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JUNE/JULY 2020 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM // 13 Reports of the demise of the University of Alabama Huntsville hockey program may be premature, thanks to the generous support of alumni and fans of the beleaguered Div. I program that was in jeopardy of not returning to the ice due to budget cuts associated with the coronavirus pandemic. The school also plans to drop men's and women's tennis from its ranks. According to UAH athletic director Cade Smith, supporters raised more than $500,000 through a GoFundMe campaign, in addition to two long-time supporters who each pledged $125,000 to keep the Chargers on the ice for the 2020-21 season. Among the supporting the program were Calgary Flames goalie Cam Talbot and former Philadelphia Flyers center Jared Ross, both former Chargers players. "We are hopeful that this support will translate into a sustainable funding model that will allow the UAH hockey program to rise again to high levels of suc- cess,'' said university president Darren Dawson. Fans Step Up To Save Huntsville Hockey COLLEGE OFFICIATING Officiating Symposium Hits The Pause Button k One year after hosting a successful inaugural Advanced Officiating Symposium, USA Hockey's Officiating Education Program was looking to build off that momentum by staging a sequel at the Providence (R.I.) Marriott. Like so many other events scheduled around the hockey world, this year's event, slated for July 24-26, has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic and rescheduled for Aug. 6-8, 2021. "Obviously we're disappointed, but the safety and well-being of our members is our top priority," said Matt Leaf, director of the Officiating Education Program. "Last year's event in Bloomington, Minn., was a huge success with more than 250 officials from around the country attending. We were looking forward to hosting the second symposium this summer but thought the best course of action was to hold off a year and see how things go." USA Hockey members who have already registered will have the option to transfer their registration to next year's event or receive a full refund. If a refund request is not made, the registration will automatically roll over for the 2021 event. The Advanced Officiating Symposium is open to any official who has been registered at Level 3 or Level 4 for each of the previous three hockey seasons and is looking to obtain "tenured" status within the USA Hockey Officiating Program. WINNING STARTS IN THE OFFSEASON P O L A R . C O M / H O C K E Y