Passion for the game leads to award for local official Michaela Bahl

Michaela Bahl Earns MSHSL Girls Hockey Official of the Year Honor

The MSHSL Girls Hockey Official of the Year Award recognizes the dedication of officials who help make the game possible. This year, that honor belongs to St. Paul referee Michaela Bahl.

By Robert Brent

There are countless ways we recognize greatness in athletes in Minnesota High School Hockey. Awards like Mr. and Mrs. Hockey acknowledge athletes for the dedication and excellence that make the level of play so exciting. Still, there’s a whole infrastructure surrounding the league that allows the games to happen in a safe, professional environment, often getting far less recognition.

Those unsung heroes include school administrators, coaches and, of course, referees and on-ice officials. Officials can earn the ire of zealous hockey parents or student sections, but they are a critical part of keeping the games safe and fair. Their hard work and dedication also deserve recognition. That honor comes in the way of the MSHSL Official of the Year Award. Referee and official Michaela Bahl, a St. Paul resident, recently earned that honor as the girls hockey official of the year.

Bahl has been an official for several years and has been on the crew for collegiate and IIHF events. Still, she says the Official of the Year Award came as a surprise and a great honor.

“It came as a huge surprise when I received a congratulatory email. I know how much hockey, especially high school hockey, means to the state of Minnesota,” Bahl said. “To be recognized in this way was quite mind-blowing and a tremendous honor.”

The Reality of Officiating

The award comes after years of hard work and dedication for Bahl, who began her career as an official in 2016 in San Diego, CA. She had been playing in a local adult league when some league officials suggested she attend an upcoming seminar. Bahl liked the idea of learning the game from a new angle and getting more ice time. She started refereeing camps in her local district before applying for regional high-performance and future camps.

That opportunity blossomed into a passion that followed her move to Minnesota.

Bahl now officiates high school, NCAA hockey, IIHF events, and local showcases. In a given season, Michaela Bahl estimates that she works around 150 games. Bahl had the opportunity this season to referee several big events, including at the Minnesota High School Girls’ State Tournament.

With so many assignments, many fans and spectators don’t understand the work that goes into being an on-ice official while juggling other aspects of life.

“The physical and mental toll can be a bit grueling. For the average referee, officiating is not our full-time job, and we spend the season going from work to skating numerous games per week, and on the weekends,” Bahl said. “We generally juggle multiple rulebooks, have to stay in good shape to keep up at the level of the game that we are officiating… With that said, we absolutely love the game, being on the ice is the best seat in the house, and there is nowhere else that we’d rather be.”

Between the arduous schedule and the criticism that can come with being a referee, honors like the MSHSL Official of the Year Award are especially important. Bahl mentions that positive reactions from players, coaches, parents, and fans go a long way, but being recognized for this award holds special significance.

“Any positive recognition, whether from a coach or parent saying ‘great game’ after, or a player excited to see you because they like having you officiate their games, is the best feeling in a role where there tends to be more negativity and harsh judgment than good,” Bahl said. “This type of recognition is extra special because the people behind making the selection have shared experience and know exactly what the job entails. To be noticed in this light means so much to me!”

While the recognition is a substantial honor, Bahl says the most rewarding part of the job is the bond she builds with other officials, whom she describes as family. Those relationships and the opportunity to be on the ice for exciting games are her favorite part of the role.

The MSHSL award is a crucial milestone in Bahl’s career, but she still has many goals for her officiating career. She hopes to officiate PWHL games, the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four, the Minnesota Boys’ High School Hockey Tournament, and, ultimately, the Olympic Games.

Bahl, and the other winners of the Official of the Year Award, will be honored June 15th at Target Field.