Hall of Fame
Melvin Tomalty has been a successful high school and college official in the sports of soccer, ice hockey and lacrosse for nearly 50 years. He was recruited as a math and business teacher as well as a hockey coach at Potsdam High School in 1963 where he guided the team for four seasons. His decorated 1963-64 hockey team was inducted into the Potsdam High School Hall of Fame. He also coached SUNY Canton in 1972 leading the team to a 17-3 record.
However, his passion for officiating led him to a long career starting in 1966, serving at various times as President, Assignor, or Interpreter of the boards he officiated in. From 1974 to 2001 Mel served as the head assignor for Boys/Girls soccer. He continued to serve as the Head Assignor for Boys/Girls ice hockey and Boys lacrosse through 2013. Tomalty was named an Olympic Goal Judge in 1980 in Lake Placid, and in 1984 he was an NCAA Men’s Division I Final Four on-ice official.
His successes as an official rewarded him on numerous occasions including USA Lacrosse Man of the Year representing Section X in 1991 and was named High School Hockey Official of the Year in 1998. Additionally Mel was the recipient of the Frenchy Julien National Lacrosse Hall of Fame Award in 2001, was the Northern New York Soccer Officials Board Referee of the Year winner in 2003, and received the Chuck Dievendorf Lifetime Achievement Award for Section 10 Ice Hockey in 2013.
Tomalty graduated from Clarkson College of Technology where he was a member of the Men’s Division I hockey team that reached the Final Four in 1957-58. He also played lacrosse there. He earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees of Science at Clarkson, and a Master’s of Education at SUNY Potsdam. For 36 years, Mr. Tomalty was a member of the Mathematics Department at SUNY Canton, serving as Chairman for the last seven years.