OHSAA continues to grapple with an 'alarming shortage' of high school officials

[NYBuckeye96]

https://www.wcpo.com/sports/high-school ... kpG89JsiG0

OHSAA continues to grapple with an 'alarming shortage' of high school officials

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio High School Athletic Association is down almost 800 officials for its junior high through high school varsity sanctioned sports compared to the 2017-18 school year.

The OHSAA has 14,060 officials as of Feb. 4 compared to 14,842 overall (as of May 31, 2018) during the 2017-18 school year.

Data is available going back to the 2010-11 school year when there were 16,629 officials – the most in the past nine school years. There are 1,679 member schools in Ohio including high schools and junior high schools.

The “alarming shortage” of high school officials is an ever-growing reality as adult behavior at games and events continues to be the primary reason for the overall shortage, according to the OHSAA.

On Tuesday, the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Board of Control reported a 9.7 percent drop or 405 fewer officials licensed in Kentucky than in the 2016-17 school year. Data from the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) wasn't immediately available.

Like Ohio, Kentucky could see some additions to baseball and softball officials before those seasons start in March. Those officials can also added during the mid-season.

In Michigan, registered officials are down almost 3,000 since the 2008-09 school year, according to the Lansing State Journal.

The cumulative impact of the shortage of officials prompted the OHSAA to send a statewide media release in January saying adult behavior needs to improve.

“Yelling, screaming and berating the officials humiliates your child, annoys those sitting around, embarrasses your child’s school and is the primary reason Ohio has an alarming shortage of high school officials,” said a letter from the OHSAA and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

The National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) conducted a 2017 survey in which over 75 percent of officials said their primary reason for leaving was due to poor sportsmanship or the treatment they received from those surveyed.

A distant second was retirement due to age or physical limitations. Other factors included the time investment, money and displeasure over assignments received.

Nearly every OHSAA sport saw a drop in the number of officials since the 2017-18 school year. Football saw 151 fewer officials in 2018 (3,158) than 2017 (3,309). The sport has seen a reduction in nearly every season since 2010 (3,723 officials that season).

In basketball, there are 586 fewer officials than during the 2010-11 school year.

The most significant reduction from the 2017-18 school year has been in baseball (477 fewer officials) and softball (288 fewer), as of Feb. 4.

Baseball has a reduction of 1,230 officials since 2011, while softball has seen 1,054 fewer officials.

Swimming, gymnastics, field hockey and ice hockey were the only sports to see slight increases in the number of officials compared to the 2017-18 school year.

The OHSAA keeps data on officials in baseball, softball, girls’ volleyball, soccer, basketball, wrestling, track and field, swimming and diving, gymnastics, field hockey, ice hockey and lacrosse.

The OHSAA and NFHS say there is a ripple effect with more officials over age 60 than under 30.

“If there are no officials, there are no games,” the letter said. “The shortage of licensed high school officials is severe enough in some areas that athletic events are being postponed or canceled—especially at the freshman and junior varsity levels.”

Ben Ferree, the OHSAA Assistant Director of Officiating and Sport Management, told WCPO the OHSAA typically gains 500 to 600 officials through the spring in classes for new officials. So an estimate is the state will be down between 200 to 300 officials by the time the final count is calculated May 31.

Total number of OHSAA officials since 2010-11 (junior high and high school)

2010-11: 16,629
2011-12: 16,305
2012-13: 15,509
2013-14: 15,602
2014-15: 14,857
2015-16: 14,586
2016-17: 15,225
2017-18: 14,842
2018-19: 14,060 (as of Feb. 4)

[veer]

I am an official under the age of 30, and can honestly say that I do not do this for the money. I officiate because I have a true love for the games that I officiate. Now that being said, I do not think that parents have gotten worse over the years. For the most part, parents complaining in the stands has happened for more years than I have been alive. The problem in my eyes is weak minded officials. From what I have noticed officials tend to think they do no wrong, and have never made a mistake or wrong call. They are so perfect that they can not learn to do something new or improve as an official to see things in a different light... When people in the stands call them out on a call, they take it personal. Instead of trying to figure out could they have made that call any better, or called it differently, they act as if they are not at fault and always make the correct calls....The thing is, every official misses a call here and there. Human error. We all make mistakes. Like I said though, most officials will not admit when they have done something wrong. If officials make more of an effort to focus on their own officiating and how they could better themselves, they would hear less coming from the stands. When I officiate a game I rarely ever pay attention to anything coming from the stands. As long as I dont here an F bomb I stay focused on the game and the calls that I am making or not making. I try to better myself. I always ask questions, and if I mess up a call...I own up to it. Most "Old timers" that officiate, have their own set ways and rarely ever look to change their mechanics or hustle on the court..."Ive been doing it this way 20+ years why change now?"


