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Refereeing In
Florida
The first step is to go to the FHSAA [Florida High
School Athletic Assoc.]
Web site and determine which will be your home Assoc.
www.fhsaa.org. Check them out on a
search engine and phone the President and inquire about their need for
officials, policies and practices meeting dates etc. It is good to
make this initial contact and let them know when you will be arriving.
The State body, which governs all H.S. sports, is the
FHSAA. To referee you must pay a fee to register, $29 for the first
sport and $27 for each additional sport. [They also need softball and
baseball umps.] It has easy to follow steps on line to register and
you can use Visa/MC etc.
After registration you can work your way through the
process of accreditation.
1.You must watch an on line Rules
Presentation…boring…but they ask you questions at the end to verify
that you watched.
2. You then have to write an on lines rule test [a.
open book…no time limit…but can’t referee varsity, or b. “closed book”
50 min. time limit…need 80% and you qualify for all levels.] Both
tests are 50 questions T or F.
The key to passing this test is to get a copy of the
NFHS “practice exam” at an Assoc. meeting and work your way through
it. It is an excellent preparation.
3. Before being allowed to enter a gym you will have
to be pass a screening for sexual offenders which usually just
involves being fingerprinted.
The time format for refereeing in Florida should be
as follows:
- Register in August
- Watch on line rules presentation in mid October
- Do on line test in late October
-
Girls and boys seasons run concurrently with the girls starting second
week in Nov. and the boys starting one week later.
- Finish
date for girls regular season is end of first week in Feb. and the
boys one week later.
Playoffs follow but don’t expect a lot at first other
than the first round…Districts. The appointments from then on are
handled by the State and are based on a ranking system and of course
as in any place become very coveted and competitive. That is not to
say unattainable…but probably so the first year until you can build up
enough points by attending State clinics etc.
Maximum pay is governed by the State and each Assoc.
must meet a set of criteria to be allowed to charge full rates per
game. The local Assoc determines travel for each county.
For us we get $50 for a 2 man Var. game plus $ 17 per person
mileage. [JV 2 man…40 +17, 3 man Var. 45 + 17, 3 man JV 20 + 17] Our
mileage is the same if I go around the corner to work or if we go 75
miles. However when going a long distance our booking agent tries to
make sure we do a JV/Var doubleheader.
The actual officiating is done mostly at night form
6pm onward. You must be at the gym ½ hour early and make yourself
known to the home admin or coach. The process on floor is more formal…
on floor opposite table 15 min before game, pre game with captains,
pre game with coaches, introductions, national anthem etc. However if
you are a good referee in Ontario you will be a good referee here. The
coaches are much more vocal but any ejection for a coach calls for a 2
game suspension and a $200 fine to be reinstated. Player ejections
[for other than 5 fouls] call for a coach suspension as well. So as
you can surmise there is a level of control beyond what we see at
home. Remember also coaches are paid in Florida so winning takes on a
whole new meaning.
For me the experience has been very positive! I have
met a lot of people and made many new friends and of course who will
pay me to get exercise and do something I love and enjoy!
If any of you want to chat about this or get further
info. I am available to help.
Wayne Lewis
1015 Eagle Drive,
Winter Haven Fl, 33881
1-863-229-8366
Good luck and I hope to see you on the court!!
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