2019-20 OFFICIALS GUIDEBOOK Officials at an interscholastic athletic event are participants in the educational development of high school students. As such, they must exercise a high level of self-discipline, independence and responsibility. The purpose of this Code is to establish guidelines for ethical standards of conduct for all interscholastic officials. Officials shall master both the rules of the game and the mechanics necessary to enforce the rules and shall exercise authority in an impartial, firm and controlled manner. Officials shall work with each other and their state associations in a constructive and cooperative manner. Officials shall uphold the honor and dignity of the profession in all interaction with student-athletes, coaches, athletic directors, school administrators, colleagues and the public. Officials shall prepare themselves both physically and mentally, shall dress neatly and appropriately and shall comport themselves in a manner consistent with the high standards of the profession. Officials shall be punctual and professional in the fulfillment of all contractual obligations. Officials shall remain mindful that their conduct influences the respect that student-athletes, coaches and the public hold for the profession. Officials shall, while enforcing the rules of play, remain aware of the inherent risk of injury that competition poses to student-athletes. Where appropriate, they shall inform event management of conditions or situations that appear unreasonably hazardous. Officials shall take reasonable steps to educate themselves in the recognition of emergency conditions that might arise during the course of competition. 2019-2020 Officials Guidebook Page 2 2019-20 Calendar At-A-Glance (BA=baseball; BB=basketball; FB=football; FF=flag football; LC=lacrosse; SB=softball; SC=soccer; SW=swimming & diving; TR=track & field; VB=volleyball; WP=water polo; WR=wrestling) JULY JANUARY 1 Fall Sports Training Sessions Due 10 Recommendations Due (SC) 9 Online Registration Available 17 Recommendations Due (BB, WR) 17-2/21 Online Rules Exam (BA, SB) AUGUST 24 Initial Spring Registration Deadline 2-9/6 Online Rules Exams (FB, SW & VB) 24-2/28 Online Rules Exam (FF, LC, TR & WP) 28 Training Sessions Due (FF, TR, WP) 9 Initial Fall Registration Deadline 30 Last Day to Register Fall Sports FEBURARY 15 Last Day to Register for (BA, SB) SEPTEMBER 21 Last Day to Register (FF, LC, TR & WP) 9 Training Sessions Due (SC) 23 Training Sessions Due (BB, WR) MARCH 9 Winter Game/Meeting Reports Due OCTOBER 11 Winter Sports Officials Advisory Committee 3 Recommendations Due (VB) Meeting at FHSAA Office (BB, SC, WR) 11-11/15 Online Rules Exams (BB, SC & WR) 16 Assignment Sheet Due (TR) 18 Initial Winter Registration Deadline 29 Recommendations Due (SB, LC) 31 Recommendations Due (FB) APRIL NOVEMBER 10 Recommendations Due (BA, WP, VBB) 8 Last Day to Register for Winter Sports 24 Recommendations Due (FF) 29 Fall Game/Meeting Reports Due MAY DECEMBER 25 Spring Game/Meeting Reports Due 16 Training Sessions Due (BA, SB, LC) 16 Recommendations Due (Dual WR) 17 Fall Sports Officials Advisory Committee JUNE Meeting at FHSAA Office (FB, VB) 1-15 Online Sanction Renewal Available 2 Spring Sports Officials Advisory Committee Meeting at FHSAA Office (BA, SB) 2019-2020 Officials Guidebook Page 3 Policy Revisions 2019-20 Policy Revision 102.01 (4) Registration of Officials 102.05 (1) Registration Fees 106 (15) Rules of Conduct 202.02 No Official in Good Standing May be Refused 204.02 Composition of Committees 204.03 Recommendations Committee 205.02 (5) Criteria to be Followed in Making Assignments 502 (2) Procedure for Disqualification of an Athlete 505 Policy on Crowd Control 701.04 (3) Football 701.09 (1) Track & Field 801 Rankings for Officials 902.01 Clarification of Track & Field fees 902.02 (2) Clarification of mileage for Track & Field 2002.01 (1) Size of Umpire Crew 2006.01 (1) Size of Officials Crew 2006.03 Boy Lacrosse 3-5 2006.03 Girls Lacrosse 2007.04 (5) Official Ball for State Tournament 2007.05 FHSAA Rule Modifications 7-1-3 2008.01 (1) Size of Officials Crew 2008.03 (1) An Exception Report 2009.02 (3) Medical Scratches 2011.02 (2) Official Ball for State Tournaments 2012.01 (1) Size of Officials Crew 2012.03 (3) Athletic Uniforms 2013.01 (3) Trackwrestling 2013.01 (7) Uniforms for Female Wrestlers 2019-2020 Officials Guidebook Page 4 General Regulations & Policies Substantive changes to this Officials Guidebook for the 2018-19 school-year are indicated with a shaded background. 100. Getting Started 101. Authority of FHSAA 101.01 FHSAA Bylaw 8.9.2 authorizes the Board of Directors to establish policies and procedures for the registration and regulation of contest officials. 101.02 Individual officials or local officials’ associations that violate the policies expressed in this Officials Guidebook are subject to reprimand, probation and/or monetary penalties and/or suspension or expulsion as an individual official or official’s association by the FHSAA. 