News Category

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

How to be Engaging and Disarming During Your Seminar, Clinic or Presentation. 1. Be alert, employ a wide attention range and be active. 2. Walk around. Talk to individuals and smile at your fellow officials. Ask them respectful questions to which they can give respectful answers. Do not be too obvious in your motives. 3. Cultivate and use your sense of humor – not the broad joke type, but the light-touch-laughter type. Do not force humor – be natural. 4. Treat each official as though he or she were yourRead More

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 that 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 budgets The first step in preparing a budget is to review the current year’s budget to actual results toRead More

1. 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 that area increases not only his or her association’s exposure to liability, but alsoRead More

1. Groundwork You’ve got to have some people who are willing to put in some time. A core group of three people – one to head things up, one to keep track of business details and one to schedule games – can run an association of moderate size. But you also need people who can fill the less-demanding administrative positions. Start with your own crew or people you regularly officiate with. Once the core group dedicates itself to the organization, it can easily pull in more members with a recruitingRead More

1. Don’t expect people to follow you only because your title says they should To enjoy real authority, you have to earn the trust and respect of your group’s membership. To do so, be honest, share information openly and be as quick to deliver the good news as you are the bad. Be willing to admit when you’re wrong and never break a promise. 2. Keep constant two-way feedback going between yourself and the membership Without it, you’ll never really know if you’re leading effectively and they won’t feel aRead More