2019-2020 MIAA Game Officials of the Year!
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Fifth Annual Game Official of the Year Recognition Program 2020 MIAA Game Officials Award Recipients A Message from the MIAA Game Officials Committee Chair Elizabeth McAndrews, MIAA Game Officials Committee Chair (page 2) MIAA Game Official of the Year Award Officials recognized for their outstanding service to all MIAA student-athletes and for their commitment to the promotion of Educational Athletics. (page 3-13) Baseball – Mike Sullivan, North Shore, MA Basketball (Boys) – Bruce Anderson, Southeastern, MA Basketball (Girls) – Julie Ruane, Northeastern, MA Cross Country– Stanley “Ley” Ricker, Central, MA Field Hockey – Julie Halloran, Boston, MA Football – Peter Ochs, Berkshire County, MA Gymnastics (Girls) – Jeanne Peckham, Eastern/Central, MA Ice Hockey (Boys) – Thomas Fyrer, Eastern, MA Ice Hockey (Girls) – Thomas Murray, Cape Cod, MA Lacrosse (Boys) – Anthony Cordani, Eastern, MA Lacrosse (Girls) – Teri Riggs, Eastern, MA Soccer (Boys) – Ric Beaudoin, Eastern, MA Soccer (Girls) – Leah Murphy, Eastern, MA Softball – Louis Pearlstein, North Shore, MA Swimming & Diving (Fall) – Barbara “Cam” Townsend, Eastern, MA Swimming & Diving (Winter) – William “Bill” Whigham, Western, MA Track & Field, Indoor – Michelle Cote, Central, MA Track & Field, Outdoor – Linda George, MA Track and Field Association: Volleyball (Boys) – Kevin McDermott, Merrimack Valley, MA Volleyball (Girls) – Michael Simmarano, Central, MA Wrestling – Daniel J. Buckley, Sr., MA Interscholastic Wrestling Officials Association MIAA Student-Athlete of the Month Award Recognizing excellence in academics, athletics and student leadership (page 14) MIAA Coach of the Year Award Recognizing excellence in character, service, leadership and coaching (page 15) MIAA Sportsmanship Honor Roll Schools without any disqualified students-athletes or coaches disqualified/suspended from any athletic contest during the 2018-2019 school year (page 16) Fifth Annual MIAA Game Official of the Year Recognition Program 2020 MIAA Game Official of the Year Award Recognizing the highest standards of sportsmanship, ethical conduct, and moral character This award seeks to recognize and honor officials who have displayed character, integrity and dignity, while displaying the highest standards of ethical conduct. Award recipients have a record of exceptional performance, as well as a reputation, among their peers and the athletic community, for fair play, for good sportsmanship, and for the development of these attributes in our student-athletes. 1 A Message from the MIAA Game Officials Committee Chair Congratulations to each of you on being recognized by the MIAA as 2020’s Officials of the Year. For five years now, the MIAA has recognized game officials who “have displayed character, integrity, and dignity, while displaying the highest standards of ethical conduct.” Thank you for your commitment to, and positive impact on, our children, the players of the games. Each of us has maintained a connection with interscholastic athletics because we passionately believe that athletics are invaluable in the development of character, integrity, and dignity in young men and women. The lessons that we learn while playing, are the things that stick with us as we get older. In fact, for many of us, our athletic education began prior to participating in organized sports; where, as kids, we played outside, competing boys and girls together, solving our own problems, calling our own fouls, and managing our own games. Today, my own children, as well as many of those that I witness on courts and fields at all levels, do not possess such skills. They have come to rely upon the adults in their lives to do those things that we used to be able to do ourselves. As a game official, you are one of those adults, and your responsibility is immense! Over the years, I have viewed game officials from a variety of perspectives. As a high school and college athlete, a high school coach, a high school administrator, and most recently, the wife of a three-season game official. In all of those situations, I appreciated when we had “good officials.” My definition of a good official has evolved significantly through the years. As a player, a good official was simply someone who let me play the game. While coaching, I valued an official who was consistent with his or her calls. Today, as a school administrator and wife, it is the official that I do not notice, that I appreciate the most. Alan Lewis expresses this view clearly, “The objective of a referee is not to get mentioned. I tell a lot of young referees that not being mentioned is king. If you can achieve that, then it has been a pretty good game.” In reality, it is all of these things and more that constitutes