Mark Verplaetse Recognized with Chet Stewart Award for His Impact on Officiating Both On and Off the Ice

Mark Verplaetse’s interest in officiating began while he was in the stands watching his sons, Mark and Jeff, play hockey many years ago.

This initial intrigue evolved into a lifelong commitment that has greatly influenced the development and progress of officiating across the nation.

USA Hockey has honored Verplaetse as the 2026 recipient of the Chet Stewart Award, which is presented annually to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the officiating education program through years of service as an official and volunteer. Verplaetse will receive recognition at the USA Hockey President’s Awards Dinner on June 5 in Denver.

“I’m truly honored to know that many people acknowledge the contributions I’ve made to hockey,” Verplaetse stated. “I never imagined I would be considered for this award, as I believed I was simply fulfilling my volunteer role. I was very proud to collaborate with individuals who have received the award, but I didn’t think I would be included in that group.”

Established in 2000, the award is named in memory of the late Chet Stewart, who served as USA Hockey’s Referee-in-Chief for many years.

Verplaetse has been officiating on the ice since 1980. He did not have the benefit of a mentor when he began, but he has served as an official evaluator and mentor in his Minnesota district since 2000.

“He has contributed immensely to Minnesota hockey and USA Hockey, in particular,” remarked Skip Trumble, the 2014 recipient of the Chet Stewart Award. “It’s fantastic and a well-deserved honor. He has worked diligently to keep all referees informed and educated.”

Verplaetse did not grow up playing hockey, so he learned to skate on his own. He then focused on understanding the rules of hockey, positioning on the ice, and the various challenges associated with becoming an official.

Since then, Verplaetse has officiated thousands of games, including approximately 200 annually during his early refereeing years. Recently celebrating his 74th birthday, he officiated his last high school game at the age of 69.

In the 2021 season, Verplaetse officiated 110 games over a span of 10 weeks and underwent knee replacement surgery the following year, which led him to reduce his officiating commitments.

“I focus more on mentoring now than officiating,” he noted. “I am available to officiate, but I haven’t been doing a great deal of it lately.”

In 1995, others encouraged Verplaetse to take on the role of a local seminar instructor.

While officiating, he enjoyed the camaraderie and the additional exercise he gained on the ice. After becoming a local seminar instructor, he faced the challenge of comprehending the extensive rulebook he received.

At that time, Verplaetse was a software product manager at IBM, making him proficient in PowerPoint. Since USA Hockey still utilized overhead slides during its seminar instructor courses, Verplaetse began creating a library of PowerPoint documents that he later shared with others. He also incorporated video modules into the presentations.

“That was quite a success and was very well received,” Verplaetse remarked. “I aimed to provide consistent education throughout the state, as we found it was sometimes a bit inconsistent after attending camps. We established a solid baseline of educational modules for all levels.”

Since 2005, Verplaetse has served as the seminar coordinator for the Minnesota District. He was a USA Hockey seminar officials instructor for four years and has been a member of the USA Hockey seminar curriculum since 2018.

“I would have passed my responsibilities on by now if it weren’t for Mark,” stated Steve Tatro, Minnesota’s District Referee-in-Chief. “He is crucial to the seminar and education aspect. He has helped develop the curriculum within USA Hockey.”

Verplaetse’s contributions provided officials across Minnesota with a consistent message regarding their focus, aligning with the officiating instructor’s manual.

When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, he reached out to seminar coordinators nationwide for information to update manuals. He soon discovered that many of the manuals contained material he had already authored.

“That was a proud moment for me,” Verplaetse said. “It confirmed that I was on the right track.”

Since 2022, Verplaetse has acted as the officiating coordinator for the Minnesota Wild’s Level 1 Hockey Referee Seminar.

The full-day, in-person seminar features presentations by NHL officials, an opportunity to skate at the Wild’s practice facility, and tickets to a preseason game.

The age range of participants has varied from 11 to 60 over the years, providing a unique opportunity for new or inexperienced referees to achieve their Level 1 certification.

“This offers brand new officials a good introduction before they enter competitive games,” Tatro explained. “Some districts do not accept officials until they are 14 or 15, so when an 11-, 12-, or 13-year-old registers, there are very limited opportunities. Mark creates avenues for that age group to gain exposure as officials.”

Verplaetse continues to teach both in-person and virtual seminars and shows no signs of slowing down as he nears five decades of officiating experience.

“He’s a role model for the next generation and exemplifies what it means to maintain USA Hockey officiating at its current high standard,” Trumble stated. “His commitment to USA Hockey is extraordinary.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.