[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

I have decided to jump into this fray concerning codes of ethics.

I think that we can all agree that there are many youth and adult recreational leagues all over the country that use officials that are not certified in some manner. Certified meaning registered with the StateHSAA, a member of IAABO (such as in manner states in the NE part of the USA or parts of Canada), member of a LOA (as in California), or one could be a FIBA official (if we are speaking of an official from another country).

I coach our nine year old son's 10U basketball team in a Toledo Park and Rec. league where a good percentage of officials are not OhioHSAA registered officials; that means these officials have no training as basketball officials nor knowledge of the rules and mechanics of officiating (and their officiating shows it). To make matters even worse, that Table Officials are hired through a temporary employment agency (meaning that many of them could not hold a job at McDonald's) and these people have absolutely no training to do the job as Scorer or Timer and their performance at the games show it.

The game officials, whether OhioHSAA or not, receive $20 per game. This is the fifth year that I have watched our sons play in games sponsored by the Toledo P/R and I can count on one hand the number of officials who gave a professional account of themselves. And I have to sit there and keep my thoughts to myself.

Where is this post going, you ask? Sports officiating is a profession masquarading as advocation, no matter whether one is officiating jr. H.S. games or Div. I games. When one accepts money to officiate, that person is expected to perform at a certain minimum level of competency. A code of ethics spells out the type of conduct that is required of a sports official (or engineer, there are many readers out there who have read my $100 postings concerning professionalism).

A code of ethics for a profession gives the practioners of that profession quidelines on how to conduct themselves. There are times when a situation arises that is out of the norm and a code of ethics helps one navigate through these abnormal situations.