[JRutledge]

I want to annouce that Matt Laurich died on Monday April 8, 2002. He died of Cancer.

Matt was an assignor for the Suburban Catholic Conference in the Chicagoland area. He was on of the first people that gave me a chance. We was a college official at the D1 level. He was an educator at Waubonsee Valley High School in Naperville, Illinois. His sense of humor was impeccable and timely. I very rearly ever heard a person say a bad word about the man, and this was an assignor at that. Matt gave me a chance and spoke on my behalf to another assignor which launched my career in the Chicago area. I will forever be greatful for his kindness and support.

My prayers are with his family and the officiating community that loved this man. We have lost one of the great people that officiating has ever known.

For those that do not know, I believe he was in an article in Referee Magazine in a reprint of an article during Referee's 25 Anniversary Celabration.

He will be deeply missed by many and myself included.

God Bless you Matt, you were one of a kind.

Peace