The demand for high school sports officials in Florida is testing associations

It’s not a job that brings much recognition.

In fact, it is said that if you do the job well, no one will remember you were there.

Dozens of high school sports officials are on the fields and in the gyms this school year with the players and coaches. They show up early and often stay late, not because of the cheering crowd, but simply for the love of the game.

“It’s the hobby,” said Dave Riedel, entering his 25th season as a football official. He was at Riverview High School before the season began with about 30 other officials and got some prep work during a matchup between the Rams and Manatee High.

Five- and seven-man teams strolled in and out during the fray “to work on positioning, philosophy and so on,” said Dave Hall, vice president of the Gulf Coast Football Officials Association, which provides school officials for most games. and middle school games in Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Every Friday night, Hall officials have to cover between eight and ten football games. Many games work with five-man teams, while some schools pay to have a seven-man team on the field.

“This year we actually have a week where we have 11 games,” Hall said.

Not only do officials have to be on the field, Hall must also provide clockmakers for both the game clock and the game clock.

“So you know, if you have a 10-game night, there are 70 players out there,” Hall said.

Hall has said so far that his association will cover the games in the region. But, he said, the pool of officers could be getting thinner.

“We have older people who are getting on in years,” he said. “I probably have another ten years before my body can’t take it anymore.”

It’s a nationwide problem in all sports, said Justin Harrison, assistant executive director of the Florida High School Athletic Association.

While there are enough registered officials to cover games, “when you take into account potential injuries, family conflicts, work conflicts… there is a shortage,” he said.

“We’ve seen fewer associations in baseball in the Panhandle in recent years. This has resulted in the remaining associations trying to cover more schools, reducing their numbers.”

In sports like lacrosse, “Florida’s student-athlete growth and interest in the sport, both girls and boys, exceeds the interest of those who want to officiate,” Harrison said. “Both are growing, but not at the same pace.”

Recruitment is key

Both Hall and Harrison are working to recruit the next generation of officers.

After speaking with coaches and athletic directors, Hall will attend local schools’ end-of-year sports banquets.

“We would like to come over and spend five minutes just talking to players, parents and players graduating,” he said. “They may not be playing (anymore), but they still want to be there.”

“I mean, if you can get to five or six schools and get one person out of it, that’s a team,” he said.

On a statewide level, the FHSAA has partnered with Ref Reps, an online training program that school districts can offer to their students, Harrison said.

“We also offer a sign-up discount to first-year officers to encourage new people to give it a try.”

Preparation and training

Being an official in a sport requires study and preparation. Officers must attend clinics and pass regulatory tests. In football, Hall said, refereeing teams study game film provided by high schools on a weekly basis to improve their performance.

Hall said most officials who want to play high school games and beyond start in youth leagues and work their way up.

“You can’t just go out on a field on a Friday night and do it,” Hall said. “When I started, I probably didn’t see a Friday night game for four years, and then I wasn’t on the regular team anymore.”

Hall said youth recreational leagues are a great way for new officials to gain experience.

“There are a lot of youth ball leagues in this area,” Hall said. “We have people in our association who have connections to groups like that so they can get games.”

At the recent standoff at Riverview High, Ron Varsalone stood in the middle of the group of officers, watching and listening.

He recently moved to Sarasota from New Jersey and wants to give it a try.

“I love the game. My kids are grown, my oldest is heading off to college next week and I want to give back and stay in the game.”

Varsalone said there was a lot to absorb.

“It’s a little overwhelming,” he said. “There is a big difference between being on the field as a player and looking at it from the perspective of an official.”

But he feels welcome and is encouraged to keep going. “These guys were great. I think I’ll start timing and keep training to get on the field.”

For veterans like Riedel, it’s a familiar story. He also joined in the game when his sons played.

After she graduated, “it left a void,” he remembers.

Riedel said the position helps him manage his full-time job.

“It’s a good break from work,” he said, because you have to concentrate. “Your full concentration is on the game.”

Hall said fans, parents and coaches are pretty well-behaved here, despite occasional lapses in politeness.

“You have to have thick skin,” Hall said. “Some things that are said to your face or from a distance probably require a bit of a sense of humor. I hear it all the time. I take care of the trainers and they get violent and you let them bark for a while. But then you say, ‘Okay, coach, let’s concentrate and get back to the game.'”

Ultimately the goals are the same.

“We’re all here for the kids, and that’s what I try to convey to our officials and coaches,” Hall said. “I manage the game as best as I can. And you know, we can agree to disagree on certain plays and certain outcomes, but at the end of the day I’m going to shake your hand.”

If you would like to find out more about refereeing in football, you can visit the website of the local officials association.

To learn more about officiating other sports, visit the FSHAA website.