And We're Off!

Friday night was opening night for public high school basketball in Maryland. So the long march for boys' teams to UMCP and girls' teams to UMBC has begun! I was very excited to get back on the floor for high school basketball and hope you felt the same way. Remember you are representing yourself and Board 23 as you officiate, so be professional, make your calls and hustle, and it will be a good season.

I am in the process of scoring NFHS exams and completing the paperwork necessary to register officials with the MPSSAA. I will advise when that process is complete and scores are available. At the January meeting, I will have the scantron forms with answers marked so you can use it as a study guide if you wish.

Some of you have asked me for IAABO patches. I have ordered more and will post a note here when they arrive.

Have a great season!

PK

NFHS Exam - Notes

A few nuggets regarding the NFHS Exam, which will be administered Nov. 30 at Lansdowne High School at 7 p.m. This is a required meeting/test date. If you cannot attend, the makeup date is Dec. 1 at 7 p.m., also at Lansdowne.

The test is 100 questions. You must score a 75 percent in order to officiate in 2009-10. If you do not score at least a 75, you must take the test again on Dec. 1.

I will administer the test on Nov. 30. The esteemed Lou Engle will administer the test on Dec. 1.

All basketball officials who work public-school games in Maryland must take the test and pass, and thus be registered with the MPSSAA.

If you are a dual member to Board 23 and paid only the $68 in dues to Board 23, do not take the test with Board 23. You must take the test with your home IAABO board. Some dual members paid $90 in dues because they wish to take the test with Board 23 and be registered with the MPSSAA through Board 23. Those dual members who paid $90 should take the test Nov. 30 at Lansdowne. There are only five dual members who paid the $90.

Again, if you're a dual member and only paid the $68 dual-member dues, you must take the NFHS Exam with your home IAABO board. The vast majority of dual members only paid the $68, so if you're a dual member, chances are you'll be taking the test with your home board.

If you have questions about your membership status, e-mail me.

Please bring a No. 2 pencil to the exam. Good luck to all!

-PK

Couple Notes: MPSSAA Clinics, Oct. 19 Meeting, Etc.

All members of Board 23, including applicants, transfers, prospects and Active members, must attend one of the MPSSAA Rules Interpretation Clinic meetings, hosted by MPSSAA Coordinator of Officials Bill Burroughs. If you attended the clinics at either Joppatowne or Franklin high schools, you do not need obtain an attendance verification slip from Bill and give to me. The reason? I was given copies of the sign-in sheets of both meetings, so I can verify your attendance assuming you printed your name legibly on the sign-in sheet.

If you attended or have plans to attend an MPSSAA clinic at any other site, you will need to get that slip from Bill and give to me at your earliest convenience, but definitely before mid-November. A schedule of MPSSAA clinics is on the Current Members page of the Board 23 Web site.

Also, as some of you might be aware, we have a family medical situation we are dealing with. Our 18-year-old nephew is in ICU at UM hospital downtown with extreme complications from a virus. His prognosis is uncertain. It is unlikely that I will be able to attend the Oct. 19 meeting at Lansdowne HS. If you have any questions about your membership, transfer status, etc., send me an e-mail and I will address it as soon as I am able. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. His family is in great distress.

Couple other notes:
1. I haven't received the answer key for the 2009 IAABO Refresher Exam yet. As soon as I do, I will convert it to a PDF and post it on the Web site.
2. If you are an Active Officiating home-board member of Board 23 and did not pick up your 2009-10 IAABO handbook (which includes the rulebook) and IAABO membership card, please plan to do so at the Nov. 9 meeting at Lansdowne. Unclaimed handbooks after that date will be opened up and dual members and 2009-10 applicants will be allowed to take one, supplies permitting.

Thanks,
PK

Required Attendance at MPSSAA Rules Interpretation Meetings

Just a reminder that all Board 23 members -- actually, anyone who wants to officiate a basketball game in a public school in Maryland in 2009-10 -- must attend one of the rules interpretation meetings hosted by the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA). Coordinator of Officials Bill Burroughs always does a good job going over rules, mechanics and changes that have come down from the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), of which the MPSSAA is a member association.

