2019-2020 Handbook for Officials Table of Contents I. Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 4 II. Officiating Program Mission ................................................................................................... 4 III. Officiating Program Goals ..................................................................................................... 4 IV. Statement of Beliefs ................................................................................................................. 4 V. Officiating Code of Ethics ........................................................................................................ 5 VI. Procedures for Obtaining an OHSAA Officiating Permit ................................................... 5 1. BECOMING AN OHSAA OFFICIAL ............................................................................................ 5 2. REINSTATING A PERMIT .......................................................................................................... 12 3. APPLICATION & EXAMINATION DEADLINES .......................................................................... 15 4. RENEWING A PERMIT .............................................................................................................. 15 VII. Classification of Officials ..................................................................................................... 16 1. CLASS DESIGNATIONS ............................................................................................................ 16 2. SPORTS FOR WHICH OFFICIATING PERMITS MAY BE ISSUED ................................................ 16 VIII. Change Permit Status or Personal Information .............................................................. 17 1. PERSONAL INFORMATION ....................................................................................................... 17 2. CLASSIFICATION UPGRADE .................................................................................................... 17 3. REQUEST INACTIVE STATUS ................................................................................................... 18 IX. Officiating Requirements - General ..................................................................................... 18 1. AGREEMENT ........................................................................................................................... 18 2. RULES INTERPRETATION MEETING ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS ....................................... 19 3. EJECTION REPORTING ............................................................................................................. 20 X. Breach of Regulations / Agreements / Ethics ........................................................................ 20 1. NON-PAYMENT OF OFFICIATING FEES ................................................................................... 20 2. BAD CHECK POLICY ............................................................................................................... 20 3. OHSAA ACTION ..................................................................................................................... 21 4. FAILURE TO FULFILL MEETING REQUIREMENTS .................................................................... 21 5. FAILURE TO FULFILL GAME CONTRACT ................................................................................. 21 6. UNSATISFACTORY OFFICIATING ............................................................................................. 22 7. OFFICIATING WITHOUT A PROPER PERMIT ............................................................................ 22 8. ASSIGNING WITHOUT ASSIGNER CERTIFICATION .................................................................. 23 9. CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS ........................................................................................................ 23 10. UNETHICAL CONDUCT .......................................................................................................... 24 11. APPEALS ............................................................................................................................... 24 XI. Tournament Officials ............................................................................................................ 25 1. AGREEMENT ........................................................................................................................... 25 2. SELECTION .............................................................................................................................. 26 3. POLICIES ................................................................................................................................. 29 XII. Professional Association Membership ............................................................................... 32 1. NFHS OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION ............................................................................................. 32 2. NASO-ON .............................................................................................................................. 32 2 XIII. Roles & Responsibilities ..................................................................................................... 36 1. LOCAL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATIONS .......................................................................................... 36 2. OFFICIATING CLASS INSTRUCTOR .......................................................................................... 37 3. DIRECTOR OF OFFICIATING DEVELOPMENT (DOD) ............................................................... 37 4. DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR (DA) ........................................................................................... 38 XIV. Insurance Benefits for OHSAA Registered Officials ....................................................... 38 XV. Sport Specific Regulations ................................................................................................... 38 1. BASEBALL ............................................................................................................................... 38 2. BASKETBALL .......................................................................................................................... 40 3. BOYS LACROSSE ..................................................................................................................... 41 4. FIELD HOCKEY ....................................................................................................................... 42 5. FOOTBALL ............................................................................................................................... 43 6. GIRLS LACROSSE ..................................................................................................................... 45 7. GYMNASTICS .......................................................................................................................... 46 8. ICE HOCKEY ............................................................................................................................ 47 9. SOCCER ................................................................................................................................... 49 10. SOFTBALL ............................................................................................................................. 50 11. SWIMMING & DIVING ........................................................................................................... 52 12. TRACK & FIELD AND CROSS COUNTRY ............................................................................... 53 13. VOLLEYBALL ........................................................................................................................ 54 14. WRESTLING........................................................................................................................... 56 XVI. Addendum A: Regulations for OHSAA Certified Assigners .......................................... 58 XVII. Addendum B: OHSAA Guide to Officials: Being a Good Guest .................................. 61 XVIII. Addendum C: OHSAA Guide to Being a Good Host ................................................... 63 3 Go to www.ohsaa.org and click on “Officiating” to view the information in this Handbook and other useful resources. I. Introduction Sports officiating can be a fulfilling and challenging avocation. This activity provides individuals with opportunities for physical fitness, earning extra income, meeting people, goal setting, continuing education, and public service. Most importantly, officiating interscholastic sports provides officials with the privilege to play a vital role in the education of student-athletes. An interscholastic sports official is an important contributor to the development of young men and women. Because of this role, every official is expected to be a person of good character, integrity and free of racial, religious and personal bias. The sports official represents the very integrity of the game. Ohio interscholastic sports officials are required to obtain an officiating permit from the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA). The oversight of the OHSAA interscholastic sports officiating program is the responsibility of the OHSAA Director’s office. Officiating is a privilege, not a right. Officials that are unfair or biased, exhibit a lack of physical or mental fitness or fail to comply with