Officiating is an integral part of any game - regardless of the sport - and USA Football is offering youth officials around the country a chance to hone their skills in an exciting state-of-the-art format through its Officiating Membership.
Two of the brightest officiating minds have come together to provide invaluable resources to both new and established referees. Tony Michalek, an NFL umpire, authors and the officiating membership resources. Joining Tony is Big Ten referee Bill LeMonnier, a co-author of the NCAA Football Officiating Test for the past eight seasons.
An officiating membership at usafootball.com provides access to one of the most comprehensive officiating tools in existence today. USA Football offers a basic education course using computer-animated video and narration that is ideal for new officials. The Certified Officiating Education Program (COEP) uses engaging 3-D animation to teach proper mechanics for signals and includes high-quality video to help interpret the rules.
The course takes approximately two hours to complete and is accompanied with a save feature so it can be completed at one's own pace. At the end of each chapter, there is a quiz designed to help officials prepare their signals and understand the philosophy behind the right calls. Every official receives a course certification upon completion and can hit the field prepared with a whole new level of confidence.
Along with the basic education course, USA Football offers four mechanics courses for youth officials preparing to make the jump to high school football. The mechanics curriculum emphasizes special teams, the running game and passing game. Each course includes 90 minutes of material and requires one quiz to be taken after every section. Throughout the course, 3-D and 2-D animation is used to break down the officials on the field and their responsibilities on any given play.
Another key resource included in the membership is Rules Interpretation, a video resource that integrates NFHS rule book numbers and high quality 3-D examples for each rule. The library breaks down each rule by rule number, foul, penalty yardage and enforcement. This section focuses on four complex categories: player conduct, pre-snap, passing and kicking. Any official can jump ahead of the curve by using this information to visualize and prepare for what they are going to see on the field during game day.
Perhaps the most groundbreaking resource is the Expert Analysis provided by officials who have worked the biggest games on the brightest stages. The video provides insight on how successful officiating teams function - from pre-game communication to game day preparation. Tony Michalek (NFL), Bill LeMonnier (Big Ten), Dick Honig (ACC) and Tom Herbert (Big Ten) give valuable advice on mechanics, techniques and frequently called penalties. With all of the expert analysis and inside access, officials have the chance to learn from the best in the game.
Every outcome of every game is directly affected by officials, so log on today at usafootball.com and become an officiating member to help ensure that you are on top of your game.
