Earlier this year, the International Ice Hockey Federation announced 10 American officials were selected to officiate the women’s and men’s hockey tournaments at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. Melissa Doyle (White Bear Lake, Minn.) was named referee for the women’s tournament and Jake Davis (Wyandotte, Mich.) as linesmen for the men’s tournament. In February, the World Para Ice Hockey selected 2 American officials, including linesmen Brendan Lewis (Hudson, Ohio) to work the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.
We caught up with Melissa, Jake and Brendan to learn more about their officiating journeys and experiences in Milan.
USAH: Describe what a game day looked like for you.
Doyle: Many of us had breakfast at the hotel where people coordinated plans for the day. My game assignments varied quite a bit between the two rinks and game times, so ‘game days’ didn’t really feel the same day to day. Sometimes I might find someone to go on a walk with or plan how to get food for the day. Some days I would try to get in some stretching, work a few hours of my full-time job or even see other hockey games. Regardless when I was on the ice, I’d walk to the rink with my officiating crew about two hours before puck drop. This ensured we had time to warm up, get dressed, have our pre-game discussion, and be ready to hit the ice!
Davis: A typical game day for me involves several things. First, getting a good breakfast and lunch is ideal. If I am already in town with our game crew, having meals with them is a great time to talk about the upcoming game and its expectations. I usually like to have a nap before heading to the rink for the game. I like arriving at the site 90 minutes before puck drop with a coffee in hand. This gives me plenty of time to have pregame discussions with my partners and warm-up physically to be prepared for the game. Once the game has concluded, I like to spend some time in reflection on my performance so I can continue to improve my craft. Once that reflection period is over, I spend time decompressing and then set my sights on the next assignment.
Lewis: The typical game day routine would be wake up, get a brief stretch or work out in, just to get the blood flowing. After that breakfast or lunch depending on game time and then get ready to head to the arena. I would make sure I have what I need to be at the arena for about 6-8 hours. We were at the arena 2 hours before game time and then I would like to stay after and watch the next game or two. It is not everyday you get to be at an event of this magnitude, so I wanted to soak in as much of it as possible. My Pre-game routine starts about 90 minutes before we would take the ice, which included going for a jog, stretching, hydrating and fueling. After ensuring I am good to go for the game, the crew working the game would make sure we had conversations about things to watch out for. Working with officials from all over the world, I would make sure to overcommunicate with them on potential issues that may arise on the ice. After pre-game we would go to work on the ice. Post game, we would receive a supervision and discuss calls we made that were good, very close, or needed to be better. After that, we would typically hang out and watch the next game or, if we were working the last game of the day, head back to the village.
USAH: What is something about the Olympics that fans don’t see from the outside?
Doyle: Something that surprised me and something that you would not pick up from the outside was the logistics to get from place to place. We were fortunate that the main rink we were at was only a 20-30 minute walk, while the other arena was a bus ride across a major city. For fans at the games, often this entailed taking a subway, train, and shuttle bus to get to a game.
Davis: Something that was not apparent to me about the Olympics until being a participant was the immense preparation the athletes undergo in order to compete in the games. As a spectator, you see exciting performances from the athletes, but you do not feel the pressure they are under during these events. As an Olympic official, I felt this same pressure and without the large amount of physical and mental preparation I went through, I may have failed in my duties. This preparation is crucial for building your confidence and abilities for the Olympic games and it is happening before, during, and after the competition.
Lewis: The effort the athletes put in to accomplish their goals. These athletes deserve to be celebrated and have as much of a spotlight on them as the able-bodied athletes. What they have been able to overcome is something that truly deserves highlighting. Every one of them has a pretty unique story, and being able to talk to some of them about it was one of the coolest things for me. On days when I was backing up a game and not on the ice working, it was amazing to be a part of the atmosphere that would be present in the arena. The fans truly celebrated the sport and created such an amazing arena experience that I will never forget.
USAH: Did you get the opportunity to attend any other events, sightsee or explore?
Doyle: We were fortunate to be able to go to the Opening Ceremonies. Our credentials only allowed us to get into hockey games. However, I did trade pins to get into speed skating one day! On my off days, I took some day trips around Northern Italy. The lakes with the snow-covered mountains were a real treat for me coming from Minnesota. I also really enjoyed a day trip to Verona (the town hosting Closing Ceremonies) and Venice.
Davis: I did have time to explore Milan during my off-time. I was able to see landmarks like the historic Duomo de Milano Cathedral and the Arch of Peace where the Olympic Flame was housed. I also went to Lake Como on an off-day, which was a beautiful smaller town at the foot of the Alps.
Lewis: We did sightsee on our days off and we had an awesome time seeing the Olympic cauldron and the Duomo di Milano. Both areas were very cool to see in person especially after seeing them on TV during the opening ceremony of the Olympics.
USAH: How did the USA Hockey Officiating Program prepare you for the Olympics/Paralympics?
Doyle: My officiating story starts and will continue with the USA Hockey Officiating Program. I’m a huge advocate of the summer officiating development camps. There, I got plugged into the female officiating community and received coaching from top-level officials after every game. The USAH Officiating Program provided me with opportunities such as working at USAH Nationals, the Rivalry Series and the early women’s professional leagues. The USAH Officiating Program has also done an excellent job partnering with other leagues to continue their officials’ development and ensuring we have access to the highest level games before the Olympics.
Davis: My experience in the USA Hockey Officiating Program over the past twenty years has greatly prepared me for success at the Olympics. Without their teaching and guidance, I would not have had this opportunity, nor would I have been equipped to officiate at this level of hockey. I am grateful for all the USAH officiating seminars and USAH officiating camps I have been able to attend over these years. Being able to learn from the best officials in professional, collegiate, and international hockey has given me a foundation to serve the game to the best of my abilities. I am thankful for the hours of instruction, mentoring, and coaching that were given to me from the USAH Officiating program staff. These skills are invaluable for success in officialing and I feel called to pass this information forward to the next generation of officials.
Lewis: The USA Hockey Officiating Program has always been beneficial for me. Starting about 15 years ago when I first began officiating junior hockey and working my way up to the USHL, you learn something new every game you step on the ice for. The USA Hockey Officiating Sled Hockey Camp was instrumental for me to be prepared to officiate sled hockey in the Paralympics. Without that introduction to high-level sled hockey players from USAH, I don’t know if I could get to where I am today, having just finished officiating a Paralympic Games.
USAH: How do you plan to share your knowledge and experience with other officials?
Doyle: I’ve been a USAH seminar instructor, mentor, and involved in the USAH national female officiating development program for several years. In my local chapter, I am also a female officiating development coordinator. These are ways I’ve already been sharing my experiences. I’m hoping to continue these efforts and continue to find other ways I can give back.
Davis: After reflecting on this Olympic experience and on how USAH has poured into my development as an official, I am compelled to give back to this game I love. I am a teacher by trade and I get excited to share knowledge with others so they can learn and grow. I would like to continue my service to USAH in the form of a role model, mentor, and instructor at the grassroots level to inspire upcoming officials to follow their aspirations. My hope is that I can play a part in their success, and in turn, make this game better for generations to come.
Lewis: Since being home, I have already started sharing the experience with other officials. Just talking about it with other officials who ask questions is the best way to share the knowledge I have accrued over the years and at the Paralympic Games. Helping new refs to stay in the sport and continue to officiate games is something I am passionate about and I enjoy helping develop the next generation of officials.