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An overabundance of high school officials in many sports hasn't happened in Northern Nevada for years.
Year after year, the help wanted sign collects a little more dust, a few more cobwebs.
Sometimes, the trend encounters the typical roller coaster ride whereas one season has enough officials, but the next year, a noticeable lack of referees or umpires are missing in action at the field.
My first encounter involving a lack if officials happened 30 years ago during my second year of coaching and teaching in Eastern Nevada. And since coaches had to drive the school bus, add one more duty to my list of things.
Wells' junior varsity football team had to play on a Thursday at Owyhee, a small community on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation that straddles the Idaho-Nevada border 90 mile north of Elko.
After swerving the bus around numerous sharp corners from Mountain City to Owyhee to the beat of the "Star Wars" overture, the players disembarked the bus.
Within an hour, the team suited up and prepared for the football game on a field groomed more for cattle grazing than football. But because of a lack of officials, assistant coaches from the varsity teams (which included me) had to officiate.
This point illustrates that the number of officials keeping law and order on the field or court has not kept up with the increased number of high school and athletic programs in many states including Nevada.
Shortages occurred three decades ago like they do now, especially in high school soccer.
High school soccer in Northern Nevada is experiencing a crucial shortage of officials. This problem is so acute that Donnie Nelson and Jay Beesemyer, both administrators with the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association, donned their regulation jerseys and called several matches.
"The lack of officials is so bad, we're scraping," Nelson said from his office in Reno. "We still have a lot games on the schedule that are not filled."
Nelson, though, said local youth and adult soccer leagues have enough officials, but they do not want to call high school matches.
Nelson said increased parental involvement - not necessarily for the better - is keeping officials away.
"Officials do the very best they can," Nelson said. "When I officiated my match, I did my best. Note to parents, though. Many calls are 50-50, so they can go either way. So to the parents who think they can do a better job, come on out and officiate."
Nelson also cited other reasons for a shortage. He said people who want to earn extra money are doing other jobs.
"By all means, a person doesn't make a living officiating," Nelson pointed out. "The money is only supplemental."
In other words, it's "fun money."
Other sports have experienced a shortage of officials at one time or another. Nelson said football and volleyball appear to be in good shape, but several years ago, football had to schedule varsity games to Thursday because of a referee shortage.
Basketball and wrestling also appear to be good shape.
"In basketball, we usually have a good core of officials and a a good mix (of younger and older officials)," Nelson said.
Baseball and softball also have an abundance of umpires, but Nelson said those sports can always use more people.
Nelson said many officials are from older generations, and they are at the end of their careers. He said not as many younger officials are entering the field because they have different interests.
So, the help wanted sign is out one more season at the NIAA.
"If you have the expertise, we'll put you to work. We'll put you in contact with the right people," Nelson said.
Interested individuals may call Nelson at 1-775-688-6464.
Steve Ranson can be reached at sranson@lahontanvalleynews.com
Year after year, the help wanted sign collects a little more dust, a few more cobwebs.
Sometimes, the trend encounters the typical roller coaster ride whereas one season has enough officials, but the next year, a noticeable lack of referees or umpires are missing in action at the field.
My first encounter involving a lack if officials happened 30 years ago during my second year of coaching and teaching in Eastern Nevada. And since coaches had to drive the school bus, add one more duty to my list of things.
Wells' junior varsity football team had to play on a Thursday at Owyhee, a small community on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation that straddles the Idaho-Nevada border 90 mile north of Elko.
After swerving the bus around numerous sharp corners from Mountain City to Owyhee to the beat of the "Star Wars" overture, the players disembarked the bus.
Within an hour, the team suited up and prepared for the football game on a field groomed more for cattle grazing than football. But because of a lack of officials, assistant coaches from the varsity teams (which included me) had to officiate.
This point illustrates that the number of officials keeping law and order on the field or court has not kept up with the increased number of high school and athletic programs in many states including Nevada.
Shortages occurred three decades ago like they do now, especially in high school soccer.
High school soccer in Northern Nevada is experiencing a crucial shortage of officials. This problem is so acute that Donnie Nelson and Jay Beesemyer, both administrators with the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association, donned their regulation jerseys and called several matches.
"The lack of officials is so bad, we're scraping," Nelson said from his office in Reno. "We still have a lot games on the schedule that are not filled."
Nelson, though, said local youth and adult soccer leagues have enough officials, but they do not want to call high school matches.
Nelson said increased parental involvement - not necessarily for the better - is keeping officials away.
"Officials do the very best they can," Nelson said. "When I officiated my match, I did my best. Note to parents, though. Many calls are 50-50, so they can go either way. So to the parents who think they can do a better job, come on out and officiate."
Nelson also cited other reasons for a shortage. He said people who want to earn extra money are doing other jobs.
"By all means, a person doesn't make a living officiating," Nelson pointed out. "The money is only supplemental."
In other words, it's "fun money."
Other sports have experienced a shortage of officials at one time or another. Nelson said football and volleyball appear to be in good shape, but several years ago, football had to schedule varsity games to Thursday because of a referee shortage.
Basketball and wrestling also appear to be good shape.
"In basketball, we usually have a good core of officials and a a good mix (of younger and older officials)," Nelson said.
Baseball and softball also have an abundance of umpires, but Nelson said those sports can always use more people.
Nelson said many officials are from older generations, and they are at the end of their careers. He said not as many younger officials are entering the field because they have different interests.
So, the help wanted sign is out one more season at the NIAA.
"If you have the expertise, we'll put you to work. We'll put you in contact with the right people," Nelson said.
Interested individuals may call Nelson at 1-775-688-6464.
Steve Ranson can be reached at sranson@lahontanvalleynews.com
