One of the primary concerns of the Kansas Sports Officials Association from its inception has been to address the sports official shortage through various recruiting efforts. Below is an update outlining the recruiting approach KSOA is beginning to take as well as opportunities for members to get involved in this effort. Here are the main points that will be discussed in the remainder of the email:
A New Official Intake plan helps bring new officials into the craft, walking them through their second year
A recruiting tool you can print and use now
Directions on how to best utilize the "Getting Started" form on the website
List of a variety of ways for you to get actively involved in KSOA's recruiting efforts
Your buy-in to the KSOA has helped bring these opportunities to fruition, putting us on a good path to ensure future sporting events will have well trained officials.
Intaking New Officials
It can be difficult getting started as a sports official, especially if you don't have a close friend or connection already in the industry. KSOA wants to walk with new officials through registration, certification, training and those ever scary first few games! Below is a link to an outline of our New Official Intake Plan. This plan aims to provide a support system for an official from the moment they express interest in becoming an official through their second year of officiating. We recognize that timeliness of replies from our membership committee and sport specific committees as well as providing mentorship opportunities and in-game evaluations will be essential in helping these individuals to succeed. If you're interested in helping with this intake process, please email the board.
CLICK HERE to access the New Official Intake Plan.
Recruiting Tool
We've put together the recruiting tool below that you can use to help prospective officials get started. Email the board if you would like 4 per page for easy printing.
Getting Started Form
On our website, the Get Started in Officiating portion provides a landing page for individuals wanting to get started as a referee/umpire. Here we invite individuals to complete our "Get Started in Officiating" form so we have the chance to follow up with them. You might be in conversation with someone who is ready to roll just needs to be contacted by our membership committee and the sport specific committee of their sport(s) of interest. If this is the case, feel free to get out your phone and input their information directly into the form. KSOA will take care of the rest! To access the Get Started in Officiating form directly, CLICK HERE.
Ways to Get Involved
Below is a list of opportunities of how you can get involved in KSOA's recruiting efforts. If interested, please email the board at info@ksoasports.org.
Share high quality photos of yourself officiating
Hand out the above recruiting tool to prospective officials
Mentor a new official
If you are handy with a camera, KSOA is in need of high quality photos and videos of our members working
Work with your sport specific committee leaders for sport specific recruiting efforts
Donate new or gently used gear
Sponsor a new official's KSHSAA, KSOA or youth association fees
Join the KSOA marketing and membership committee
Assist in brainstorming and operating social media accounts