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Special articles covering vital topics for association board members, officers, assigners and trainers.
Grade Your Local Association
What would make the ideal local officials association? After years of publishing articles on officiating and officials association management, and being involved in associations...
Keep Crews Together or Change Them for Playoffs?
The Big 12 Conference staged its first football championship game in seven seasons on Dec. 2, 2017, matching Oklahoma and TCU. Referee Mike Defee...
Take Association Action on Social Media Policies
Associations need to have social media policies in place in their bylaws. Like all things in the bylaws, associations need to enforce them. It...
Board Must Lead From The Front
The folks who raise their hands and volunteer to serve on the board of directors for your non-profit officials association ought to be applauded....
Set and Enforce Member Standards
Setting standards for members’ behavior and enforcing those standards are among the most difficult challenges an officials association will face. It means anticipating the...
5 Key Questions to Answer in Your Bylaws
By Donald C. Collins
Association bylaws are a road map to how an association is run, and a means for setting association standards and practices....
The Officiating Economy: Bull or Bear?
When financial experts think of economic indicators, they often look at variables like ongoing increases in the stock market, building permits and retail sales...
Employment Status Risks To Associations
When officials go to meetings, they sometimes “learn” misinformation, repeated over and over, resulting in costly and unpleasant consequences. And so it is with...
A Guide to Defending Your Officials
Every season association officers get letters, letters and more letters that may lead you to defending your officials.
“How could we have 10 fouls and...
Nine Tips to Decrease Your Association’s Exposure to Liability
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...
6 Assigner Do’s and Don’ts
Assigners need to maintain a professional approach when it comes to assigning games. Perception can be reality for some members. Longtime assigners will obviously...
6 FAQs About Bylaws
Every officials group should draft and adopt a set of bylaws to govern the association. Here is a list of frequently asked questions covering...
How to Develop a Discipline Program
The president of the local basketball officials association got a call on a Wednesday morning in late January. It was the principal of one...
11 Things Your Officials Association Should Be Doing Right Now
Is your officials association doing what it should be doing?
If it’s not tackling the things on the following list, it’s probably falling short in serving you and...
When Associations Need to Weigh In
Historically, too many officials take the approach that they just have to worry about one thing: officiating. Too many associations believe their sole roles...
What is the Best Way to Test Sports Officials?
If you’re a typical Referee reader, you’re college educated and have spent 15 or 20 years in school. That means you’ve probably taken thousands...
6 Things You Need To Know As Assigner
Now that you’ve agreed to be an assigner, what can you expect? From experience, I can tell you there’ll be high points and low...
Assigning Advice for All Levels
Mike Conlin wears a number of hats when it comes to officiating. Along with being an active official and having assigning responsibilities ranging from...
Meet the Assigning Challenge
Some days assigning feels like it’s a job only Superman or Wonder Woman could handle. Often assigners would like to have the powers of...
The Largest Officiating Survey Ever
17,487. That is the number of officials whose investment in this avocation motivated them to respond to the recent National Association of Sports Officials...
Are Your Bylaws Keeping Up With the Times?
One of the most important documents for your association is the bylaws. Bylaws are rules adopted by an association to manage its affairs and...
Educate Your Members to Avoid Liability
When lawyers file a lawsuit, they look for as many defendants as they can find. Don’t just sue the truck driver that ran into...
Spell Out Your Discipline Procedures
The word “discipline” has several definitions, including the positive description of exhibiting a orderly conduct and behavior in accordance with expected standards. Additionally, it...
9 Steps to Put Out the Fire
There are many ways an officials association can help itself before an issue arises. It just takes a little forethought, effort and common sense.
They...