a “good official”. Unfortunately, the level of difficulty and intensity of officiating at any level, has dramatically increased. More than ever, it takes an individual who is confident in themselves, their knowledge, and understands their role, to be able to negotiate those challenges. Each of you have been selected for this honor because you have made it a priority to take your role seriously. You have studied the rules of your game, and likely, more than one game. You have sought feedback on your performance so that you can continue to improve. And, you challenge yourself to be the best that you can be so that the kids experience the game, their game, the way that it was meant to be. Again, I extend my sincere appreciation and congratulations to each of you for taking your responsibility as an official seriously. And, in doing so, remembering that these games are about the kids and contributing to their love and passion for the games they play. Thank you! Elizabeth McAndrews MIAA Game Officials Committee Chair 2 Mike Sullivan — Baseball North Shore Baseball Umpires Association 35 years officiating high school baseball and football Officiated 5 MIAA Super Bowls, 2 Eastern Mass championships & 5 North Sectional Baseball Finals Baseball, football, softball & soccer coach (1994-2013) Recipient of C. Howard Smith A.N.E.F.O. Official’s Award for outstanding contribution to the officiating profession (2018) Past President; Newburyport Girls Basketball Association, Council on Government Ethics Laws (COGEL) and the Mass City Clerks’ Association Director of the Office of Campaign and Political Finance (1994-2019) Inductee, Lynn English High School Hall of Fame) “For every student that participates, high school athletics are an integral part of their maturation process. The lessons learned from a coach in practices and games, the interactions with teammates, and the ability to understand and respect the officials in a contest are going to be instances that one can draw from for the rest of their life. My goal is to ensure a fair contest where all participants are respected, while players learn from and enjoy the experience of participating in a competition. I believe the ultimate question at the end of the day for each student/athlete is “did you have fun?”, not “did you win?” or “how many hits did you have?” Bruce Anderson — Basketball (Boys) Southeastern Massachusetts (IAABO #30) 43 years officiating high school basketball Officiated MIAA Tournaments: 8 State Finals, 12 Semi-Finals, 17 Sectional Finals 31 years officiating CBOA college Div. II, Div. III, & 18 conference finals; NCAA Div. II - New England Regionals; NCAA Div. III - Sweet Sixteen and three Elite 8 games. Over 47 years IAABO Official; National Rules Examination Committee (2006-Present), MA State Board Delegate (2009-Present), Board #30 Executive Committee (1985- Present), Rules Interpreter (19+ years) Recipient of the Massachusetts State Coaches Presidential Award (2014) and IAABO Life Membership Award ( 2020) Assignor: TVL Boys (2008-present), Old Colony Boys (2015-2019), Patriot League Boys & Girls (2019–Present) and Mass Premier (2005-Present) Owner of Next Step Officiating Camp for mentoring young officials guiding more qualified people into the profession (2011-Present) “The life lessons taught at every level are building blocks which teach social skills, teamwork, confidence, and sportsmanship. Athletics give us so much more than we could ever give the sport, providing invaluable life lessons that stay with us throughout our life. Those lessons can make the highs higher, the lows more easily managed, and instills a confidence in us that can get us through life’s most challenging moments. The hope is that the student becomes the teacher and passes that knowledge along." 3 Julie Ruane — Basketball (Girls) Northeastern Massachusetts (IAABO #130) 12 years officiating MIAA Girls Basketball Tournaments Officiated two MIAA Basketball Championships including multiple Sectional Finals, & State Semi–Finals College basketball official: NCAA Div. III Women’s Basketball (2012—Present); NCAA tournament (2019, 2020) Director and Coach for Georgetown Youth Basketball Program since 2019 Board member: AABO #27(2008-2015), Board #130 (2015-Present) Member of the Merrimack College Women’s Basketball Team (2000-2004); NCAA tournament appearances (2003, 2004); Final Four appearance (2004) Secretary of the Sports Medicine Club, Merrimack College, (2002-2004) Nurse Practitioner Department of Orthopedics, Sports Medicine Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, (2011—Present), Registered Nurse, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (2008—2011); Recipient of the Excellence in Advanced Practice Nursing Award (2016) Volunteer: Special Olympics, various charity basketball tournaments (2008-present)