The Fed and their insurance
 

This is my third year being head of my local high school softball group (in Maryland). Each year is a learning experience and this year is no exception.

The state organization (MPSSAA) is raising state registration fees from $27 to $34 starting next year. Not what I want to hear but I can live with it. But I'm not sure about what we're getting for our money. For $27 we receive a softball rulebook and insurance from NFOA. I am being told that our insurance lasts from the time we send in our associations money (mid March) until July 1st. I was under the impression that when our state registered us with NFHS and got NFOA coverage that it was for a calender year. Was I wrong?

I'm wondering what other states do. How they register their high school officials, how much you guys pay to the state and what you get for your money. And how about 4 issues of Officials Quarterly? Anybody get that for being a Fed member? I don't.

I guess I took everything for granted when I was just a regular member, but I'm trying to get a better picture now.

I just got the info for this season from my association.

In Oregon we register with our local association, and there is one association for each geographic area of the state. We get a rules book, case book, a couple of bulletins NASO publishes every season, the NFHS Officials Quarterly, and our uniform patch. The cost is a little more than yours.

We are told that if we have worked another OSAA sport earlier in the school year we do not need to buy insurance again.

The NFHS insurance covers you while you are currently registered with your state association. If your registration with the state association expires on July 1, so will your insurance.

Just another reason why I would prefer for TASO to survive in the state of Texas. Insurance coverage is so much better than the NFHS provided Bollinger insurance.

As to LJ's initial question, to date, officials in Texas are not part of the NFHS system, other than to use their rules. Our training, materials, testing, insurance and governance comes from the Texas Association of Sports Officials, though that is subject to change. (You can read about it on other threads in this forum.) We pay TASO $50.00 annually, and this covers our materials and insurance. We are insured for the calendar year.