By Rick Woelfel
From Pride to Problems
Think back to the start of your officiating career — the pride of passing the rules test, pulling on your first striped shirt with the state association’s logo, and eagerly attending meetings and trainings.
New officials rarely hesitate to complete requirements like concussion training or working scrimmages for little or no pay. But as careers progress, the enthusiasm can fade. Balancing job, family, and officiating ambitions means tasks once handled with a smile become chores.
Rules meetings feel like another night out, disagreements over interpretations arise, and summer clinics conflict with personal time. Invariably, responsibilities are put off — creating ripple effects for state associations.
The Administrative Burden
Missed dues payments, skipped tests, or incomplete paperwork can keep officials off the field, leaving administrators scrambling.
Mike Book of the Colorado High School Activities Association says the biggest frustrations often come from the ‘administrative stuff.’ When officials miss deadlines for dues or exams, it can leave associations scrambling — sometimes even during playoffs.
In Delaware, Executive Director David Baylor has seen officials let certifications lapse by failing to complete concussion training or the annual open-book rules test — and some still worked games after losing certification.
For New Jersey’s Tony Maselli, the domino effect is clear: ‘The assigner calls and complains because he doesn’t have enough officials, yet there are 10 of them sitting in his officiating chapter who haven’t completed their responsibilities.’
Rules Are Not Made to Be Broken
Beyond paperwork, rule knowledge is a recurring issue. Maselli warns against officials who ‘make up the rules on their own,’ sometimes calling fouls that no longer exist or ignoring changes covered in meetings they didn’t attend.
Ohio’s Beau Rugg reminds officials to adapt: ‘Know the environment you’re in and officiate to that environment.’
Taking Control of the Contest
Enforcing unsportsmanlike conduct is another weak spot. Some officials hesitate to call flags, technicals, or cards even when the rules allow it.
Maselli points out that when officials firmly take control, contests run more smoothly: ‘When we have officials who take control of the game, don’t take any B.S., we have a successfully officiated contest.’
Knowing When It’s Time
Baylor raises another concern: the aging population of officials. With shortages already pressing, many continue working longer than they should.
He asks, ‘How fit are they to keep up with the game involving young people when you get to be my age (64)?… Those are valid questions at times.’
Yet many older officials keep going because they don’t want kids to miss opportunities. Baylor notes that some go home from games soaking in tubs, using heating pads, and icing sore muscles just to keep contributing.
Professionalism Under Scrutiny
Professional behavior matters as much as performance. Oklahoma’s Grant Gower, with three decades of basketball officiating experience, stresses professionalism: ‘Anyone can do it… treat everyone with the respect each and every human being deserves. Unfortunately, perception becomes reality, and if you don’t check those boxes, you’re already behind the eight ball.’
Baylor recalls one case where a football official responded to a heckling fan with inappropriate language. The damage, he says, went beyond one game — ‘it hurts the whole profession.’
Building Respect Through Communication
At its best, the relationship between officials and state associations is grounded in respect.
Rugg puts it this way: ‘We’re working hard for them and they’re not going to like everything… just like they’re working hard on the field and not everybody is going to like every call. Mutual respect is a big thing.’
He adds that communication is vital, especially in a large state like Ohio. District administrators serve as liaisons to 250 local associations, ensuring the state office stays connected.
Conclusion
When officials neglect responsibilities — from paperwork to professionalism — the impact is felt far beyond the individual. Associations depend on their members not just to make the right calls, but to keep the entire system running.
The message is clear: officiating is about much more than the game itself.
