IHA welcomes Ainslie Gardner as AWIHL Referee-in-Chief

Ice Hockey Australia (IHA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Ainslie Gardner as the new Referee-in-Chief (RIC) for the Australian Women’s Ice Hockey League (AWIHL).

Ainslie brings with her more than a decade of officiating experience at both national and international levels. She has refereed extensively in the AWIHL, including multiple Gold Medal games, and has represented Australia at six IIHF international competitions. These experiences have given her a deep understanding of the women’s game and the unique challenges faced by officials at the elite level.

Beyond her on-ice accomplishments, Ainslie has contributed significantly to the development of officiating across the country. She has held leadership roles including:

• Referee-in-Chief of Ice Hockey South Australia

• Women’s Officiating Delegate to the National Officiating Council

• Officials Director on the IHA Women’s Council

• Member of the IHV Officials Council

She has also worked as a supervisor and coach in both the AIHL and AWIHL, and currently serves as IHA’s Head of Coaching Officials, where she is building sustainable frameworks to support officials and officiating coaches nationwide.

Her expertise extends into professional sport governance. At Motorsport Australia, Ainslie managed more than 11,000 officials, designing systems that remain in use today. At AFL Queensland, she leads strategies for the recruitment, retention, and development of community umpires.

As AWIHL Referee-in-Chief, Ainslie will focus on mentoring, transparent processes, and building clear pathways to ensure the league continues to set the standard for elite officiating in Australia.

Ice Hockey Australia congratulates Ainslie on her appointment and looks forward to her leadership in strengthening officiating within the AWIHL.