102. Registration of Officials 102.01 Registration is Mandatory. (1) An individual who intends to officiate as either a baseball umpire, basketball official, football official or clock operator, flag football official, lacrosse official, soccer official, softball umpire, swimming & diving official, track & field official, volleyball official, water polo referee, and/or wrestling referee in an interscholastic athletic contest involving an FHSAA member school must register with the FHSAA Office every year before he/she officiates. (2) Applications can be made through the associations approved process listed on www.fhsaa.org/sports.officials. (3) The application for registration must be completed by the following deadlines each school year: • Fall Sports (football, swimming & diving, volleyball) – Aug. 9 • Winter Sports (basketball, soccer, wrestling) – Oct. 18 • Spring Sports (baseball, flag football, lacrosse, softball, track & field, water polo) – Jan. 17 A $10 late fee will be assessed to an applicant whose renewal application for registration is received after the applicable deadline. (4) Registrations for the current year will not be accepted in the FHSAA Office after the administration date of the examination in the sport for which application is being made, with the exception of officials transferring from another state and have already taken the rules exam. Volleyball registrations (boys and/or girls) will not be accepted after the last date of the fall online exam. 102.02 Requirements for Registration. (1) To be registered as an official an individual must: (a) Be 18 years of age or older [for exception, see s.102.02(4)]; If you are 18 years of age and currently a high school student, contact the FHSAA Office. 2019-2020 Officials Guidebook Page 5 (b) Register via the FHSAA’s approved process (c) Pay the appropriate non-refundable and non-transferable registration fee, as well as any assessed late fee and any outstanding fines and/or penalty fees for all previously registered sports; (d) Join and maintain membership in a local official’s association which has been sanctioned by the FHSAA Office; and (e) Certify that he/she has never been arrested for or convicted of a felony; or any crime or offense which involved dishonesty; or any crime or offense which involved possession, use or distribution of any illegal substance; or any crime or offense which involved any immoral conduct, regardless of the punishment therefore; or has never been denied registration to officiate by the FHSAA or a high school association in any other state. If arrested for or convicted of a felony, the applicant must submit a police/court report verifying the reason, date of arrest/conviction and conclusion of the incident followed by a letter of reference from a person in the judicial system or a local officials association officer. Any official who fails to disclose, or falsify, this information on their FHSAA Application will immediately be suspended for FIVE years, pending termination of membership. Note: FHSAA contest officials must comply with the Jessica Lunsford Act. Pursuant to the Jessica Lunsford Act, a Level 2 Background screening is necessary for each school or school district to check your name against the state and national listings of sexual offenders and sexual predators for those school districts that do not apply the line of sight provision as outlined in statute. Some counties may be more restrictive than others regarding Level 2 screenings. Any official who purposely avoids, falsifies or fails to obtain the required Level 2 screening, after written notification, may be immediately suspended for up to FIVE years, pending possible termination of membership. A level 2 background screening is necessary to work the FHSAA state series. (2) An individual official who has an outstanding balance with the FHSAA as a result of unpaid registration fees, monetary fines or penalties, or other assessed fees shall not be permitted to renew his/her registration until the outstanding balance has been paid in full. (3) An individual official who has been suspended or expelled from officiating by the FHSAA shall not be permitted to renew his/her registration until the individual’s period of suspension has lapsed or he/she has been reinstated. (4) High school students who are at least 16 years of age may register as a “student official” and be assigned to a “mentor” official for training. “Student officials” will be allowed to register at a reduced fee of $10 per sport while an active student official. A regular official’s application may be used. Student officials will be allowed to work middle school (6th-8th grades), junior high contests (8th-9th grades) and non-varsity contests once registered. Student officials may not officiate. The middle school in which they attended. 2019-2020 Officials Guidebook Page 6 (5) The FHSAA Office reserves the right to reject any application for registration as an FHSAA official. Local officials’ association officers and/or boards of directors are required to report criminal misconduct on the part of any member of their association to the FHSAA Office for investigation.