Click Newsletter Category

In order to meet goals, most officials associations will elect officers and a board of directors to lead the way in the various sports that the association represents. Proper election procedures and rules are essential and should be included in the association’s constitution and bylaws. Following are a few questions with answers from the bylaws of a cross sampling of associations that other associations might want to consider. How often should elections be held? Associations usually elect officers at an annual meeting to be held at a date, usually inRead More

Part of an association’s role is (or should be) helping talented members advance in their careers. Serving as an advocate for those officials has a dual purpose: Not only does it help deserving people move up the ladder, but it raises the association’s reputation to have produced a higher-profile member. There are several ways an association can help. Spread the word. Associations can aid up-and-coming officials by passing their names on to key assigners. A good word from the association can lead to more and better games for deserving officials.Read More

When is the last time that your association’s bylaws were reviewed? That doesn’t mean looked at by the members when they were distributed during the annual meeting. It means when was the last time that someone actually analyzed what’s in the document to see if the rules and policies are still what is needed to serve the membership of your group in the most efficient manner. According to attorney Don Collins, who also serves as the head of the San Francisco section of the California Interscholastic Federation, there are severalRead More

Association leaders can only do so much for an association. For a group to survive and thrive, its members have to be willing to step up and contribute as well. The most enjoyable associations to be a part of are those in which everyone is active within the association, having ownership in the organization. Sometimes it’s hard to be innovative when it comes to the level of involvement of your officials, but there are plenty of ways for your members to contribute. You just need to promote those opportunities andRead More

“Hey Coach. That was a terrible play call at the end of the game.” No, you wouldn’t say that while walking out of the locker room. Officials are generally smart enough to avoid such comments. But take a look at some officiating-related internet message boards, and it might make you wonder how smart we really are. It is common, and OK, for officials to discuss rules and other officiating issues, but a regular fan seeing it may not understand the nuances involved. In today’s world of email, instant messaging, blogsRead More

Our avocation needs new officials, period, so recruiting efforts shouldn’t be devoted to a specific demographic. But growing the cadre of young people is especially important because of the potential they’ll have long careers. There are a number of ways to reach out to the younger set. 1. Campuses Be it high schools or colleges, the classrooms and athletic facilities are teeming with potential officials. Contact guidance counselors to find out if their school hosts a career day. If so, ask to be included. Set up a table or boothRead More

By Lawrence Tomei Every association has its revenues and expenses. For a local sports officials association, revenues are often dues and fundraisers while expenses run the gamut from banking fees to rental costs. The best run associations keep close tabs on their finances and can account to their membership for every penny that comes into and goes out of the group. One tool for ensuring an accurate accounting is a simple budget, essential to good stewardship since many groups deal with thousands of dollars every year. Another tool is aRead More

By Jeffrey Stern Just as the meteorological seasons change, so too do the local association seasons drift from one to another. Wrapping up the sport meetings for one year in a high-quality way is important, as is setting the stage for next year’s meetings. As the training officer for your group, it’s important to know that the members are getting what they need. Formally or informally, it’s a good idea to ask the members what worked best in the meetings from the soon-to-be-completed season. Were they excited about a guestRead More

Communication is one of the most important aspects of officiating. But it doesn’t begin and end with communicating with players and coaches during games. Sharing information away from the field or court can go a long way in improving understanding between coaches, players, fans and officials. An informational meeting before the season gives an association an opportunity to explain why officials do what they do. Determine which group you want to address. Perhaps it’s the coaches of the schools your association services. It could be the local booster club. OrRead More

By Raymond Bass As a retired management consultant at the corporate level, it is my experience that leadership is the single most important factor in any successful organization. Like it or not, it all goes back to the people in charge. At the high school, college or pro level, when a team is consistently at the bottom, it is usually the coach/leader who is replaced, not the team. I have always been tough on leaders because they set the tone and example for the members, establish the organizational priorities andRead More