Board 23 members should obtain the attendance verification slip from Bill Burroughs at the meeting. You should put your name on it and then forward it to Paul Krome, Board 23 secretary. According to MPSSAA policy, failure to do so makes you ineligible to officiate basketball games involving public schools (namely, Anne Arundel County and Baltimore County in our case).

The schedule of MPSSAA rules interpretation meetings is listed as part of Board 23's master schedule on the Board 23 Web site. Basically, your three best options are Oct. 6 at Joppatowne HS, Oct. 13 at Franklin HS or Oct. 14 at Poly HS.

Thanks,
PK

It's Time!

Welcome back all for another season of high school basketball! Sure, the season doesn't officially get underway until Friday, Dec. 4, but for those of us who wear the black and white stripes in this area, our season starts tomorrow with the first general meeting for Board 23.

As Al mentioned, the meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Lansdowne High School cafeteria, but feel free to arrive as early as 6:30 p.m. to pick up your 2009-10 IAABO handbook (which includes the rule book) and clear up any membership issues with myself and/or treasurer Damian Biggs, if applicable.

Be sure to stay tuned to this Board 23 Blog and to our Web site, www.iaabo23.org, for helpful information throughout the upcoming 2009-10 season. Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at Lansdowne!

PK

Upcoming Mandatory General Meeting

Board #23 Members:



Just a friendly reminder that our first mandatory general meeting will be held next Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at Lansdowne High School in the cafeteria @ 7:00 p.m. President, Gary Stewart, has already sent out an email to our membership, but I am just following-up on the blog. The Executive Board has been pretty busy during the off-season and we have quite a bit to accomplish this coming season. I will be going over the rule changes, points of emphasis, and mechanic changes for 2009-2010 at the meeting. In addition, I will present a quick review of the fight rule to prepare us for the upcoming season. The applicant class is going well. Dennis Battle has done an excellent job working on rules and preparing them for the IAABO Exam scheduled during the first week of November. Those applicants who successfully pass the exam will be given floor training during the month of November. Ray Lombardi has taken on this task and may request assistance from some of the members of our Board.


Please make every effort to attend the meeting. If you are unable to attend, contact Kenny Council with an email for attendance purpose. You can get his email on the arbiter, if you don't have it already. See you next Tuesday.



AL Bundy

Board #23 Interpreter

Camp Stories

Greetings from the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) basketball officiating camp, live courtside at Gettysburg College. The CAC is an NCAA Division III conference with affiliate colleges in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia. I've been following CAC hoops since I was a student Salisbury University, a conference member, and the league has produced fairly strong men's and women's basketball teams over the years.

As you know, college hoops is all three-person officiating crews. While there's plenty of educational exchanges at this camp, most officials are here to earn a spot on the CAC officiating staff -- men's or women's basketball -- for the upcoming 2009-10 season. So there is definitely a sense of competition when you participate at a camp like this, but not to the exclusion of teamwork among officials. That's stressed over and over here -- the officiating crew is the third team on the floor in any basketball game, and that team must stay together throughout the game or it will be a long and largely unenjoyable night.

Camp started Sunday for newcomers. CAC veterans usually must attend at least one day. IAABO Board 23 is represented on the floor here by Chris Coccagna, Joe Maurer, Rick Rosen and your humble correspondent. Joe and I got here Tuesday so we may have had some other guys here before that. Today is the last day. Many of the officials who have been on the CAC staff for years serve as evaluators.

It's my second year here and I was lucky enough to get picked up for CAC games in 2008-09, but that hardly qualifies as veteran status. Evaluators will tell you that as well -- there's always something you can learn, no matter how old you are or how long you've been officiating. From where I sit, each year's a new tryout. Working CAC games last season is no guarantee I'll be offered a contract this season, so I never stop trying to get qualified for the job -- even if you made the staff last year. That's a good position to put yourself in -- always wanting to learn and improve -- and it can certainly be applied to officiating and any other profession or hobby about which you have a passion.

