Football officials organize free online clinic to recruit more colleagues

By: Chris Harlan
Thursday, February 4, 2021 | 10:25 PM

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If someone’s on the fence about becoming a high school football official, there’s an online clinic Saturday designed just for them.

“Anything they want to know about becoming an official, we’re ready to answer,” said Nick Morea, who represents boys-sport officials on the WPIAL board. “If they’re on the fence, maybe we need to push them over the fence.”

The free event — targeting people with no officiating experience — is scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday. Those interested can register on the Beaver Valley Football Officials website.

Among the topics, participants will learn how to get started and join a local chapter, how to take the PIAA test, what they’ll need to purchase and how much they’ll make, Morea said. They’ll hear from officials Mark Estermyer, Tim Barker and Bill Schottenheimer, who’ve worked both at the interscholastic and college level.

They’ll present “a day in the life of a varsity and sub-varsity official,” Morea said. The event will conclude with a question-and-answer session.

The WPIAL and PIAA have both made efforts in recent years to recruit new officials as numbers dwindle nationwide.

“We’re trying to get people interested,” Morea said.

Similar meetings for other sports could be scheduled in the future.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.