I am currently fininshing up my first year of officiating. I worked in the local Police Athletic league and I must say I really enjoyed it. I tried to work as much as possible to gain all of the experience I could. My question is what further steps can I take to better my self as an offical? What advice would you veteran officals give a guy just starting out. Thanks!

Contact officials who are "next" in your progression (I'm guessing that means High School, but I don't know). Ask them what you need to do to get involved.

If it is HS, contact the local HS and see who assigns games -- sometimes it's a local association, sometimes it's an assigner, sometimes it's the HS.

Contact the state HS Athletic Activities Association (or similar name). They will have information on becoming registered / licensed / certified (different states use different names), information on some camps, information on local associations.

Find the local association. Work summer ball. Go to camp.

register with your state H.S. association. Go to Camps.

I am glad you have got your feet wet. The next step is to get in contact with your local association that calls HS games. That may mean contacting your state association. NFHS.org has a list of state association web sites. Find out when their next rookie clinic will be. You may be able to get involved in summer leagues and some summer tournaments. You may be able to find a summer camp and really get yourself ahead of the game. Take their class next fall and their test. This will register you for High School ball. Call everything you can get your hands on that doesn't interfere with your priorities(job, family, God, etc). Don't take yourself seriously for 5 years and enjoy the game.

[This message has been edited by Tim Roden (edited February 23, 2000).]