The final buzzer went off, Home team 52 Visitors 60. After two hours of sprinting up and down the basketball court you are tired, sweaty, and mentally exhausted. You take the boos and yelling from the spectators and coaches and get paid very little but it is all part of the game. I often wonder, why do I put myself through this? Could it be for the extra money, maybe it is for the camaraderie or watching the next superstar in the making is what brings me back, but whatever reason and whatever sport, sports officials do it for the love of the game.
This particular game stood out because after the game, two of my fellow partners and I were in the locker room and we heard a knock at the door. Naturally, we thought it was the school’s athletic director giving us our measly game checks. Surprisingly, it was a middle aged man whose son was a player on the home team and he wanted to congratulate us on a job well done. He had seen numerous games and was impressed with our professionalism and the ease to which we officiated the game. He indicated he was interested in becoming a sports official and wanted to know what steps to take.
[box color="white" icon="information"]As veteran officials we provided him with some basic information to help him gain insight into what to expect from officiating. By asking a veteran official, he can educate you on things such as how far you would have to travel, how to get games, the amount of time you expect to put in between games and required official meetings, or even which associations to join to help you stay educated on the rules.[/box]
The next piece of advice we gave is to sign up with a local association whose sport you are interested in. This association can not only help you with finding a mentor but can also help prepare you to take a rules and mechanics test. You will want to register with your state interscholastic athletic association. These athletic associations typically administer rules and mechanics tests. Once you pass your exams and are registered, you can start signing up for lower level games either by calling the athletic director at your local middle/high school or by calling your local games assignor.
Remember, officiating is some of the most rewarding work you will be involved in. Officiating takes time, motivation and commitment but the outcome outweighs the efforts. Officiating is not for everyone and you have to ask yourself if you are willing to make the commitment. Coaches, athletes, fellow officials and spectators expect the best and want an official who is well educated on the rules of the game.
