Hot Topics

General items of interest to all officials that don’t fit in the categories above.

Hot Topics

Hot Topics
General items of interest to all officials that don’t fit in the categories above.

Ernie Yarbrough to Receive Mel Narol Medallion

The award will be presented in Atlanta on Tue, July 30, during the Celebrate Officiating Gala, sponsored by Fox 40 International.

2024 Gold Whistle Award: Ted Barrett

Ted Barrett has been selected as the 2024 recipient of officiating's highest honor.

Time to Get It Right

Officials are taught to maintain focus and concentration from the moment they walk on the field or court to the final whistle and sometimes...

2023 Mel Narol Medallion: NFLRA

The National Football League Referees Association (NFLRA) was awarded the 2023 NASO Mel Narol Medallion Award in Riverside, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 1, during...

2023 Gold Whistle Award: Violet Palmer

Violet Palmer, coordinator of women’s basketball officials for the Pac-12, West Coast, Western Athletic, Big Sky and Big West conferences, received the 2023 Gold...

2023 Sports Officiating Summit historic success

The 2023 Sports Officiating Summit put on by the National Association of Sports Officials in Riverside, Calif. from July 30-August 1 was an event...

Rushing in to Assist

In September 2017, Hurricane Maria tore through the northeastern Caribbean. The deadly Category 5 storm hit Puerto Rico especially hard, causing billions of dollars...

Recruiting & Retention: What Worked…What Didn’t

By Scott T. Glass Nearly every officials association in the country is experiencing serious membership shortages. Recruiting new officials is a complex, deliberate organizational task...

Doors Opening Wider

Clockwise from top left: Amanda Bender, Maia Chaka, Kelly Dine, Sara Woods, Kaili Kimura By Tim Yonke In what could be a blueprint for women seeking...

Our Guide to High School Replay 

Since its regular season introduction to pro football officiating in 1986, replay has found its way into nearly all of the major professional sports. Even the so-called beautiful...

I’m Working With Whom?

Partners and crewmates come in all different shapes, sizes and personalities. There are a lot of good ones out there, but then there are...

Why Teachers Make Great Officials

There has always been a sizable contingent of teachers within the officiating community. Part of the reason is circumstances; teachers are finished with work and often available to handle...

Spark the Fire to Create Lifelong Officials

We need more officials, plain and simple. The not-so-simple part is figuring out how to spark the fire in new recruits that will keep...

Benefits and Landmines of Working Multiple Sports

More and more, we seem to lose sight of the fact kids might be playing three sports just for the fun of it. Now,...

Know More About Teams To Make Situations Easier

Many of us have checklists that we ponder in the days or hours leading up to a given contest to make sure we’re ready to officiate. We make sure...

Camp Preparation Do’s and Don’ts

You can stand out at an officiating camp best by doing exactly what your prospective boss expects in everything that matters. What matters? Here...

Comments Don’t Reflect Reality

The times have changed in sports and officials know it all too well. In the past the things people said to us while we...

How to Recruit U30s

Even before the pandemic, state high school athletic associations faced a significant shortage of officials across the country, which was affecting games. Heavy recruiting...

The Facts Behind Bad Sporting Behavior

Sports and American culture — the two are practically inseparable. Young children through those in their golden years get a thrill from the engaging...

Defining the “It” Factor

Rules knowledge, mechanics and making the right calls are important. Missing any of those elements can break your career, but having them won’t make...

Alaska’s Officials Brave Harsh Weather To Get the Job Done

They practice their craft closer to Siberia than to Seattle. Their dedication helps stoke the fire and keep alive beneficial activities that might otherwise...
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Why I Love Officiating

No matter what sport or level we work, we are bonded. We are drawn together by a passion for officiating those outside the industry...

Is There Still Room for Personality In Signals?

In the old days, style and flair in officiating was easy to recognize. It was prevalent in a lot of games. Today, most assigners...

Rule Changes That Changed Everything

Officiating standards and practices have changed considerably over the course of time. So have the rules all of us are expected to know and enforce. The evolution of the rules...

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