Wanted: There is a dire need for sports officials

By Ron Brocato
Clarion Herald

Much like the U.S. Marine Corps’ recruiting appeal, the Greater New Orleans Football Officials Association (GNOFOA) and the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) are looking for a few good men – and women.

Both organizations are working to replenish their aging and shrinking ranks.

Being a sports official is an adventure, with boot camps, on- and off-the-field training and professional supervision and camaraderie among the troops in stripes. It is a commitment no one who wears stripes takes for granted, although it tends to be a rather thankless side job, vulnerable to the verbal wrath of almost everyone in the stands.

So, what are the benefits, you ask, that may outweigh the criticism of the fans, coaches and, occasionally, the media know-it-alls?

Says LHSAA assistant executive director Lee Sanders, the man in charge of statewide high school officials, becoming an official enables one to stay active and connected to sports in a unique capacity. Sanders wants to get graduating, sports-minded Louisiana high school students into the fold.

The LHSAA recently formed a partnership with the Louisiana High School Officials Association (LHSOA), the National Basketball Association Referee Operations Department, the Junior NBA and RefReps that will help identify and enroll potential young-adult candidates in the field of basketball officiating.

Those selected will earn money while learning to referee basketball. They will earn it while studying a free, interactive RefReps officiating course, undergoing training led by staffs of the NBA, LHSAA and LHSOA.

Sanders calls the program to encourage high school-age prospects “WhistleUpLouisiana2024.” It targets candidates who are graduating seniors and recommended by an LHSAA member principal, athletic director, coach or another official. These young adults just need to show interest in sports.

High schools are a perfect breeding ground for future officials, and individual school officials are being encouraged by the LHSAA to identify prospects who show leadership, problem-solving and communication skills.

To that end, Sanders noted in his partnership announcement, “Our WhistleUpLouisiana2024 referees will receive the best training to support their effectiveness, and we are committed to equipping these young people with the knowledge and tools for success, on and off the court.”

There is a May 17 deadline for nominations in basketball officiating.

Those interested in becoming a football official are invited to a kickoff meeting on July 9 at 6 p.m. at Rock n’ Bowl. There are no requirements other than the desire to become a student of the rules. No previous experience is necessary, said GNOFOA president Tyrone Dudley.

Assignment secretary Eddie Allemore and veteran officials will provide a step-by-step training program to men and women (there is a female official among the veteran group) on how to get started. That includes on-the-field mechanics and rules training.

And, there’s money to be made. Allemore said a certified official is paid $95 per game by the host school. Non-certified officials are paid “about $9 less,” he said. 

It takes three years, a thorough knowledge of the rules of each position on the field and experience working sub-varsity and playground games to become certified. But Allemore said some fast learners see varsity action sooner – within two years. 

“It depends on an official’s progress,” Allemore said.

The LHSAA has acknowledged that the New Orleans high school officials’ associations have become among the most respected in the state in all sports. Many have been called up by college conferences to work football and basketball games that air on regional and national television networks, and some umpire college baseball games.

One such official, Michael VanderVeldt, has earned the most elite status from the GNOFA chapter. A graduate of Hope College in Michigan, VanderVeldt began officiating on a part-time basis but quickly fell in love with managing the game when he moved to the New Orleans area. He has worked his way up the ladder as the “white hat” for state championship games.

It didn’t take long for him to catch the eyes of Division I officials. In 2013, he started as a referee in the Southland Conference, then moved to the Mountain West and then to the Big 12 Conference. Most recently, VanderVeldt was the referee for the 2024 Rose Bowl. Now, he’s receiving serious attention from the NFL after a year of work in the XFL, which plays under most NFL rules.

The GNOFOA has a membership of 186 officials. Most have been at it for more than 10 years. Newer officials usually begin as varsity clock operators. So, in the lyrical words of Irma Thomas and the Rolling Stones, time is on their side.

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