Only way to rectify shortage of officials is pay up
ZACK NALLY "Keep Pounding" column
Feb 19, 2022
There was already an officials shortage before the coronavirus pandemic, but the last two years haven’t appeared to help the cause.
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) reported this week that a survey of state high school associations revealed that approximately 50,000 officials are no longer in the workforce since the 2018-2019 season, the last full season unaffected by the pandemic.
An editorial released by NFHS CEO Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff via HighSchoolOT.com detailed a situation wherein officials nearing retirement age were pushed into it by the challenges of the pandemic.
To address the issue, the NFHS is planning a first-ever National Officials Consortium Summit in April to address the vacancies and how new officials can be recruited. The summit will also be attended by the NCAA and more than 30 national-level sports organizations including governing bodies for Olympic sports.
The issue persists nationally, but we may see a significant impact locally as spring sports prepares for the new season in March.
At the conference tournament basketball games at West Carteret on Thursday, baseball coach Brooks Jernigan was on a Zoom call discussing options this spring concerning the umpire shortage. The potential challenges are so great that doubleheaders with four teams at one site was floated as a possible solution.
Just before the pandemic started, the N.C. High School Athletic Association reported an 11-percent drop in officials. A 17,000-person survey held by the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) in 2017 reported that there were “more officials over the age of 60 than under 30.”
Low pay, long training with little compensation and poor attitudes toward officials from coaches, players and fans are all primary reasons for the growing shortage. There is also the growth of fledgling sports, such as girls lacrosse and girls wrestling. Like the officials shortage of the 1980s due to a boom in soccer growth, the addition of more matches and games only compounds the already difficult situation.
The NFHS has created the #BecomeAnOfficial Program, but the recruitment efforts are falling short. The organization, among others, is calling for improved behavior toward officials to help encourage would be applicants.
In this reporter’s opinion, though, the shortage comes down to the almighty dollar. Officials are responsible for their own equipment, their gas and time spent in travel, and pay only ranges from $50 for a volleyball game to $100 for a basketball doubleheader.
Like many employers are learning right now, raising the pay is the only sure way to attract new talent. In the same way, winning makes problems go away in sports, money makes all the other challenges of being an official go away.
If you want more officials, pay up. That’s the only real solution and one that’s needed right now to avoid a debilitating problem that is only going to grow worse.
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Bobref
This guy thinks so. I think it’s “an” answer, but not “the” answer.
https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/sports/article_99b0d308-9173-11ec-b038-77c3f1609b35.html
Only way to rectify shortage of officials is pay up
ZACK NALLY "Keep Pounding" column
Feb 19, 2022
There was already an officials shortage before the coronavirus pandemic, but the last two years haven’t appeared to help the cause.
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) reported this week that a survey of state high school associations revealed that approximately 50,000 officials are no longer in the workforce since the 2018-2019 season, the last full season unaffected by the pandemic.
An editorial released by NFHS CEO Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff via HighSchoolOT.com detailed a situation wherein officials nearing retirement age were pushed into it by the challenges of the pandemic.
To address the issue, the NFHS is planning a first-ever National Officials Consortium Summit in April to address the vacancies and how new officials can be recruited. The summit will also be attended by the NCAA and more than 30 national-level sports organizations including governing bodies for Olympic sports.
The issue persists nationally, but we may see a significant impact locally as spring sports prepares for the new season in March.
At the conference tournament basketball games at West Carteret on Thursday, baseball coach Brooks Jernigan was on a Zoom call discussing options this spring concerning the umpire shortage. The potential challenges are so great that doubleheaders with four teams at one site was floated as a possible solution.
Just before the pandemic started, the N.C. High School Athletic Association reported an 11-percent drop in officials. A 17,000-person survey held by the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) in 2017 reported that there were “more officials over the age of 60 than under 30.”
Low pay, long training with little compensation and poor attitudes toward officials from coaches, players and fans are all primary reasons for the growing shortage. There is also the growth of fledgling sports, such as girls lacrosse and girls wrestling. Like the officials shortage of the 1980s due to a boom in soccer growth, the addition of more matches and games only compounds the already difficult situation.
The NFHS has created the #BecomeAnOfficial Program, but the recruitment efforts are falling short. The organization, among others, is calling for improved behavior toward officials to help encourage would be applicants.
In this reporter’s opinion, though, the shortage comes down to the almighty dollar. Officials are responsible for their own equipment, their gas and time spent in travel, and pay only ranges from $50 for a volleyball game to $100 for a basketball doubleheader.
Like many employers are learning right now, raising the pay is the only sure way to attract new talent. In the same way, winning makes problems go away in sports, money makes all the other challenges of being an official go away.
If you want more officials, pay up. That’s the only real solution and one that’s needed right now to avoid a debilitating problem that is only going to grow worse.
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Impartial_Observer
I probably will, on my deck, in front of my Weber, with a beer in my hand. Not really the point of my post, but you already knew that didn’t you.
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Sometimes my oldest son tests whether my own are a priority for me. Something about 16 year old boys that makes you think tigers eating their young might be on to something.
Yuccaguy
Gonna throw in MY answer.... Baseball: 38 Years (9 State Finals) Football: 22 Years (3 State Finals) And apparently I am now a "Senior" citizen.... 56, I guess I am OLD no
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