A camp like this is mostly a good time if you come in with a solid knowledge of three-person mechanics. I was lucky enough to have that thanks to working informally with other officials in Board 23 over the years. Board 23 began a more formalized three-person training program last season, and I'd encourage anyone -- new or veteran -- with aspirations in officiating basketball to participate in the program this coming season, and every season, for that matter. There are certainly summer camps out there that are education-based, but for most camps in which you are trying out for a college staff, you need to come into that proficient in three-person mechanics -- and Board 23's program is a good head start toward that end. Stay tuned to this blog and the Board 23 Web site for info as it becomes available.

At this camp, there's a morning session of games, then a session after lunch, then an evening session. As you work games, you're huddling with evaluators during timeouts, halftime and postgame. Obviously a lot of learning goes on there, but one of the best pieces of advice is to participate in those huddles even when you're not working a game. When you see an evaluator gather some officials, just walk up and take a listen. It's a great opportunity to hear constructive criticism and learn what to do, or not do, when you take the floor.

The 11 a.m. games are wrapping up. There will be lunch at noon followed by a clinic/Q-and-A with one or more college veterans. Then more games this afternoon and evening before hitting the road.

If you get the opportunity, try a camp this summer or put it on your list for next summer.

Enjoy your Independence Day weekend and God bless America!

-PK

MPSSAA Announces 2009-10 Basketball Schedule

The Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) has released its opening and closing dates for the 2009-10 basketball season. For your reference:

Nov. 14: First practice date
Friday, Dec. 4: First play date
Feb. 20: Last play date for seeding consideration
Feb. 21: Draw for MPSSAA tournament
Feb. 25: Last play date
Friday, Feb. 26: MPSSAA tournament begins with girls' games and/or girls/boys doubleheader at same site
Saturday, Feb. 27: MPSSAA tournament boys' games
Monday, March 1: MPSSAA tournament girls' region quarterfinals
Tuesday, March 2: MPSSAA tournament boys' region quarterfinals
Wednesday, March 3: MPSSAA tournament girls' region semifinals
Thursday, March 4: MPSSAA tournament boys' region semifinals
Friday, March 5: MPSSAA tournament girls' region finals
Saturday, March 6: MPSSAA tournament boys' region finals
March 11-12: MPSSAA state semifinals
March 13: MPSSAA state championship games

Bylaws and Constitution Available

As you might remember from the Annual Meeting, a subcommittee was selected to review the Board 23 Bylaws and Constitution and recommend changes to both documents to the full membership. I've posted unedited PDFs of both documents to the Current Members page of the Board 23 Web site.

I am on the subcommittee, and we are targeting the first meeting of the 2009-10 season as the date to have an initial re-write ready. Obviously we'll take comments from the membership. It's not a bad idea to review both documents in advance of our first meeting, which will be late September/early October.

NFHS Rule Changes for 2009-10

Some notes from the May/June 2009 edition of Sportorials, the IAABO newsletter. I'll try to find a link to a PDF of the whole edition and post that to the Board 23 Web site for your reference.

The biggest news is obviously the rule changes enacted by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Basketball Rules Committee for the 2009-10 season. But before I get to that, parts of IAABO Executive Director Tom Lopes' "Director's Court" column struck me.

Certainly not groundbreaking as we're all aware of the time demands of sports officials, but Tom shared some thoughts on the fact that sports officials have a very high divorce rate. Tom writes, "The higher up you go in the officiating ladder, the higher chance you have for divorce. ... The official that can find the happy medium and can balance [a spouse, kids, family commitments, officiating, etc.] will maintain a good relationship. You cannot referee a great number of games without the support of your spouse. It just cannot happen. Therefore you must work out the details on sharing responsibilities, share your monetary rewards from officiating, and more important find a way to share your time."

