By Carl Smith
What are the benefits of belonging to an officiating association? Is there any advantage to an individual partnering with other officials involved in the same sport? To draw officials to your association or encourage them to participate, it is helpful to understand all the good things about your group. Let’s look at the most significant benefits in detail.
1. Training
Associations usually have the advantage of officials with mixed experience levels, from the wily vets to the wide-eyed “novices.” New officials need veteran officials to help them learn the ropes, avoid some of the pitfalls and, in general, make their advancement as painless as possible. The individual official doesn’t have that luxury. Whatever level you moved into town with is pretty much what you have to offer.
In the classroom training, a variety of topics should be covered. Those sessions include new rules, mechanics changes or additions, philosophy, sportsmanship, professionalism, assigning tips, website navigation, etc. If you’re a smaller association, you may not need to be as in-depth as what’s listed, but you still need to be able to answer any questions or concerns posed by that new member.
2. Mentorship
Mentorship goes hand in hand with training. When a new official enters your association, certain veterans with teaching skills should take on those “newbies.” Just attending classroom and floor clinics isn’t enough for most officials. They need a mentor, an ear to hear and an eye to observe and render feedback. Without that precious input, many young officials would continue to make the same mistakes again. With the right attitude by the mentor, the official will blossom and become the type of official he or she is capable of being.
With an association, you get all levels. Some advance faster due to attitude and aptitude, while others may be in the lower levels a bit longer. As long as the official is willing to listen, maintain a good attitude and work hard, associations should continue to train and mentor.
3. Morale
General membership meetings lend a sense of camaraderie to associations, as do training clinics, and the end-of-season banquets that many associations host. An association that schedules meetings with its officials draws the membership closer and encourages the partner atmosphere.
The young or newer officials feel a sense of belonging and know they’re not alone in the avocation. They get the sense of trust and help that’s put out by the veteran members.
4. Assigning
One of the most important benefits to many officials, both financially and for advancement or recognition purposes, is assigning through an association. The individual official doesn’t have to go out and “sell” themselves to a bunch of different coaches or school administrators to get an officiating schedule. They’re also not at the “whim” of coaches to get their next assignment. If a coach or administrator doesn’t like you, he or she can certainly hold out assignments. That’s an uncomfortable situation for an individual official to be placed in. That is also a benefit for an experienced official that has just moved to a new location. If you can get in with a local association, you just have to show your level of officiating to get a schedule that reflects that ability. For the new official starting out, trying to fill in your own schedule as an unknown would be a daunting task. Those situations are all alleviated by being a member of a local association.
Assigning associations have the contracts in place with schools and leagues, they watch you through training, clinics and early season games, so when the season starts they can smoothly transition you into games at the level you’re capable of working.
5. Postseason
Postseason assignments, in any sport, are the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Not always for the financial compensation, but for the recognition of excellence from your peers. You have worked hard and are being rewarded by being placed among the best officials in your sport. The regular season is just practice for that final competition, for both the players and the officials. You’ll be on the biggest stage and have the opportunity to show what you’re capable of achieving as an official, an individual with integrity, and as an ambassador for both officiating and the sport you love.
Without an association, it would take a lot longer to be recognized by the state body making those decisions. And some state associations even require local association membership. If you’re in a big state, you may be many miles from the state tournament venue. Some local associations can nominate officials for the state tournament, and then the state body that makes the decisions has an idea of your officiating skills, based on the recommendation. The associations have a relationship in place with the state body, so there is a level of trust there.
There are only so many slots, and they are highly prized. If you get in with an association, work hard, be patient and maintain a good attitude, your time will likely come. As the old saying goes, “The cream will rise to the top.”
Being involved with a local association isn’t always absolutely necessary for officials to have a successful career. Some geographical locations don’t lend themselves to having an association. People are too spread apart, there are a very limited number of officials or games, and if you want to work, you will.
The main thing is to be involved in promoting your association, work hard and encourage your officials to officiate the game with the integrity it deserves and keep pressing on. If your local association is available, officials will join and make it better by being a part of it.
Carl Smith, Anchorage, Alaska, is a former treasurer and assigner for the Anchorage Sports Officials Association.
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