IT’SIT’S OFFICIALOFFICIAL FOR MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SPORTS OFFICIALS JANUARY 2011 Strategic Development Committee Charts NASO Course he most successful associations on the first SDC to make sure we SDC MEMBERS not only look at what they are didn’t lose sight of where we’ve been T • Patty Viverito, chair, commissioner of doing for their membership in the while were trying to get where we’re Missouri Valley Football Conference, present, but also try to look forward trying to go. current NASO board member and chart a course for future growth “Then, we included a group of • Bill Carollo, coordinator of officials for and development of the group. people who are more the present. the Midwest Football Officials Alliance, NASO is no different, and to that They are current board members and former NFL referee, current NASO end, it reconvened the Strategic people who have a great look at board treasurer Development Committee (SDC) to what’s going on now within NASO • Ronnie Carter, retired executive examine the association’s current and our industry. Then we looked at director, Tennessee Secondary School status and future goals. what the missing piece was, and we Athletic Association, former NASO The committee (see sidebar) decided that was technology, so we board member includes NASO board members, added someone who could solve that. • Dave Dodge, retired college experts from other industries who We populated the group with people basketball official, president and CEO have a tie to officiating and a member who no matter which direction we of Palmetto Hospital Trust, former NASO board member of the NASO staff. They met for the decided to go, we would have a view first time in person in October in of the past and a view of the future • Ron Foxcroft, chairman and founder, with the tech expertise that we would Fox 40 International, former college Racine, Wis., one day in advance of and international men’s basketball the NASO board meeting (see need to get there.” official, current NASO board special “Ambitious NASO Board Promotes Over the past year, the committee adviser Growth” below). has conducted surveys of Referee • Jamie Hoefgen, high school football “The first thing that was extremely subscribers, NASO members and also official, vice president for information helpful when this group was two focus groups of attendees at the technology of DCI Marketing constituted, we looked to populate it NASO Summit in Minneapolis. • Bill Kennedy, NBA referee, current with three different groups of “When we started this process, we NASO board member people,” said Patty Viverito, the decided we wanted our decisions to • Barry Mano, NASO founder and commissioner of the Missouri Valley be data driven,” Viverito said. “The president Football Conference and a current results from the surveys and focus • Kathy Strahm, former national NASO board member, who serves as groups, particularly the focus groups, coordinator for NCAA softball umpires, the SDC chair. “We had some past made me realize that we couldn’t go current NASO board member board members and people who were See “SDC” p. N3 Ambitious NASO Board Promotes Growth hanks to a combination of the air when the NASO board of Committee Charts NASO Course” Toutreach and support by many directors met on Oct. 14 in Racine, above). The board also addressed a associations and individual sports Wis. The Strategic Development number of agenda items, including officials, NASO experienced a steady Committee (SDC) met a day earlier, the 2011 budget and group growth in 2010, which has the then presented the board with memberships. association’s board of directors feeling initiatives and goals that it feels Most encouraging is the fact that as good as ever about NASO’s future. NASO can accomplish in 2011 and NASO is prepared and dedicated to That excitement was certainly in beyond (see “Strategic Development See “Board” p. N5 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SPORTS OFFICIALS N1 IT’S OFFICIAL Who’s Responsible for What? o you subscribe to the philosophy Carollo shared headline-making Don’t be the official who says, Dthat “the buck stops here”? Or do examples of individuals who faced “Sorry, Coach. Yeah, he might have you “pass the buck” as quickly as you crisis and were forced to respond: gotten hit, but it wasn’t my call. It was can? Are you a team player when it • Mark McGwire, former star of the side judge’s call, not taking comes to questions or do you let your the St. Louis Cardinals, faced steroid responsibility.” That’s the wrong fellow officials and coworkers deal allegations. answer to the coach on the sideline. with the scrutiny on their own? • Alan Greenspan, an economist “It’s ‘we’ in officiating — it’s we Bill Carollo, Midwest Football who served as chairman of the U.S. with the team,” Carollo said. “When Officials Alliance coordinator and Federal Reserve from 1987-2006, was something happens, you don’t point former NFL