Tom goes on to suggest making officiating a family affair when possible. Take everyone to the game and then out to dinner afterwards. If you've got a game on a weekend that's a decent drive away, consider renting a room at a hotel that offers a pool for the family. Then do dinner in or out and maybe a movie as part of a family getaway.

Just some thoughts. Balance is very important in life. OK, onto the rules changes for 2009-10.

The NFHS Board of Directors approved the changes authored by the NFHS Rules Committee last month. Scorers' table personnel should get their TiVos ready, so to speak...

State high school associations are now permitted to use a replay monitor to review field-goal attempts at the expiration of time in the fourth quarter or any overtime period, but only in games when the last-second attempt would affect the outcome of the game. Replay or game officials will be able to determine if the attempt occurred before time expired (0:00 on the clock) and whether the shot was a two-point or three-point attempt.

The NFHS changed this rule in reponse to end-of-game situations in three state championships during the 2007-08 season (Michigan, Ohio and South Carolina). I have reached out to Bill Burroughs, coordinator of officials for the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA), to get the association's position on enactment of the new rule, but I would guess the MPSSAA would allow the use of replay, at least in MPSSAA tournament games. I'll update the Board 23 Blog when I hear from Bill.

The other rule change the NFHS enacted was to allow a red light on the backboard to signal the expiration of time in the quarter/extra period in schools so equipped. Many schools still don't have a red light, so the audible timer's signal would continue to signal the expiration of time.

The NFHS Rules Committee also made some editorial changes to the rule book on these topics: players occupying the marked lane spaces during free throws, the imaginary rectangle used for team timeouts, the 20-second interval for replacing an injured player and items that may be a safety hazard.

Finally, the points of emphasis for 2009-10 are: traveling, closely guarded, three seconds, block/charge and free-throw administration.

Members who are parent to Board 23 will receive the IAABO handbook in the fall, inclusive of the NFHS rule book.

Membership Registration Update

First, thanks for the good wishes and congratulatory messages I have received regarding the recent nuptials. Luckily, I was officiating basketball long before I met the bride, so she knows what she's getting herself into. Of course, half of my game fees are now hers, I suppose...

At the Annual Meeting in March, one of our members asked me to update the group with our numbers as far as registration for 2009-10. Here is the update:

-As of today, we have 112 members parent to Board 23 registered in good standing for 2009-10. This includes Active Officiating, Active Non-Officiating and Life members.

-Another 19 officials are dual members of Board 23, with their parent board being 12, 144, 261, 290, etc.

-Seventeen (17) Board 23 members have opted to be Active Non-Officiating for next season.

-Not including our two Life members, that leaves 112 members in good standing currently eligible to work Board 23 games in 2009-10.

-Dennis Battle, chair of the applicant training class, has received inquiries from 25 prospective applicants interested in participating in the applicant training program later this summer and fall.

-Any members who haven't registered yet for 2009-10 with Board 23 unfortunately now must pay late fees to both IAABO and Board 23 when they register.

Thanks.
-PK

Anne Arundel County Game Checks Mailing Today

Last night, treasurer Damian Biggs and I printed checks to Board 23 officials for their games worked in the Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) in 2008-09. Thanks to Damian for some long hours put in on spearheading the effort to get officials paid for AACPS games a few weeks earlier than last year. Checks will be dropped off at the post office today.

You'll receive a check and a game-by-game breakdown. If you believe there is an error, gather relevant information and contact Damian. His contact info is on his Arbiter profile.

-PK

Great News from Baltimore County and Thanks

First, it was great to see about 60 of us at the banquet last night at Casey's in Parkville. Good way to end the season with good food and friends, and the best-looking, basketball-shaped cake I've ever seen. Thanks to all those who attended and to the folks at Casey's for hosting us.