Officials need to stop officiating to be in charge of a game. Being in control is not why you officiate. Money shouldn't be why you officiate. If it is, you need to find a new profession because only the best officials will advance to any level that pays well. And if you are over 30 already good luck making a good salary from officiating high school athletics.

Stop whining, crying, pointing the finger. Get better as an official and you wont quit because of being yelled at by people in the stands. It's not their fault you weren't in proper position...its not their fault you dont know the rules (90% of parents dont either)...its not their fault you have terrible mechanics...get better and focus on you and stay between the lines.

Also, OHSAA makes you go through hoops just to be an official. 20 years ago you could take the class for softball and baseball at the same time and be certified to do both. So answer me this....Why should I officiate baseball for 5 years, become a Varsity level official, then have to start from the bottom if I want to do Softball? Last I checked there are not that many rules that are different between the two, and the most runs scored wins the game....So then you might ask...Why not take them both at the same time? Well most people that are young just getting into this dont have $200 to take both classes....Just one example. Now, to be tournament eligible you have to take the rules test every year and score a certain percent...easy, just one thing. That takes time. I have small children, a full time job, a house to take care of...a life outside of officiating... Why do i need to be annually tested over the same material I have been officiating for 5 years?? I meet all of the meeting requirements every year (4 local,and 1 state). I go to mechanics clinics to improve myself...why be tested every year over the same stuff....$$$$$$ and jumping through hoops. Thats it.

I will continue to officiate, again because I love the game. But to blame parents yelling at officials the main reason people have stopped officiating is just dumb. Officials stop because they dont have a true love of the game enough to want to get better at their craft. They are lazy... Everything becomes personal...Stop being babies.

[Ironman92]

I am an official under the age of 30, and can honestly say that I do not do this for the money. I officiate because I have a true love for the games that I officiate. Now that being said, I do not think that parents have gotten worse over the years. For the most part, parents complaining in the stands has happened for more years than I have been alive. The problem in my eyes is weak minded officials. From what I have noticed officials tend to think they do no wrong, and have never made a mistake or wrong call. They are so perfect that they can not learn to do something new or improve as an official to see things in a different light... When people in the stands call them out on a call, they take it personal. Instead of trying to figure out could they have made that call any better, or called it differently, they act as if they are not at fault and always make the correct calls....The thing is, every official misses a call here and there. Human error. We all make mistakes. Like I said though, most officials will not admit when they have done something wrong. If officials make more of an effort to focus on their own officiating and how they could better themselves, they would hear less coming from the stands. When I officiate a game I rarely ever pay attention to anything coming from the stands. As long as I dont here an F bomb I stay focused on the game and the calls that I am making or not making. I try to better myself. I always ask questions, and if I mess up a call...I own up to it. Most "Old timers" that officiate, have their own set ways and rarely ever look to change their mechanics or hustle on the court..."Ive been doing it this way 20+ years why change now?"


Officials need to stop officiating to be in charge of a game. Being in control is not why you officiate. Money shouldn't be why you officiate. If it is, you need to find a new profession because only the best officials will advance to any level that pays well. And if you are over 30 already good luck making a good salary from officiating high school athletics.

Stop whining, crying, pointing the finger. Get better as an official and you wont quit because of being yelled at by people in the stands. It's not their fault you weren't in proper position...its not their fault you dont know the rules (90% of parents dont either)...its not their fault you have terrible mechanics...get better and focus on you and stay between the lines.

Also, OHSAA makes you go through hoops just to be an official. 20 years ago you could take the class for softball and baseball at the same time and be certified to do both. So answer me this....Why should I officiate baseball for 5 years, become a Varsity level official, then have to start from the bottom if I want to do Softball? Last I checked there are not that many rules that are different between the two, and the most runs scored wins the game....So then you might ask...Why not take them both at the same time? Well most people that are young just getting into this dont have $200 to take both classes....Just one example. Now, to be tournament eligible you have to take the rules test every year and score a certain percent...easy, just one thing. That takes time. I have small children, a full time job, a house to take care of...a life outside of officiating... Why do i need to be annually tested over the same material I have been officiating for 5 years?? I meet all of the meeting requirements every year (4 local,and 1 state). I go to mechanics clinics to improve myself...why be tested every year over the same stuff....$$$$$$ and jumping through hoops. Thats it.

I will continue to officiate, again because I love the game. But to blame parents yelling at officials the main reason people have stopped officiating is just dumb. Officials stop because they dont have a true love of the game enough to want to get better at their craft. They are lazy... Everything becomes personal...Stop being babies.

