Click Newsletter Category

By Alan Goldberger 1. Don’t Follow Your Bylaws Officials who are skilled in enforcing the rules of the game while officiating often don’t feel bound by any of the internal rules of their own association,otherwise known as constitutions or bylaws. That can lead to severe legal consequences. Officers of associations need to follow the bylaws at all times, especially when dealing in matters involving discipline or expulsion of members. Any association officer who fails to follow the bylaws in this area increases not only his or her association’s exposure toRead More

Remember the awkwardness of being the new kid on the block? Maybe your experience was the new kid on the baseball team or maybe you moved into a new neighborhood and it was your first day in a new school. Maybe later in life, it was your first day at a new job or you were an established sports official who recently moved to a new city and you are going to your first meeting of your new association. All those situations are awkward, uncomfortable and a little scary. SomeRead More

Have you ever been to Buckingham Palace and seen the majesty, the precision, the pomp and circumstance of “The Changing of the Guard”? The ceremony lasts 40 minutes and takes place inside the palace railings. The Queen’s Guard, accompanied by a band, leaves Wellington Barracks and marches from Birdcage Walk to the Palace. The ceremony is a celebration of the British royal heritage that has occurred for decades upon decades. In reality, the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace is really a simple exercise in making a smooth transitionRead More

Most officiating associations are filled with busy people. Leaders owe their members valuable training and pertinent information delivered in a concise way. If your meetings are running long, look at these time wasters to see where you can improve. Meetings don’t begin on schedule. Whether two or 20 people have arrived, begin the meeting as scheduled. People arriving on time should not be penalized. Once latecomers realize the scheduled meeting time is the actual starting time, there will be a dramatic improvement in attendance. Parliamentary procedure is more an obstacleRead More

The results are in from our last NASO Association Advantage Poll: In your area, what is the most common reason individuals stop officiating? Your #1 Answer is: #1 – Rules Discussions (31%, 33 Votes) & Watching Videos (31%, 33 Votes) #2 – Seeing Old Friends (16%, 17 Votes) #3 – Mechanics Discussions (14%, 15 Votes) #4 – Telling “War Stories” (6%, 6 Votes) #5 – Other (2%, 3 Votes) Thank you for voting! https://www.nasoadvantage.com/surveys/Read More

A strong relationship between sports officials and host schools will make a more efficient and pleasant working experience for all involved. The following may be passed on to schools and leagues in your area: • Schools should provide adequate facilities for officials. That includes providing a safe, clean dressing room, with shower facilities, separate from team facilities. • Officials associations should work with schools regarding potential safety problems. Satisfying every safety requirement should be mandatory in the rules is essential to proper game administration. There must be adequate security personnel toRead More

The media often portrays officials in a negative light. Why wait for reporters to show up in bad-news situations? It’s easy for associations to go to the media with positive information and story ideas about officiating. News tips. For example, many cities have radio stations and television talk-show programs. Executive producers are always looking for interesting topics and guests; the trick is to suggest a topic that is mutually beneficial. “Sports officiating’ is, by itself, interesting to only a very small portion of potential audiences. But officials can make valuable contributionsRead More