Those in attendance got the first opportunity to hear the good news from Baltimore County, as relayed by President Gary Stewart. BCPS Coordinator of Athletics Ron Belinko has approved the renewal of our contract for 2009-10. So we will be officiating boys' high school and middle school games in Baltimore County next season. A round of applause followed the announcement.

In 2005, BCPS and Board 23 signed a three-year contract for officiating services that also called for two one-year renewals at the option of BCPS following the original three-year term. At a meeting yesterday morning with Gary and me, Mr. Belinko praised Board 23 and our quality of officiating and thanked us for a great year. We thanked him as well, and he said he is exercising his option for the one-year renewal for 2009-10. This is the second of two one-year renewals, so we will obviously be looking at developing a mutually beneficial new contract with BCPS following the 2009-10 season.

Congrats, thanks and keep up the good work in Baltimore County.

-PK

Banquet Approaching Sellout

There are approximately 10 tickets remaining for Thursday's IAABO Board 23 banquet at Casey's Restaurant and Bar, 1742 E. Joppa Road, Parkville, MD 21234. Tickets for Board 23 members cost $15 each. For guests, the price is $40 per ticket.

If you are interested in purchasing a ticket, please contact President Gary Stewart at garyastewart@verizon.net.

Tip-off time for the banquet is 6 p.m. Hope to see you there!

-PK

Loading up the Camps

As winter turns into spring, many educational opportunities and camps for officials are publishing information on their dates, sites and costs. We'll be compiling a list on the Current Members page of the Board 23 Web site. Check that site periodically for information as it is compiled. Thanks for Al Bundy and Lee Carter for passing along some of the early info.

Here's the full URL if you haven't already bookmarked it:

http://www.iaabo23.org/currentmembers/currentmembers.htm

-PK

Relay for Life

Just a quick summary of how to participate in the Relay for Life, a worthy cause brought up by Luvear Owens at our March 9 annual meeting:

Step 1: Go to www.howardrfl.com.
Step 2: Click "Donate."
Step 3: Click "Search for Team" and type "Nite Rascals II" in the search field. Then select the name "Luvear Owens."
Step 4: Choose: Donate, Team Page, Join My Team, Luminaria

Or, you can print a donation form that's linked to near the bottom of the page.

Officiating Opportunities March 20-21 and 27-29

Patrick Gregg of Board 23 has passed along a note that Don Johnson is looking for basketball officials to assist with tournaments in Northern Virginia (March 20-21) and at the Capital Sports Complex (March 27-29). If interested, e-mail Patrick at pgregg34@yahoo.com.

Season Wrap-Up: Odds and Ends Part I

Great to see everyone at the annual meeting on March 9. Hope to see as many of you as can make it to the banquet on March 26 at Casey's. Tickets are $15. If you're interested, contact President Gary Stewart (his e-mail address is on Arbiter).

Someone asked about our membership numbers for 2009-10. They are getting better by the day. As of tonight, we have 121 dues-paying members in good standing for next season. That includes several dual members and a few active/non-officiating (commonly called "inactive") members. I will update that figure again when registration with the IAABO national office is done, which happens in early April.

If you know anyone who's traditionally been a member but hasn't re-upped dues for next year yet, it's not too late. A link to the 2009-10 membership form is available on the Current Members page of www.iaabo23.org.

A reminder for those of you who are dual members. If you paid $68 in dues, please do not show up to the Board 23 test date in the fall for the annual NFHS exam. I'll stop you at the door. If you're only paying $68, that's fine, but you'll need to take the NFHS exam and get registered with the MPSSAA through your home board. But, if you paid $90, Board 23 can give you the NFHS exam and register you with the MPSSAA in the fall. If you paid $68 and want to go through Board 23 for this, all you need to do is pay the additional $22 to bring you up to $90 before the fall test date.

I'm sure there will be some more odds and ends that come up over the next several days and weeks, so be sure to check in with your Board 23 Blog from time to time. The MPSSAA boys' and girls' semifinals and finals begin tomorrow (Thursday) at UMCP and UMBC, respectively. Congrats to those officials selected to represent Board 23 and good luck!

