IAABO Play of the Week
Click here to view IAABO Play of the Week Number 15 for the 2019/2020 season. After viewing the video click here to answer a survey to ensure an accurate ruling. The link can also be found under the video on the IAABO website.
 
Additionally, all Plays of the Week are archived at www.iaabo.org
The IAABO Spring Meeting scheduled for Ocean City, Maryland has been postponed.  Click here to view a message from Felix Addeo, Executive Director, IAABO, Inc.
IAABO Board No. 38, Central, New York and
Longtime Referee Pat Driscoll Misses
Officiating NCAA Men’s Basketball
Tournament Games
By Tim Casey - Forbes
Pat Driscoll had dinner in New York last Tuesday night with the other referees scheduled to work the Big East men’s basketball tournament. The meal at a Manhattan restaurant signaled the start of what is always an enjoyable postseason for Driscoll, who has officiated college basketball games since the early 1990s. Click here to read more.
Officials Sidelined While Sports are on Hold
Posted by:  Kaleb Gillock
KIMT NEWS 3 SPORTS - “We do it to give back to the kids and back to the community, and do it for some personal growth for ourselves,” Marshall Behrens said.
Referees, umpires, and officials aren’t in the game for the money, they do it for the games they love. Last week, when the remainder of the basketball season was canceled, referees from the Rochester Area Officials Association were left just as shocked as the players. Click here to read more.
Parent Behavior causes Referee Shortage,
Lack of Interest
(FOX 17) — High school athletics has a serious problem not only in West Michigan but nationwide as well. In many locations, sports have a lack of officials and that's mainly caused by behavior of the parents, coaches and athletes. Click here to read more.
Kentucky House passes Bill making it a
Crime to intimidate Sports Referees
Ryland Barton of Kentucky Public Radio
The Kentucky House of Representatives has passed a bill making it illegal to intimidate sports officials with the intention to get them to alter a decision in a sports contest. Click here to read more.
County Board members Launches
GoFundMe for Unpaid Referees
Despite nearly a year’s worth of effort, it looks like a group of youth basketball referees left unpaid by a county contractor referees are not going to get paid via any kind of governmental intervention. Click here to read more.
Apply to be a High School Official!
Make a difference in your community and become a high school official. #BecomeAnOfficial. Click here to read more.
Overzealous parents are ruining youth sports.
It’s past time to sit quiet and let the kids play
Randi Mazzella
THE WASHINGTON POST – My 16-year-old son referees for our town sports programmes. Everyone who plays (and works) at these games is from our community. There are no tryouts, and everyone who signs up can play. The league is focussed not on high-level competition but on kids playing together.
A few weeks ago, my son was officiating basketball playoff games for girls in grades 3-6. During overtime in one particularly close game, my son called a foul on a player. Her father, who had been grumbling about calls throughout the game, cursed at my son. A paid adult supervisor told the parent his behaviour was unacceptable and escorted him out of the gym before allowing the game to continue. This behaviour from parents is all-too-common at many youth sports events in the United States (US).  Click here to read more.
Athletics Commissioner:  Parents ‘More
Aggressive Than They’ve Ever Been’
By Josh James.  The head of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association says intimidation of sports officials is reaching new levels and it's driving away referee recruits. Wednesday lawmakers took the first step toward cracking down on unruly parents and sports fans. Click here to read more.
CHSAA commissioner: Coronavirus or
no coronavirus, we won’t hold state
championships unless fans can attend
By Sean Keeler.  The Denver Post.  CHSAA will move for the coronavirus, if it comes to that. But on the subject of holding state championships without an actual crowd to watch them, commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green won’t budge. Click here to read more.
VHSL asks Players,
Coaches to not shake hands
RICHMOND, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- The Virginia High School League is asking teams, coaches and referees to stop shaking everyone's hands before and after a game.
According to a release, the VHSL recognizes good sportsmanship as one of its core values, but people should not engage in the traditional pregame and postgame handshakes at the state basketball semifinals and finals. Click here to read more.
Shortage of High School Officials
Plagues Indiana
Posted By: Dominic Miranda
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Referees at all levels in Indiana are dwindling. Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) officials say it's become a noticeable trend, and the Wabash Valley is no exception.
There are 11,000 licensed, working officials, referees, or umpires throughout the state of Indiana at high school and lower levels. According to the IHSAA, many officiate multiple sports. Wrestling, football, volleyball, track and field, and swimming are the sports most affected by this shortage across the state. Click here to read more.
RefQuest Launch - Success
 
RefQuest continues to be successful.  Thousands of officials view the plays that are posted and more than 1,000 officials have provided comments on the video plays that have been posted on RefQuest. The nature and intended use of RefQuest Plus is to provide a private forum for  participation, collaboration and interaction. In addition, RefQuest Plus will serve as a platform for IAABO to post content in various forms throughout the year.  Content will be delivered to you as Training Video's, You Make the Call Play's and Single Clips.     

