PORT ANGELES — Wanted: People willing to travel, looking to give back to the community and stay involved in sports.
Must have somewhat thick skins, too.
The North Olympic Basketball Officials Association is looking for basketball referees. An organizational meeting for potential officials will be held Sunday at the Vern Burton Center at 308 E. Fourth St. in Port Angeles.
People interested in becoming officials for the first time should arrive at 4:30 p.m. Veteran officials will meet at 5 p.m.
“It’s a great avocation. And there isn’t a league in the world that doesn’t need officials,” said John Hayden, a board member with the association and longtime official.
He wanted to get the word out how important the need is for refs on the North Olympic Peninula and to let people know that experience is not necessary because the association will provide all the training to newcomers.
Hayden said most people who get into officiating end up loving it.
“It’s pretty interesting, almost addicting once you get into it,” he said.
Hayden said it’s a perfect way for people who played sports in their younger days to continue their involvement in their favorite sport.
“It’s not for everyone, but it’s a great way to stay connected to the sport you love. By and large, it’s a positive experience for people,” he said.
The association provides officials for schools, big and large, from Forks to Quilcene and for both boys and girls’ sports. In the winter, they are mostly looking for basketball refs as a different organization handles wresting officials.
Hayden also stressed the association is interested in having some younger officials and more women to sign up.
Currently, only a couple of women are working as officials in the area.
Hayden also pointed out that the North Olympic Peninsula doesn’t see a lot of fan-directed abuse toward officials. People in the area behave pretty well and he said the schools and athletic directors are very good about keeping these issues to a minimum if they do crop up. So, people shouldn’t be afraid of this if they have some interest in signing up as a referee.
Referees also receive a game fee and travel expenses.
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Sports Editor Pierre LaBossiere can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or plabossiere@peninsuladailynews.com.
