IAABO Handbook

[ilyazhito]

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

Ever since I've been officiating, IAABO has given its members a rulebook and casebook each year. But their agreement with NFHS expired, and for whatever reason (probably $$$$ that they didn't want to pay to the FED), IAABO no longer has permission to distribute the books to its members.

Instead, this year, we're receiving the IAABO Handbook, which includes a detailed "textbook" about the rules and intersperses play situations throughout to illustrate the rule being discussed. (As in years past, it also includes the officials' manual.) They did a pretty good job on it, actually; but for rule nerds like me, it means I have to go and buy a rulebook for the first time in 30 years.

I think the new officials will like it, but it means I have to re-organize my class notes.

I agree. It sucks that NFHS, who claims to promote "education-based athletics" look to make a buck by forcing people to buy the rulebook, when the NCAA makes theirs available free for download as PDFs. I'm lucky that my association gave out free copies of the rulebook at the first meeting we had this year to anyone registered with the MPSSAA. The governing bodies of non-NFHS sports in the US also have rulebooks that can be accessible for free via an app, such as the IFAB Laws of the Game app for USSF (soccer) and the USA Hockey rulebook that can be downloaded as a PDF.

Does MIAA give out rulebooks to their associations for their registered officials?