USA Football, in conjunction with the NFL Referees Association (NFLRA) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, will host a comprehensive two-day officiating training clinic on May 9-10 at the Buccaneers' training facility in Tampa, Fla. The event is USA Football's first of three officiating schools of the year.
The Tampa curriculum holds classroom and on-field instruction with expert video evaluation from 10 scrimmages over the course of the two days. Overseeing the school and providing instruction is USA Football officiating director and Super Bowl XLII umpire Tony Michalek.
"These two days in Tampa provide a great opportunity to gain feedback and improve your officiating," says Michalek. "The on-field instruction followed by classroom review of the videos with your crew is going to help a lot of good officials be even better. USA Football is very excited to work with the NFLRA and the Buccaneers. We can't wait to get down there and get to work."
The camp's 110 seats are already sold-out, but upcoming USA Football coaching schools will be held in Santa Clara, Calif., on May 31 and just outside Baltimore, Md., on August 16. All three USA Football officiating events incorporate position-specific training as well as five-person and seven-person mechanics.
Michalek will be present at each officiating school. USA Football officiating consultant and the Big Ten Conference's No.1-rated referee Bill LeMonnier will join the instructor roster in Santa Clara and Maryland.
"One of the best investments you can make in your officiating career is to spend quality time listening and exchanging ideas with other officials," says LeMonnier. "Our officiating schools offer you that opportunity."