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Are you missing opportunities to become a leader in your association? Remember, leadership comes in many forms. Don’t think that treading a single path will get you to a leadership post. Don’t let a job description restrict you. Instead of defining what people do, job descriptions often define what they don’t do. If you’re the association “computer guy,” you’ll always be the computer guy unless you show you have other skills valuable to the group. Join the recruitment committee or the fundraising committee for a season or two. Showing yourRead More

Banquets at the end of a sport or officiating season can be a nice way of capping off a season of hard work. In order to pull off a successful banquet, it must be planned for. Some basic questions need to be answered. Where should the banquet be held? Who, other than members, can attend? Spouses or just members? Will food and drink be served? How will the expenses for the banquet be covered? By the association or those who attend? Once those questions have been answered, you can takeRead More

Mentoring is the buzzword for business, youth organizations, officials associations and just about every other organization or corporation. Officials associations see it as a way to develop new and inexperienced officials quickly, maintain the second- and third-year officials that have struggled and satisfy the more experienced officials when their physical abilities begin to fade. Many organizations that decide to start a mentoring program find out that it is not easy. But it can work with the right steps. Here are recommendations to start down the right path to developing aRead More

Without meetings, your association would be a just a loose-fit group of officials. Meetings are where the association is able to function like a real group. In order to get members to attend the meetings, they need to know when the meetings are — well in advance of when they actually occur. Start out by contacting your state association or governing body to find out deadlines for registration and dates of sport specific rules interpretation meetings. They are usually available online or by calling your state association. Record those datesRead More

An officials association can maximize its effectiveness when it understands the needs of the various governing bodies that it services. At the interscholastic level, that boils down to understanding the needs of leagues and using your association to better serve the league. Leagues deal with the familiar. The same teams play each other over and over, year after year. Familiarity and memories build up. Interpersonal relationships and personal skills are the order of the day. Leagues need their officials to meet the ideal standards of the officiating profession, but individualRead More

Does your association conduct a training camp or clinic to improve the educational experience of your members? Do you reach out to the community to offer training for non-association members? Do you offer training programs to new officials? For some associations, providing a basic training program or an advancement clinic can be profitable. It cannot only enhance your association’s credibility in the community, but increase your revenues through registration fees and even new memberships. 1. Determine Your Own Abilities Take an inventory of your skills and those who might also beRead More

It’s important to set up a budget for your association. What are some keys to doing it the right way? 1. Give Yourself Enough Time The budget process should begin early enough to ensure ample time to present the completed budget to the board of directors for their approval. Sufficient time should be allotted for questions and changes after presentation to the board prior to submission for final approval. Usually, three months is enough to prepare and obtain approval of a budget for the next fiscal year. 2. Check Previous BudgetsRead 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 – Assigner/Association (18%, 24 Votes) & Career Demands (18%, 24 Votes) #2 – Difficult to Advance (15%, 19 Votes) #3 – Poor Sportsmanship (12%, 16 Votes) #4 – Medical Reasons (10%, 13 Votes) #5 – Retirement (8%, 10 Votes) #6 – Family (6%, 8 Votes) #7 – Low Pay (5%, 6 Votes) #8 – Lack of Training (5%, 6 Votes) # 9Read More

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