Take 5 with… Katelyn Wilson, On-Ice Official

In the 2026 edition of our Take 5 series, we’ll introduce you to four Officials participating in the 2026 Canadian Ringette Championships.

Take 5 minutes to get to know our officials supervisors, on-ice officials, shot clock operators, and more.

Katelyn Wilson (Sarnia, Ont.) is preparing for her third Canadian Ringette Championship, and eager to share the ice with Canada’s top ringette players. Learn more about how she got started as an Official 22 years ago, and her journey to the CRCs!

Where did your officiating journey begin?

My journey began in the small town of Forest, Ontario, where there were few Officials. I remember travelling to St.Thomas to take the clinic with my dad (he had to drive me there, so he figured he’d do it too). My long-time babysitter got me into the sport of ringette, I had watched her play and ref and I wanted to do the same. She now lives in BC, where her daughter plays, and I hope to soon ref her.

What does your role look like during a game? What sort of pre- and post-game preparation do you do?

During the game, it’s about finding the right amount of fun while maintaining the safety and integrity of the game. My pre-game depends on the temperature of the arena, the cold ones require a longer warm-up. I hate being cold! No music for me, just casual conversation with my partner or listening in on the debrief of the game ahead of me. As I’m ready to hit the ice, I remind myself of some of the basics: grab your water bottle, check the nets, pass over the blue lines and don’t forget to take your skate guards off. Post-game, I like to debrief with my partner and/or supervisor. And when I’m done for the day, everything gets folded back nicely in my bag, unlike my playing days of dumping everything in the bag.

What do you find most rewarding about officiating?

Knowing that a game went ahead because I committed to ref the game. Growing up playing, I took it for granted that the refs always showed up. It’s my turn to give back and allow others to play. When I’m not at tournaments, you can find me in Chatham or Forest.

What has been your most memorable experience?

My most memorable experience is nothing flashy, but I’m sure something that many other players and officials remember. I had come off a lights-out game of U19AA London vs I don’t remember who, in March 2020 at Day 2 of AA Provincials here in Ontario. I left the rink feeling good about my game, grabbed some lunch and returned to the rink for my next game. As I walked in, players were in tears walking out to their car, standing in the lobby, hugging parents and coaches. I walked into the ref room where there were about 15 bags when I left; I came back to 3. Mine and two others, belonging to officials still on the ice. I opened my email to find out we’ve been shut down by COVID-19. Little did I know that day, it would be my last time on ice for nearly a year and half.

What advice would you give to a new official, or someone thinking of becoming one?

Build relationships. Get to know your fellow officials, the coaches, the players; it makes the more difficult parts of our role easier. You will make mistakes; we all do, and it’s easier to fix those mistakes when relationships are built. It’s hard to correct your partner on a blue line violation if you don’t even know their name. I’ve made friends across the country in this sport, and you can too!

What are you most looking forward to at the 2026 Canadian Ringette Championships?

Looking forward to sharing the ice with Canada’s top ringette players. I’ve worked hard to get here and it’s our opportunity as officials to showcase our skills too. The players compete for the championship, and we compete to be on the ice with them.