Football officials are often vilified, criticized and condemned. Yet without them, as veteran official Jeff Murray says, games would just be recess.
Given the current state of officiating in Oklahoma, and across the nation, the bell for recess might be ringing at the varsity level soon.
Those who assign officials say there is a problem getting people out to middle school and junior varsity games. The problem is complicated by these factors:
The verbal abuse officials take, especially at the sub-varsity levels.
Officials think they will call big varsity games early but realize middle school and junior varsity experience must come first.
Middle school and junior varsity games often kickoff earlier in the day, which conflicts with officials' work schedules.
There isn't a problem on the varsity level yet, but there could be in a few years when the older officials begin to retire and there aren't any young people to take their place.
"We are at a critical stage," said Charley Poole, a 33-year official and president of the Oklahoma City Metro Amateur Officials Association. "The shortage is here."
If there isn't a solution in the next few years, there might be more varsity football games scheduled on Thursdays and Saturdays to make sure games have officiating crews. And when there is a lack of numbers, the quality of officiating suffers.
Veteran official and retired Norman athletic director David Gore said that, like a football team, officials need depth to maintain quality. There are five officials at the varsity level, and usually four in middle school and junior varsity games.
"The deeper the football team is, the better off that coach is when he has to deal with injuries, illnesses and the various things that keep a kid from being able to participate," Gore said. "The fewer numbers we have, the less we are able to put in a quality replacement if someone is not able to work."
Ron Etheridge, the director of officiating at the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association, said he isn't seeing a shortage, although the only games he assigns are high school varsity playoff games.
"They may be experiencing the shortage on their week-to-week games," Etheridge said. "The shortage in my opinion is in the junior high and JV games, where they have to start ballgames before people get off work."
Poole said diversity is also a problem.
There are lots of new officials who have been at it for less than five years, and older officials, who have called games for 20 or more years. The problem is the lack of people in the six- to 19-year group.
The problem isn't just in Oklahoma.
"This is something that has been long standing," said Barry Mano, the founder and CEO of the National Association of Sports Officials. "We don't have enough warm bodies coming into officiating."
