recruiting the next generation

[mikeref]

My association is starting a concerted effort to try and recruit new and younger officials. We realize that the next generation of officials is out there somewhere, we are trying to find the best avenue to reach them. This would include all kinds of sports officials, not just basketball. We as an association have some ideas on how we would like to approach this, but are always open to suggestions and ideas that other assiciations are now currently involved in or have tried in the past. Has anyone else's association thought of this? What are your concerns as your assiciation begins to "grey"? Might you have have ideas we could implement in our area?? Looking for any and all suggestions that people and associations may have. There seems to be a lack of interest in officiating for any number of reasons. We would like to address this issue before it enters the critical stage. We want to be proactive for the good of the game. Thanks ahead of time for your thoughts and ideas.

[Smitty]

I started reffing because I saw a flyer on a bulletin board where I worked at the time inviting people to become basketball officials. I would recommend putting flyers up at places where people go to play or watch basketball games - shools (colleges as well), gyms (workout clubs), businesses, etc.

[M&M Guy]

I don't know if other associations have specific programs to address this, but to me the best way is by word-of-mouth from current referees. Maybe you know of a cousin, neice, nephew, etc. that was an athlete that you can talk to about being active in the game even after their playing days. Or a former teammate from when you were playing. Or a co-worker that seems into sports. That's how I became involved. Actually, it was back in my teenage days - a freind of mine got asked to help umpire a girls softball game, and he asked me to come along and help. Of course, being an umpire wasn't my motivation at that time (teenage boy, girls softball...), but I just remember the overall experience wasn't all that bad. It was a while before another friend got me hooked into softball, and eventually basketball. But having someone talk me into it was the way I got involved; I don't know if I would have done it on my own.

[jritchie]

You usually have some refs that are in the school systems around the regions, like myself. We talk to some of the seniors that are playing ball that probably won't go on and play basketball or whatever sport at the college level, who will still be around maybe attending a community college or whatever and still want to be involved in the game!! we try to get them involved during that summer and then they are hooked, some of them really get into it and some decide it's not for them, but either way we make the contact in the schools...easiest way!!

[SMEngmann]

I agree with everyone else above. The very best recruiting tool is word of mouth from current officials. I also think there are a lot of people potentially interested in officiating, but don't know how to get involved. I think one way to quickly recruit officials is to go to the local college where there is an intramural program and offer to train the officials for intramural basketball and publicize it. Many college students would jump at the chance to officiate for some extra change, and you'll now have the contacts for guys who would potentially be interested in doing HS ball. The other thing I suggest is that the association has a clear track for how they can move through the ranks, be generous with opportunities for those who are serious and put the newbies in a position to succeed, and you'll generate a solid crop of young officials.

[zebraman]

I agree with the previous posts. However, I'll go one step further. If you really want to recruit officials, have your local assoc set-up an off-season recruiting committee. Most associations have some energetic folks with a lot of spare time on their hands in the off-season. In our case, it's an older guy with all kinds of energy and contacts with the schools from his days as a teacher.

Our boys association did the usual stuff... newspaper ad, word-of-mouth and posters. We have 3 new recruits on the boys side.

Our girls association did the usual stuff, plus we created a 3-person off-season committee who met regularly and formally worked on recruiting. The girls association has 31 new recruits this year.

Z

[Grail]

It's been suggested to me that we create an "official's club" at the local high schools. We'd also work with the local Park Districts, Little Leagues, etc. to assign the kids from the club to work their youth games. Naturally we'd train the club members.

It covers lots of needs. The officiating community grows, the youth legs get officials, the officials make a few dollars. Win, win, win.

[ThickSkin]

Originally posted by Grail
It's been suggested to me that we create an "official's club" at the local high schools. We'd also work with the local Park Districts, Little Leagues, etc. to assign the kids from the club to work their youth games. Naturally we'd train the club members.

It covers lots of needs. The officiating community grows, the youth legs get officials, the officials make a few dollars. Win, win, win.

I am a product of a Techniques of Officiating class that was offered to me as an under grad at Fort Hays State University. With this class, I learned mechanics, rules, and everything else. I got a job as an intramural official (the same person that taught the class also is the intramural director) and that led me to become interested in NFHS. I was part of an officials club that worked for over 50 schools in NW Kansas. We did all their volleyball, basketball, football and wrestling for jr. high, jv, and some varsity (if they were REALLY short). Most of us were noticed by veteran crews and after awhile we began working the varsity level. It was a wonderful opportunity for me and several others. From the time I was there until I left last year (7 years... I have a M.S.) there had been 10 officials that had worked a post season game or state tournament in volleyball, basketball, wrestling or football.

[rainmaker]

My impression, and I know for sure that it's true in our association, is that it's not so hard to recruit new refs as it is to keep the recruits around for a while. To counteract this,

I suggest finding ways to disable the old boys network stuff. It's extremely frustrating to an up and coming ref to see that no matter how hard he or she works, the good games go to the old farts who've definitely seen better days.

Also, a good eval system goes a long way in keeping refs.

Lastly, I think there needs to be a good solid mentoring system in place. Personally, I wish people would have to do X number of years as a mentor before they could even qualify for state tournaments. I think it's that important.

[crazy voyager]

when I started officiating, my coach put a paper up, sign here if you're intrested. Scince then I've helped recruiting something like 3-4 refs. All have been too my games, I've encoruged them to start, one was on the same training as me (wich was a joint between ref and coach) and should start coach. After 2 hours in my company, she was convinced to start officiating insted :P somebody your own age is also a much more presvasive person. If you want young refs, get younr people to inspire them that's my tip

[jstark23]

while its not basketball, the chapter that I'm now associated has also looked to the college athlete types... I work softball and one of our officers is the accountant for the head softball coach at the University of Texas, she has actively started recruiting her local alumni base and in the kineseology department on campus for us