referee, delved into what confronted by the financial crisis. fingers.” is meant by shared responsibility in • Tony Hayward, former CEO of Many don’t have the guts to put his address to kick off the 2010 Sports British Petroleum, faced the recent oil their job, their reputation on the line Officiating Summit sessions. In his crisis in the Gulf. and make a decision, but officials and speech, “Who’s Responsible for • NFL referee Ed Hochuli’s blown officiating leaders have to do it. What?” Carollo highlighted good and call during a September 2008 San Accept responsibility and move bad examples in case studies, which Diego Chargers-Denver Broncos game forward. Joyce is a perfect example of focused on accepting responsibility. garnered extreme media attention. someone who admitted his mistake He asked officials and officiating • MLB umpire Jim Joyce made an and thrived in the aftermath. His leaders to determine what category incorrect call at first base that cost reputation preceded him in a good they fall into. Detroit Tigers’ pitcher Armando way though. He took on responsibility Galarraga a perfect game. his whole career. It wasn’t just when Some of those individuals disaster hit and he missed the responded better than others. Carollo “perfect-game” call. asked Summit attendees how they Hochuli is another good example. Editor: Julie Sternberg Sports Editor: Jeffrey Stern would handle those situations. How Two years ago, he made a high-profile Graphic Designer: Ross Bray would you handle them? error in the Denver-San Diego game. Contributors: Al Baer, Jerry Grunska, Bill Topp, Responsibility before Carollo said that led to 25,000 e-mails, Carl P.Schwartz, Alan Goldberger, Matt Moore, consequences. Officials and officiating hate mail, phone calls. Mike Pereira, George Demetriou,Todd Korth, Ken Koester, Jay leaders have to step up to make tough then-NFL vice president of officiating, Miner,Tim Sloan, Patrick Rosenow, Don Collins decisions in real-time. Regardless of helped him through it. NASO BOARD OF DIRECTORS the decisions you make, you should “That’s teamwork,” Carollo said. Rick Wulkow, Boone, Iowa, Chair be ready to shoulder the responsibility “That’s shared responsibility. Mike Kathy Strahm, Burlington,Vt.,Vice Chair for them. Take responsibility, even Pereira stepped up. He was the first Barry Mano, Racine,Wis., President before you find out what might result. one that called. … When I called Ed, Don Collins, San Francisco, Secretary Bill Carollo, Shorewood,Wis.,Treasurer “We talk about the last play of the he said, ‘Mike was good; he helped Ron Foxcroft, Hamilton, Ontario, Special Adviser game, bring it to my side of the field, I me through it.’” Hochuli ended up Patty Broderick, Indianapolis want DPI, pass interference, the last handling it well. He admitted he Bill Kennedy, Phoenix play of the game,” Carollo said. “Have made a mistake and moved on. Mike Port, Southborough, Mass. Steve Shaw, Shoal Creek, Ala. some guts. That’s how we learn.” Shared responsibility. Do you Ralph Swearngin,Thomaston, Ga. Administrators and state leaders demonstrate shared responsibility in Jeff Triplette, Oxford, Miss. embrace the responsibility of everything you do? Carollo suggests Patty Viverito, St. Louis assigning and training officials. The the majority — about 80 percent — NASO MISSION STATEMENT decisions they make help shape how shirk responsibility in tough times. The mission of NASO is to: games are managed by officials. They say, “It’s not my call, Coach. It’s • Serve members by providing benefits and services. “Responsibility is easy to talk the side judge’s call. Not my • Improve officiating performance through educational programs. about and act when something responsibility.” About 15 percent, once • Advocate opportunities for officials and engage happens, when you’re forced to take they’re caught and everyone knows in programs to recruit and retain officials. • Create alliances with organizations that benefit on the challenge and make a decision they are wrong, admit it later. And from healthy officiating programs. what to do,” Carollo said. “But then there are the five percent who • Enhance the image of officials. responsibility is all the time. It isn’t accept responsibility all of the time. © 2010 NASO/Referee Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. just when we have a problem.” They follow the example of Joyce and It’s Official is published by the National Association of Sports Officials and Referee Enterprises, Inc. Put your reputation on the line. Hochuli. They accept responsibility Hayward tried to shift blame for the and make the tough decisions. oil crisis. That cost him his reputation Follow the minority. You’ll be a Find NASO on Facebook and job. N2 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FROM THE CHAIR RICK WULKOW NASO is for You, the Official ASO’s other avocation or profession when it contribute to something that has merit Nmission comes to leadership.