Officiating Principles Online Course Kicks off

NFHS Officiating Principles Online Course Kicks off
By Mary Struckhoff
NFHS Officials Education Program Coordinator

NFHS and American Sport Education Program (ASEP) are excited to introduce the NFHS Officiating Principles Online Course, which is scheduled to be launched in late October. The course is the first component of the NFHS Officials Education Program and is designed to provide officials with a sound foundation in officiating philosophy and management. Here's a unit-by-unit look at the course:

Unit 1: Your Officiating Objectives
Unit 2: Your Officiating Style
Unit 3: Goal Setting
Unit 4: Developing Your Communication Skills
Unit 5: Developing Decision-Making Skills
Unit 6: Managing Conflict
Unit 7: Fitness Principles for Officials
Unit 8: Your Personal Fitness Plan
Unit 9: Your Legal Responsibilities
Unit 10: Your Legal Rights and Business Responsibilities
Unit 11: Time Management
Unit 12: Working with Associations
Unit 13: Officiating: A Lifetime Career


After registering for the course at www.asep.com, participants will receive the accompanying text, Successful Sports Officiating, developed by NASO and Referee magazine. This invaluable handbook illustrates real-life, game-day situations to help officials analyze potential conflicts and apply the skills learned through the course. To bring the content even more to life, included with the text is a CD-ROM containing video footage, audio, graphics, and animations to illustrate officiating principles and mechanics. After receiving these course materials, officials will then—at their convenience—log on to the course and refer to these resources while taking the online course. This multi-media approach provides an interactive, engaging experience that's delivered conveniently and cost-effectively. The text and CD will also serve as excellent reference material for seasons to come.

Following the release of NFHS Officiating Principles Course, a series of nine Officiating [Sport] Methods courses will be offered, designed to teach officials the mechanics and rules, and how to apply them, as they are unique to each sport. Officiating [Sport] Methods courses will be available in baseball, basketball, football, soccer, softball, swimming, track and field, volleyball, and wrestling. Watch for more information on the availability of these methods courses in future issues of the NFHS Officials' Quarterly.

Officials who complete the two-course program will be added to the National Officials' Registry, an online database of officials that allows state high school associations, athletic administrators, and officials to track their Officials Education Program credentials.

The NFHS and ASEP are dedicated to providing officials with the knowledge to ensure fair sports contests, sharpen their skills, and enhance their officiating careers.

For a free demonstration of Officiating Principles, visit http://www.asep.com/preview. To gain access to the course (available late October), visit http://www.nfhs.org or http://www.asep.com.