| So you wanna be a zebra?
You think you'd like to be a football official but you have some questions about how it all works. Hopefully this list of commonly asked questions will get you started.
1. How do I become a football official?
2. How do I join the Sunshine Football Officials Association?
3. How do I learn how to officiate a football game?
4. How soon until I can officiate a football game?
5. Where do I buy equipment to be an official?
6. How much do I get paid to officiate?
7. When do I get a schedule of games I'm officiating?
8.
How do I change my availability with the association?
1. How do I become a football official?
If you're interested in officiating youth football leagues, girls flag football and/or boys high school football in Pinellas County, start by calling Gail Blanton with SFOA. He's the booking commissioner and the person in charge of teaching new officials the rules and procedures associated with the sport. Beginning in April and running through each football season (November), Gail conducts classes on Monday nights at 7 p.m. at Clearwater High School's cafeteria.
2. How do I join the Sunshine Football Officials Association?
In order to get bookings for youth and/or high school games in Pinellas County, you must be a member of SFOA. To join, you will be asked to fill out a form and pay a small fee for annual dues (usually collected in August). You also will be required to fill out state forms (provided by SFOA), attend an annual rules clinic and take an annual rules examination. Passing the rules examination is not required to officiate youth or JV games.
3. How do I learn how to officiate a football game?
The SFOA holds classes for first and second-year officials on Monday nights at Clearwater High School, starting at 7 p.m. (beginning in April and running through the end of the football season). Rules of the game and procedures for officials will be discussed. Class participants also will prepare for the annual state test, usually administered in August. High school and youth scrimmages also are used as training grounds for new officials. All new officials begin their training doing youth games on Saturdays.
4. How soon until I can officiate a football game?
New officials who have been attending the classes begin officiating youth games their first year. Occasionally, first-year officials may work a high school JV game.
5. Where do I buy equipment to be an official?
A few local sporting goods stores, particularly Allen's Sporting Goods in Seminole, sell much of the equipment you'll need. There are several national companies that also sell officiating gear and supplies online and by phone order. See our links page for a list of such companies. Generally, a starter package of football gear will cost about $1 50. In addition to the usual starter package, you will need black coaching shorts (with belt loops) for youth football and JV games. And the association prefers officials wear fitted caps.
6. How much do I get paid to officiate?
The fee to officiate a game depends on what level the game is, and the fee can change from year to year. Generally, fees range from about $20 to officiate a JV youth game on Saturday to about $60 to officiate a varsity high school game on Friday night. A clock operator would earn between $15 to $30 to run the clock during a game, again depending on the level. Sometimes a small fee is also paid to cover travel expenses.
7. When do I get a schedule of games I'm officiating?
To receive bookings from the SFOA, you must be a due-paying member of the association. Schedules are generally provided during Monday night association meetings, which are scheduled every two weeks during the season. Games are assigned based on your personal availability (which you supply to the booking commissioner) and on your experience. For the 2003 season, we hope to get the schedules online as well. Most varsity games are assigned through a "draft" system before the season starts, but it's critical to go over each schedule thoroughly to make sure you don't miss an assigned game.
8. How do I change my availability with the association?
It is each officials responsibility to keep the booking commissioner up to date with his or her availability. To do that, ask for a new availability sheet from Gail and fill it out again.
Even being a rookie has its perks
As a beginning official, you won't officiate any high
school varsity games right away, but that doesn't mean
you can't take part in the fun on Friday nights. New officials are encouraged to "shadow" a varsity crew on Friday nights -- you can join the varsity officials crew in their lockerroom, follow along with with their pregame preparations and watch the game from the sideline during the game. It's the best seat in the house, and a great way to learn how to officiate.
More questions? Here's some other resources
The best source of answers for most questions regarding officiating is other members of our association. When you work with them during training scrimmages and youth games, don't hesitate to ask for advice, feedback and clarifications on rules and procedures. In the meantime, here are some Internet sources to help out:
|