Help Members Advance

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. Letters of recommendation can be sent to supervisors or coordinators at the next level.
• Start a mentoring program. Promising officials can be assigned to work with established veterans, who can pass along tips gleaned from years of experience. The veterans can also serve as observers and provide valuable information after watching games. Although the best mentoring programs involve most if not all members, special attention can be paid to those who will most benefit from the boost.
• Flexible assigning. If your association does the assigning, allow rising stars the opportunity to opt out of an assignment if a bigger game comes along. Members shouldn’t assume such a courtesy is automatic, but the association should do all that’s reasonable to accommodate such requests. Remember that the teams expect you to provide competent officials. The replacement you send might not be as talented as the replaced official, but he or she shouldn’t be just a “warm body.”
• Provide information. Association leaders often receive information about camps and clinics that may prove beneficial to officials hoping to advance. But be sure that the camp is not too far beyond those you tell. Don’t wreck a potentially stellar career by pushing an official to a camp that teaches techniques more advanced than their ability.
• Ramp up the training. All members — not just those on the rise — can benefit from better training. If your group isn’t already using video, purchase the necessary equipment and start using it. Invest in books, manuals and other material that can upgrade your meetings. Don’t ratchet up the meetings so far as to leave the less experienced officials in the dust, but even those officials should be challenged to gain more knowledge.