”
USA Hockey established the Chet Stewart Award in 2000. The award recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the officiating education program during many years of service as an official and volunteer.
“It’s certainly well deserved,” said Dave LaBuda, USA Hockey’s national referee-in-chief. “He’s one of those people who never looked for the spotlight, but he served USA Hockey as an administrator and was very dedicated to our instructor training program for many years. He was a true professional educator and a teacher by trade. He brought all those talents and experience to our instructor training program.”
Mariconda taught biology and earth science for more than 30 years at Emerson Junior-Senior High School in New Jersey. He first became an official for football before officiating softball, baseball and basketball.
“He took the route of being a teacher and he felt he could impart knowledge to the kids even as an official,” Joan Mariconda said. “He was able to incorporate that element into everything he did.”
Joan Mariconda said their oldest son was diagnosed with being hyperactive and the doctor recommended he try hockey.
“You got onto the ice to get rid of your energy, take a break on the bench and repeat,” she said. “My husband and I weren’t one to criticize unless we’re contributing and we’re involved, so he ended up coaching. He learned all he could about the rulebook, but he couldn’t skate, so he learned as an adult. It was all as a result of being a responsible parent and wanting to improve the sport his children were involved in.”
Tony Mariconda spent time behind the bench, but he thrived off the ice. Mariconda brought his classroom experience to USA Hockey and wanted to help the organization effectively teach the program to its people, so he developed curriculum.
Mariconda served as the Atlantic District referee-in-chief for 12 years. He ran regional and national officiating camps and started the USA Hockey Seminar Instructor program.
Mariconda also created the original USA Hockey Officiating Evaluation Program.
“He wanted to do something from the start,” Joan Mariconda said. “He wanted to start from scratch and create something that would benefit the off-ice program, make the program better and give opportunities for every official to grow.”
LaBuda said Mariconda’s legacy was that he believed the success of the organization’s officiating program was based in its educational program and seminar training for instructors.
Before Mariconda joined USA Hockey, LaBuda said the organization didn’t have a structured evaluation program at the national level, as it was left to districts at the time.
“He was a guy who saw it was something that needed to be done, so he went and did it,” LaBuda said. “He wanted to make sure the time spent with officials in the classroom was time well spent, and they received information that would improve their skills as officials. He left a lasting impression on a number of people, myself included. Sadly, it’s been a number of years since he passed away, but we still talk about him and what he brought to the program.”
In addition to his work with USA Hockey, Mariconda served as an off-ice official with the New Jersey Devils for more than 25 years. Dick Trimble, supervisor of off-ice officials for the Devils, asked Mariconda and others to serve in the team’s first season.
“[Trimble] took all the guys from officiating who volunteered their time and put them all on staff,” Joan Mariconda said. “It was done to repay the people who volunteered their services and Tony was one of them. He liked sitting in the penalty box and listening to the players chatter and how they talked to one another. He absolutely loved it and loved his relationship with the other off-ice officials. They were like brothers.”
Hockey was the common link between Mariconda and his family, who were all involved in the game.
“He liked hockey because it was a game of action,” Joan Mariconda said. “He found a place where folks were willing to accept him for his knowledge and ability to teach.”
The Devils recognized both Tony and Joan with the Dr. John J. McMullen Service to New Jersey Hockey Award in 1998-99, and both were inducted into the Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association Hall of Fame in 2011.
Mariconda’s sons, Philip and Paul, and their grandson Nicholas all officiate hockey. One of family’s proudest moments came when Philip was the referee, while Tony and Paul were linesmen in the same game.
“It was a cool moment,” Joan Mariconda said. “They all cherished it, and we have a wonderful shot of the three of them together. He was very happy that day.”
Hockey served as the perfect venue for Tony Mariconda to take on a new challenge and apply his classroom skills. He created a legacy that will remain with USA Hockey forever.
“It was long overdue, but it was something that needed to be done in order for us to acknowledge his contributions, not only within the Atlantic District, but also the hockey community as a whole,” LaBuda said.
Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.
Source: usahockey.com