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Minnesota Official Honored with Chet Stewart Award

By Minnesota Hockey, 05/29/19, 12:00PM CDT

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USA Hockey has announced long time Minnesota Hockey District 6 Supervisor of Officials, Dave Kemp, will be honored with the Chet Steward Award during the President’s Awards Dinner on June 7, as a part of its 2019 Annual Congress June 5-8 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

USA Hockey’s Annual Congress is a four-day event provides USA Hockey’s various councils, sections and committees the opportunity to conduct the business of the national governing body and celebrate notable accomplishments. As a part of the event, USA Hockey annually honors its service award recipients and players of the year at its Night of Tribute Awards Dinner, and hosts honorees of its top awards during the President’s Awards Dinner.

The Chet Stewart Award was established in 2000 to recognize an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the USA Hockey Officiating Education Program during many years of service to the hockey community as an official and volunteer.  Kemp is the fifth Minnesota native to be recognized with the award. Previous honorees include: Dick Haney (2018), Harold “Skip” Trumble (2014), Bruce “Buzz” Olson (2012) and Bill Leslie (2006).

For a complete list of this year’s awards and recipients, click here. For more details on Kemp's roles and achievements in officiating, below is a bio prepared by USA Hockey. 

Chet Stewart Award – David Kemp

David Kemp officiated his first USA Hockey game back in 1980, working in three separate Minnesota Districts at the outset of a career that today spans nearly 40 years. His on-ice career has included working all levels of Minnesota youth hockey and also officiating both girls high school hockey and collegiately at the NCAA Division III level.

On the administrative side of the game, Kemp was elected president of Minnesota’s District Six Referees Association in 1992 and served in that capacity for five seasons. He continued on the District Six board as past president until 1999 when he was appointed to the role of supervisor, a position he still holds today.

As supervisor, Kemp wears many different hats in District Six. He attends monthly meetings with district representatives, while maintaining and updating the district handbook, bylaws and playing rules. While the season is in session, Kemp serves as a member of the disciplinary committee, which gathers every other week during the season and conducts educational meetings for teams and associations to help them better understand the USA Hockey playing rules.

A seminar instructor in the USA Hockey officiating education program since 2003, the Minnesota native has served as camp director for two western regional camps, one select camp and one advanced camp from 2003-07.

Having played a significant role over many years in the USA Hockey officiating community, Kemp’s passion about the future of the game is evident, including serving on a committee focused on recruiting and retaining youth hockey officials.

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