Thursday, Jan. 10, 2002 | 11:20 a.m.
As 2002 kicks off, high schools across the nation face a building threat to their athletic programs: a lack of officials to work their games.
According to a recent Associated Press story, 54 of 60 state associations have reported shortages of referees and umpires, some so serious that they have forced cancellations and postponements.
Nevada is among the states lacking in officials, according to Jerry Hughes, executive director of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association, who was surveyed for the AP story.
Yet surprisingly, those shortages have largely occurred in the state's northern half while Southern Nevada, home to the country's fastest-growing school district, has managed to avoid significant officiating problems thus far.
"We don't have a major shortage here," said Larry McKay, director of athletics for the Clark County School District. "We don't have games that go unofficiated. We have enough people; sometimes there just aren't enough people available at a particular time."
While the number of Class 4A schools in the Las Vegas area has nearly doubled from 12 to 23 since 1991, the Southern Nevada Officials Association (SNOA) has kept up with the growth, thanks in large part to the number of newcomers moving to the valley each year.
"Overall, we've been very fortunate here," said SNOA president Bill McGee. "As the community has grown and demand for our services has grown, we've pretty much been able to keep up. As the community has grown, we've been fortunate to grow as well."
McKay, himself a former official, schedules prep events with referees in mind. For example, area middle schools play basketball games on Tuesday and Thursday nights, to avoid conflicts with high school games on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Still, shortages do occur, particularly in softball and soccer, which usually begin before 5 p.m. to take advantage of daylight. Because most officials work other day jobs, those events can be difficult to staff.
"The availability of quality officials tends to stress when the starting times are before 5 p.m.," McGee said. "Especially in the wintertime when the women play soccer and in the spring when baseball and softball get started, it creates problems for many who would otherwise be involved."
McGee estimates there are 800 referees, timers and scorers in the SNOA. In an attempt to keep up with the rapid growth of the school district, the organization has done its best to move new officials through the training program as quickly as possible.
"Our instruction may be more accelerated here," said Jeff Wells, an official who also instructs new basketball referees. "You want to get people onto the floor quickly and competently."
Also, unlike in many other regions, officials who move to town with experience can proceed rapidly to varsity competition, rather than spending a season or two calling freshman or junior varsity events.
"I've found that SNOA does not impede people who come in from out of state with ability," McKay said. "In my personal experiences in other places, you have to officiate at a lower level for two or three years regardless of how good you are."
Nicole Smith moved to Las Vegas four years ago after playing basketball for Nevada-Reno and officiating prep basketball games in the Reno area. When she arrived in town, she had little trouble proving herself worthy of varsity assignments.
"I'm from Arizona originally and I have some friends down there who had to go through a lengthy certification process," Smith said. "For me, it was a pretty easy transition."
Despite their success at maintaining a strong base of officials thus far, SNOA members recognize the future is uncertain, as Southern Nevada continues to undergo a population boom.
"We're growing so fast, it's hard to get (enough) people in and get them ready," said John "Doc" Watson, a longtime area official.
Added Hughes, "The thing we're looking for the most are young people to officiate. Especially in Northern Nevada, we have an aging population of officials."
Some who begin the program also opt to drop out for a variety of reasons. According to the Associated Press, lack of sportsmanship among players, coaches and parents ranks as the top cause for officials quitting.
"When you get out there hands-on, the coaches and fans expect you to make the perfect call every time," said Kennon Buchanan, a second-year area football and basketball official. "You definitely have to be thick-skinned and focus on what you're looking for. If you get caught up in what the fans are saying, you can miss something."
According to Hughes, Nevada has had its share of incidents involving abusive fans, including a physical altercation with an official at a basketball game in Northern Nevada several years ago and several verbal altercations this season.
"Unsportsmanlike behavior is something that could certainly make officials decide not to be part of things," Hughes said.
But McGee is quick to point out that the problem has been less significant in Southern Nevada than in most of the country.
"I've officiated in the Las Vegas area since 1976 and I'd list us among the most fortunate areas in the country," McGee said. "We haven't had some of the horror stories (with violence) that have occurred in other places."
Though Southern Nevada could be looking at a more serious officials shortage in the future, the school district's rapid expansion could also turn Las Vegas into an attractive region for prospective officials looking to get their careers going in a hurry.
"This is a land of opportunity for officials," said Marc Ratner, commissioner of officials for Southern Nevada who serves as liason between the high schools and the SNOA. "The (college) conferences are now looking at Southern Nevada as a breeding ground for potential officials."
In recent years, officials who have started their careers at the high school level here have gone on to NCAA Division I baseball, college football bowl games, the NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments and even the NFL.
"I've seen guys go from Little League to high school to work college games," said Joe Burleson, a longtime high school official who also serves as the supervisor of baseball umpires for the Mountain West Conference. "It's like anything else in life; it comes with experience."
archive