Touchdown

[mlittle]

I am an official under the age of 30, and can honestly say that I do not do this for the money. I officiate because I have a true love for the games that I officiate. Now that being said, I do not think that parents have gotten worse over the years. For the most part, parents complaining in the stands has happened for more years than I have been alive. The problem in my eyes is weak minded officials. From what I have noticed officials tend to think they do no wrong, and have never made a mistake or wrong call. They are so perfect that they can not learn to do something new or improve as an official to see things in a different light... When people in the stands call them out on a call, they take it personal. Instead of trying to figure out could they have made that call any better, or called it differently, they act as if they are not at fault and always make the correct calls....The thing is, every official misses a call here and there. Human error. We all make mistakes. Like I said though, most officials will not admit when they have done something wrong. If officials make more of an effort to focus on their own officiating and how they could better themselves, they would hear less coming from the stands. When I officiate a game I rarely ever pay attention to anything coming from the stands. As long as I dont here an F bomb I stay focused on the game and the calls that I am making or not making. I try to better myself. I always ask questions, and if I mess up a call...I own up to it. Most "Old timers" that officiate, have their own set ways and rarely ever look to change their mechanics or hustle on the court..."Ive been doing it this way 20+ years why change now?"


Officials need to stop officiating to be in charge of a game. Being in control is not why you officiate. Money shouldn't be why you officiate. If it is, you need to find a new profession because only the best officials will advance to any level that pays well. And if you are over 30 already good luck making a good salary from officiating high school athletics.

Stop whining, crying, pointing the finger. Get better as an official and you wont quit because of being yelled at by people in the stands. It's not their fault you weren't in proper position...its not their fault you dont know the rules (90% of parents dont either)...its not their fault you have terrible mechanics...get better and focus on you and stay between the lines.

Also, OHSAA makes you go through hoops just to be an official. 20 years ago you could take the class for softball and baseball at the same time and be certified to do both. So answer me this....Why should I officiate baseball for 5 years, become a Varsity level official, then have to start from the bottom if I want to do Softball? Last I checked there are not that many rules that are different between the two, and the most runs scored wins the game....So then you might ask...Why not take them both at the same time? Well most people that are young just getting into this dont have $200 to take both classes....Just one example. Now, to be tournament eligible you have to take the rules test every year and score a certain percent...easy, just one thing. That takes time. I have small children, a full time job, a house to take care of...a life outside of officiating... Why do i need to be annually tested over the same material I have been officiating for 5 years?? I meet all of the meeting requirements every year (4 local,and 1 state). I go to mechanics clinics to improve myself...why be tested every year over the same stuff....$$$$$$ and jumping through hoops. Thats it.

I will continue to officiate, again because I love the game. But to blame parents yelling at officials the main reason people have stopped officiating is just dumb. Officials stop because they dont have a true love of the game enough to want to get better at their craft. They are lazy... Everything becomes personal...Stop being babies.

Touchdown

Wow

[BlindWhiteHat]

I was an OHSAA football official for almost 30 years and I will offer my opinion as to why I gave up my license and stopped officiating.

The simple answer is that I stopped enjoying the process. I loved the games themselves and the road trips to and from varsity games. However, it became increasingly difficult to schedule games. As I progressed in my career, our crew no longer worked all 10 weeks because we couldn't find games. Eventually, it got to the point that we'd struggle to schedule 6 or 7 varsity games per year and eventually just gave it up.

The problem wasn't always easy to see but it became more obvious as time passed. The issue is that there are officials, or crews, that over-schedule themselves. They are taking more than one game each week and holding those games to see which game is going to be the best game and then shortly before the season starts (or sometimes during the season) try to find another crew who is open and able to work the second game. Therefore, a crew calls AD's to schedule games but finds out none are available. The truth is, those games are still available, they are just being held by another official or crew and will be given to a crew later.

This also happens with non-varsity games. This becomes a big issue because it affects those brand new officials who are trying to get games so they can gain experience and make a little money to help pay for their dues and equipment. After they go in the hole financially a few years because they can't get pee wee and other non-varsity games, they quit officiating.

When I first started to officiate, it always seemed like the older officials were very willing to help the younger officials get experience and get better. Now, it only appears that officials are in it for themselves and their crew. The idea of helping bring these young guys along has been lost. I feel it's a big part of why young officials get their licenses but don't keep them for long.

This is just my personal experience and is obviously not true for everyone. While I loved my time as an official, I hated to see it end. I would have loved to continue to work with my crew but the process outside of the games themselves just became too much. Hopefully things change to keep licensed officials working and to get those new guys the support they need to eventually become the old guys one day.