-PK

March Madness - Weather Edition

March Madness is here with the MPSSAA Tournament moving into the regional quarterfinal round beginning March 2. It's also here with the arrival of a winter storm that is predicted by people with alleged degrees in meteorology to dump anywhere from 3 to 10 inches of snow in Baltimore and Anne Arundel counties. Who knows?

What we do know is that the MPSSAA has posted the following statement on its Web site (www.mpssaa.org) with respect to the weather and the tournament schedule. Boys' games are scheduled for March 2, "weather permitting." Girls' games are scheduled for March 3. Here is the rest of the statement:

"Please note postponed regional basketball games shall be made up on the next available date. All games shall be played on consecutive days until teams are able to resume playing on the originally established schedule."

If you are working on the floor or as the table official for MPSSAA regional quarterfinal games, be sure to check the media for school closings and your e-mail/The Arbiter frequently for rescheduled games. Stay in touch with your partners.

-PK

Playoff Time!

Well, congratulations to all of us for making it through another regular season! Nice work. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. How do you think you did? What aspects of officiating did you improve upon as the season progressed and, conversely, what would you like to work on during the offseason? With the season still fresh in your mind, it's not a bad idea to jot some notes down and refer to them as you begin preparing for the 2009-10 season. But, be sure to take a break and get away from the game. Burnout can affect people in all occupations and hobbies in life. For most of us, officiating basketball should be a fun avocation, not a tedious, burdensome job. So take some time away, treat your spouse/family to a nice meal with one of your game fees and enjoy being just a fan of basketball and/or the (hopefully soon) upcoming warmer weather. Great job everyone!

Kudos also to the following Board 23 members for working county championship games: Maurice Bradford, Mark Carter, Jeff Cyryca, Ray Lombardi, Jeff Nelson and Kevin Orange.

The MPSSAA Tournament starts tonight. This is an exciting time to be involved with basketball in our great state. Rounds 1 and 2 will have two officials on the floor and a third at the table. If you've been selected, congrats, and please note the follow info courtesy of Board 23 assigner Rick Russell:

Payment: This depends on the jurisdiction. Be sure to check with the athletic director on site. In Anne Arundel County, continue to sign the book as you have done all season. Don't forget to include the name of the table official. According to Greg LeGrand with the AACPS offices, officials will be paid later, but must sign the book. In Baltimore County, it may depend on the gate. Some schools may pay cash on the floor. Others, you may need to fill out a voucher. Again, all officials should fill out a voucher if that's indeed the case. Just check with the AD at the host school at some point while you are there.

Game Fees: Officials on the floor will earn $65 each. The table official will be paid $45.

The MPSSAA Tournament isn't the only tournament Board 23 will be staffing. A varsity tournament at Granite Baptist will take place March 5, 6 and 7. If you have availability, e-mail Rick Russell.

Good luck to all playoff officials!

-PK

Penny for Your Thoughts?

The Board 23 Executive Committee would very much like to hear your thoughts about our annual banquet. We've developed a very brief (10 questions, yes/no answers) online survey for members to take. It took me about 75 seconds to complete, which just happens to be the length of a full timeout in college ball.

Your participation in the survey will be very helpful. Please take a minute or two to complete the survey.

Visit the Current Members Section of the Board 23 Web site to find a link to the online survey. Thanks.

-PK

Analysis of 2009-10 Dues

This evening, President Gary Stewart announced via e-mail the dues structure for Board 23 members for the 2009-10 season. The membership categories and dues are as follows:

Active Officiating and Provisional: $125
Dual Member: $68
Active Non-Officiating: $50

You should download the PDF of the 2009-10 membership form at http://www.iaabo23.org/ and complete the form and submit payment prior to Feb. 9 to avoid late submission fees.

