Dakota Peterson (left) and Britt Danberg (right) were both selected to be linesmen at the Female U18 AAA Western Regionals in Saskatoon this weekend (Byron Hildebrand/Facebook).
AAA Female Hockey

Local women selected to officiate Western Regionals hockey

Apr 4, 2025 | 5:43 PM

Two local referees from the Battlefords, Britt Danberg and Dakota Peterson, have both been selected to be linesmen for the Female U18 AAA Western Regionals, April 4 to 6 in Saskatoon.

Danberg and Peterson were both born and raised in the Battlefords and played minor hockey in the community and eventually both went on to play hockey at the university level.

For Danberg, she learned to referee in her early teens, but it wasn’t until after university that her refereeing career was re-ignited. She said it was her love for the game that sprouted the interest.

“It just came upon me one day, I was like I miss hockey, how do I get back in the game? So, I stepped back into the game as a referee because it was the only way I could be involved in the sport that I grew so passionate and loved, because there is really no female league for us to play in, so I had to officiate,” said Danberg.

Danberg now has about 11 years of officiating experience and has done games for AA and AAA leagues in Saskatchewan. She has also refereed and done lines at the USports level, and she was even the first female referee to officiate a Saskatchewan West Hockey League game.

For Peterson, her path was quite similar. She too started refereeing during her minor hockey days but had to step back during university. Then, just like Danberg, she looked to get involved again.

“I wanted to stay connected to the game and just because of my kind of passion for hockey. Also, for the kids too, if we’re not there, the games don’t go on and if we’re developing, the kids are developing, everybody’s pushing to be better. So, it’s kind of a little bit of everything,” Peterson said.

Petersen now also has around 11 to 12 years of experience officiating games and has reffed AA and AAA games across the province and country, including multiple Esso Cups and she has also done games for the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League as well.

Even with both their impressive resumes, they said being selected to officiate at Westerns is a great opportunity.

“This is quite an achievement, and I am very proud. I worked hard during the season to stay fit and be able to do the elite levels and so to be recognized and be given the opportunity is pretty amazing,” said Danberg

“I’ve been lucky enough to be involved with the Hockey Canada events for the past couple of years, but I haven’t done a regional yet, so I am excited and looking forward to experience,” added Peterson.

The Female U18 AAA Western Regionals will be a three-game series between the Eastman Selects (Manitoba) and the Saskatoon Stars (Saskatchewan) with the first game on Friday, April 4, 8:30 p.m. at the Merlis Belcher Place in Saskatoon.

Austin.mattes@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @AustinMattes

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