Is there a minmium requirement for experience prior to being IHSA certified for hoops? I believe that it is NOT the case for soccer, where I am hoping to get certified for that also.

Thanks in advance

In Illinois there are three levels. X Registered, R Recognized and C Certified. To be eligible for promotion you spend two years at each level. Example 2 years at X in year three your eliegible for R. Two years at R you're eligible for promotion to C. At each step there are tests in addition to the part one exam and evaluations that need to be made.

It all depends.

If you are already licensed in another IHSA sport, all you have to do is pay the fee for the new sport and you will be licensed when you pass the Part 1 Exam and go to a Rules Meeting.

If you are not licensed then you have to go through the application process. Which you have to get personal references through either officials or IHSA school members to get the opportunity to get a license with the IHSA. You would also have to give some information for a background check.

I would contact the IHSA at www.ihsa.org. Go they will give you all the appropriate information.

Peace

In IL, there are three levels of officials - registered, recognized, and certified. To be registered, just send your dues to the IHSA, take the open-book rules test and pass with at least 80%, and attend a rules interp meeting. To get to the next level, recognized, you must have been a registered official for at least two years prior, get at least 85% on the open-book test, get at least 85% on a closed-book rules test, and receive a minimum score on 6 ratings from coaches and certified officials. The next level, certified, involves having been a recognized official for three years prior, score 90% on the open-book test, 85% on the closed-book test, work a minimum number of varsity-level contests that year, and get a minimum score on 6 ratings from coaches and other certified officials.

As JRut said, there is more info on the IHSA website.

Good luck!

M & M,

I was under the impression that he was asking about getting a license in the sport of basketball. I could be wrong but there are some differences with certification in basketball as a whole. There are some FIBA or club certifications that play a role in who can work soccer games.

Peace

Now we've got illiniref and Illini_Ref. It's getting confusing around here! ;)

It could be; I've been known to give too much information before - just ask my wife ;).

I was going by his wording "certified for hoops". At least in IL "certified" has a specific meaning. If all he meant was "register", then too much information can't be all bad.

At least this year it's not confusing who the #1 team is! :D

Well to those that are not licensed with the IHSA, certified usually means getting a license. It is really the case if you had to be "certified" to work other sports outside of HS. Of course it is semantics, but that does cause some confusion.

Peace

Uh, oh...semantics...confusion...I thought those threads were closed! :p

Actually, you're right, especially since he had mentioned soccer in particular. I have heard soccer officials mention certification, especially at the higher levels. I guess we'll have to let illiniref let us know his TRUE intentions. You know the old saying about the word "assume".

Thanks for all the answers. Now anther follow up, do you recommend getting registered now or in the fall, or will I already have missed the bus as far as game assignments ans scheduling, etc. BTW, I am in South Chicago burbs, Lincoln Way area if that makes a difference.

As far as registering with the IHSA, you might as well wait until after July 1. Their licenses run from July 1 thru June 30, so if you registered now it would only be good until the end of this June, and you'll have to pay again to be registered for the fall.

As far as scheduling, the best place to start is to belong to an officials' association. I believe the IHSA also lists associations on their website as well. The association memebers will have good information and help as to how schools hire officials. Some areas have assigners that handle scheduling for schools or conferences; in other areas the schools hire the officials themselves. The association is the best place to start for all that info.

If I were you I would wait until the early part of the summer to get your license. The renewal date is in June 30. By then you can start the ball rolling and get everything in before they send out the Part 1 Test.

Since you live in the Chicago area, officials associations do not have anything to do with assigning. In this part of the state all of that is handled an assignor that is hired by a respective conference. Go to my IACAO link and click on "Area Assignments" at or near the bottom of the webpage. Figure out what conferences you are willing to work and call or email each assignor. The assignors can give you some idea what they expect and what they will have to you. You can also attend a few camps this summer to start the process of learning as soon as possible. You can also look on the IACAO page for associations and talk to a few that might be in your area. Or if you do not have a problem with driving a few miles you can belong to other groups that are technically outside of where you live.

The best advice is to talk to many officials and many leaders of groups to get an idea of what is expected. Do not just assume that you are only willing to work a specific conference only if you have not talked to other assignors and associations and decide for yourself. That is what I did when I moved here 6 years ago and I knew nothing of the travel differences between conferences or where associations met.

If you have any other further questions, link onto the AOA site and go the Basketball page. My email is on that page and I can answer any question in more detail you would like to ask. I know a lot of people in your area and many do not just work in that area alone. Find out as much information as possible and go from there.

Peace

Actually, you won't even be able to register now. The state won't send any basketball materials out at this time of year. You can fill out the forms, but you won't receive rule books and tests until September.

If I recall correctly, you don't need references from within the officiating or school communities any more. They do ask for references and they do perform a background check, but the references can be from anybody.

It is not the officiating community that is asking for the background check. It is the IHSA. If you do not have any sports license with the IHSA, they require 3 references from a combination of officials and/or coach, AD (or any school administrator like a Principal) before they will even send out a test to you. I received two this year and they ask a series of questions that have the individual vogue for your integrity or your character. If these references are not sent out and received by the IHSA office, you will not get a license. That has to be done first.

Peace