Dues for each category were raised $10 over those of previous years by a unanimous vote of the Executive Committee, after a healthy discussion, at a meeting Jan. 24. Anytime a leadership body asks for more money from a membership body, a certain amount of hesitation usually follows. That's natural and appropriate -- it's your money, you should be hesitant to part with it.

I'll try to offer some perspective that will hopefully allay any concerns you may have and assure you that we acted in the best interests of Board 23 and its members. I am a dittohead that believes less government is more and am skeptical of any governmental body that grows so big -- operationally or financially -- it no longer represents those it was entrusted to. It's a given that membership dues cover required registration fees for organizations like IAABO and the MPSSAA, the latter of which is likely to increase by at least $4 per official for 2009-10. That is a cost to members that must be factored into the dues structure.

What's not always a given but no less important is what else membership dues cover. In the past, they may have covered certain operating expenses and the banquet. But over the years, Board 23 has undertaken more initiatives to better members' experience, to improve the quality of officiating we provide to our clients and to further the game of basketball in our area -- all of which fall in line with the mission of IAABO and of Board 23. Some of those initiatives your membership dues fund include: Internet-based assigning software, the evaluation program, the applicant training program, the three-person training program, a Web site, getting three-person crews on selected games in Anne Arundel County, supplemental insurance for members, a donation to a scholarship fund in the Baltimore County Public Schools, a preseason scrimmage day and (hopefully) an annual holiday tournament, and the costs of a year-end banquet to help us celebrate another great season.

I approached Saturday's meeting skeptical of a dues hike, but the more we discussed all of the positive initiatives we as a board are involved in, the more I felt that an increase in dues would be appropriate. Dean Layman mentioned it had been several years since Board 23 raised its dues. I can't remember when. So after a good discussion, we voted unanimously to increase dues by $10 per category.

You should also be aware that we also agreed to look very closely at the budget for 2009-10 to trim unnecessary expenses, to present to members a general idea of what initiatives membership dues help fund, and to continue to examine options for alternate sources of revenue.

The Executive Committee is very cognizant of the fact that your membership dues play a key role in the operational success of Board 23 and in the ever-improving role Board 23 plays in the local and state basketball communities. We have much to be proud of and much to look forward to. Thanks for being a member, and please don't hesitate to contact me or anyone on the EC with questions or comments.

-PK

Snowed Out? Update Your Availability

Weather today has caused some schools and school systems in the Baltimore area to close today, thus forcing the cancellation or postponement of some games scheduled for today. Keep an eye on the weather, but now is a great time to log on to Arbiter and update your availability for Wednesday and Thursday. Those are two days that are likely to be used by Baltimore County Public School and Anne Arundel County Public Schools to make up games that had to be postponed today. Check Arbiter and/or your e-mail frequently for makeup game assignments from assigner Rick Russell.

PK

Official's Jacket Found Jan. 16 at Arundel

Vice president Mitch Jungreis found an official's jacket Friday night, Jan. 16, at Arundel High School. If you misplaced yours there, contact Mitch. His contact info is on his Arbiter profile.

PK

Uniform Restrictions and Blow the Whistle on Cancer

Just a reminder that the uniform restriction of White Jerseys for the home team and a dark contrasting color for the visitor team (ONLY) pertains to Varsity Level. Middle School and Junior Varsity teams are exempt from this restriction due to budgetary reasons. The Head Band rule does apply to Sub-Varsity Teams as well as Varsity Level Teams.

CRITICAL:

During the week of January 26 thru February 1, teams, officials, and possibly cheerleaders will be bringing awareness of cancer across the country through the "Blow The Whistle On Cancer" campaign. Officials will be using White Whistles for Men's Basketball Games and Pink Whistles for Women's Basketball Games. Teams will/may be wearing White or Pink Wrist Bands, Head Bands, and in some cases White or Pink Jerseys. Please make sure that we allow these teams to show their support to the American Cancer Society during that week. Let's use some common sense with the apparel which we may see during that week. Make certain that both Head Coaches and Game Management is aware of what is happening. The Referee may include any teams participating on the game report. Thanks for your cooperation during this worthy cause.