Accessing RefQuest
All officials should have received an email from RefQuest Plus. 
If you're new to RefQuest Plus, you will need to do the following when you receive the email:
- Click "Reset Password" on the link in the email
- Enter your email address (the same email address your RQ email was sent to)
- You will enter your new password
Once you reset your password, go to: plus.refquest.com
(It should automatically take you here)
 
Mobile Friendly
RefQuest Plus is extremely mobile friendly!  Feel free to access on your handheld device.  Of course, you can still use your tablet, PC or MAC.  

Troubleshooting
1: Website: Users must use the RefQuest Plus site, which is plus.refquest.com.  This site is different from existing public site, which is refquest.com

2: Web Platform: Internet Explorer doesn't work well (barely at all) with our site.  99% of people don't use Internet Explorer, but for the 1% that do, they will have problems.  
 
3: Firewalls: Officials that try to access RefQuest Plus at work can run into firewalls.  Firewalls are a way that businesses, usually schools, government agencies, etc, control the websites their employees can access.  If you can't access plus.refquest.com at work, you have a couple options.  1) Contact your IT representative at work and let them know you'd like to access plus.refquest.com.  2) Use your phone to access the site at work.  Be aware, you work WiFi may also have a firewall built-in.

4: Spam Folder: From time to time, your invitation to join RefQuest Plus email ends up in your SPAM folder.  

If you have any issues, please send an email to info@refquest.com and a member of the RefQuest team will contact you shortly. 
Officially Human; Behind the Stripes LLC (OH) was founded by Brenda Hilton as a grassroots effort to "humanize" sport officials in all sports at all levels. Brenda has spent close to 20 years working with sport officials and coordinators at the DI level and grown to appreciate them for all they do for our youth and young adults. OH is currently working with 12 high school associations (with more on the horizon) across the country to survey officials at that level, gathering information to take back constituents and participating states in hopes of building a nationwide campaign. To date, 16,000+ officials have shared thoughts and ideas on how to address the issue. 
OH currently has sportsmanship banners available for purchase to be displayed at venues; they can be customized with the venue logo. 
@OffyHuman

Calling All IAABO Good Citizens

So many of us impact our communities and our world for the better.  IAABO would like to highlight many of the good deeds our officials have done throughout the year. We want to emphasize our belief in being good corporate and community citizens in the areas where we live and work.  So, whether it be a random act of kindness or an organized volunteer effort, no good deed is too big or too small!  Trust us, we’ll be humble so that our officials can be proud.  Send your email to IAABO @ info@iaabo.org  and tell us about a good deed you did this year.
 
Some examples include:
  • Rescued a puppy
  • Bought lunch for a stranger
  • Organized a fundraiser
  • Volunteered at a homeless shelter
  • Donated blood
  • Shoveled a neighbor’s driveway
  • Helped a friend in need
Click here to purchase Ref Life gear and enjoy Free Shipping - Must use code RefLife when checking out.

To make a donation, please contact your local board chairperson or send your donation to Officials vs. Cancer, P.O. Box 355, Carlisle, PA  17013. Click here to make an online donation.

IAABO Patches

Recently, the IAABO Office has received numerous inquiries about IAABO patches and their availability for purchase.  IAABO Patches are no longer available for purchase.  This was discontinued several years ago.  Please visit Smitty Officials’ Apparel – Smitty is the exclusive vendor for IAABO Logoed products.  Click here to view a listing of preferred retailers.

IAABO University Goes Live
"An online basketball officiating certification class"

The course is LIVE.  If your board is participating and has prospective officials that would like to enroll in the course, please have them contact the IAABO Office @ info@iaabo.org
Smitty Officials’ Apparel – Smitty is the exclusive vendor for IAABO Logoed products.  Click here to view a listing of preferred retailers.
 

Incrediware - A Natural
Wearable Anti-Inflammatory

Incrediware’s mission is to design innovative products that help patients recover more effectively and faster while assisting medical professionals to deliver a new standard of care through further development and application of unique materials.  IAABO officials are being offered the same discount as all NBA and NCAA officials.  The promo code is:  NCAAREF (30% discount). www.incrediwear.com
IAABO watch and gift sets are now available at a special price of $99.95.  To order your watch and gift set, please contact Donnie Eppley@ 717.713.8129 or email:  eppleyd@comcast.net
 
Special Deals for IAABO Basketball Officials
Briggs and Riley Luggage
Briggs and Riley Luggage - Officials will receive a 60% discount on any product.  Officials must use the form which can be obtained by clicking here - There is a lifetime guaranteed on the luggage. 
ISlides – Customize your own IAABO ISlides.  Click here to get started.

BRAZYN FOAM ROLLER

The Morph” is a collapsible foam roller that can be packed in your roller bag and taken on the road with you.  No more will you have to ask the training room for a foam roller.
 
Move Better – Feel Better – Move More – Experience More
 
Expands instantly
Collapses instantly
Light weight (1.5 lbs)
Strong (up to 350 lbs)
Targeted – releases knots and flushes toxins
True usability – standard size – easy to use
Sustainably made – eco-friendly materials
 
Use the code BRZNBB15 at check out and get 15% off.
 
Click here to unsubscribe