Great Night for Three-Person Training

Last night was a great night for Board 23. Nearly 30 members participated in a three-person mechanics training class at the Leadership Through Athletics (LTA) Gym in Lansdowne. Interpreter Al Bundy, Tom Reese and Jeff Cyryca guided us through a one-hour class, and then officials were divided up to cover six games of an adult recreation league, each with a three-person crew. Three-person veterans and college-level Board 23 members got on the courts to guide those new to officiating with three people.

I've been fortunate enough to benefit from some formal and informal training on three-man mechanics, but it can be a lot to absorb if you've spent most of your officiating career using two-man mechanics. It's important to stay with it, though, and ask plenty of questions. You'll realize the benefits. The more you do, the more comfortable you get and the more you realize there should be three officials on most basketball games.

Al and Tom mentioned that, at least in the Mid-Atlantic, Maryland and Delaware are behind the game in that they use two officials for the majority of high school basketball games. But three-person crews are the future, and Board 23 is making progress towards that on our own. President Gary Stewart announced that several Anne Arundel County Public Schools were receptive to our suggestion to provide three officials for one boys' and one girls' game per school. Those assignments are being worked out, and the training program is a great way to get more qualified officials proficient in three-man mechanics. All of this helps us better serve our clients.

Kudos to Al and Tom and their committee for making this happen. The Board 23 three-person training program continues each of the next seven Thursday evenings at LTA Gym. For more info, contact Al Bundy (his info is on his Arbiter profile).

-PK

Stay in Shape and Sharpen Your Skills

Now that the holidays are behind us, we need to focus on our physical conditioning and work on sharpening our officiating skills for the 2nd half of the basketball season. Now is the time to challenge ourselves to higher expectations and standards. Are you ready to step up to the next level?



Enjoy the 2nd half of the season and strive to push forward to post-season play.

Deadline Approaching for Blow the Whistle on Cancer

Just a reminder that the deadline to participate in IAABO's "Blow the Whistle on Cancer" campaign is coming soon. Basically, as an official you make a donation via a check payable to the American Cancer Society. IAABO is suggesting that the donation amount be 25 percent of a game fee, but you may donate more or less. You mail the check and a form to the IAABO national office so that it is received before Jan. 16. IAABO will then mail you either a white (men's game) or pink (women's game) whistle (you specify that on the form) to use in games during the week of Jan. 26-Feb. 1.

I believe IAABO's national goal is to raise $50,000 for the American Cancer Society. It's certainly a noble cause, so please participate if you think appropriate.

For more information, including a link to a PDF of a form with instructions on how to participate in "Blow the Whistle on Cancer," visit the Current Members section of the Board 23 Web site (http://www.iaabo23.org/). It doesn't look like there is a designated space for it on the PDF, but when you complete that form, include a note indicating that you are a member of Board 23.

IAABO Patches Shipped to Me Today

Several members have expressed interest in obtaining IAABO patches to sew onto their uniforms or jackets. (A reminder that the IAABO logo on your uniform is a requirement. You can affix an IAABO patch onto your referee shirt, or you can order shirts that have the logo pre-printed on them.)

After going through a bit of a circus act, I'm happy to announce that Honig's Whistle Shop is shipping 25 IAABO patches to me today. Patches cost $10 each. You can make a check payable to IAABO Board 23 and mail to me (my address is on my Arbiter profile). I can mail you a patch after I receive payment. Or, you can give me $10 cash when I give you a patch if we're able to meet in person.

Thanks for your patience.

Welcome to the Board 23 Blog

Welcome to the Board 23 Blog. What is it? It another communications medium for the members and constituents of the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials (IAABO) Board 23 - Central Maryland. Check back frequently and thanks for visiting.

Also, for more information, check out our Web site: www.iaabo23.org.

Paul Krome, Secretary
IAABO Board 23 - Central Maryland