Officials' Quarterly Moving to Web-Only

Most of us receive Officials' Quarterly magazine. As noted by NFHS Officials Association Liaison Mary Struckhoff in her page 3 column of the Summer 2010 issue, that issue will be the last one that is printed and mailed. Going forward, OQ will now be available online at www.nfhs.org. Check that site on or about July 1 for more info.

Officials vs. Cancer Wrap-Up

Members of Maryland IAABO Boards 23, 204 and 244 contributed a $1,375 in IAABO's 2010 Officials vs. Cancer Campaign. Thanks to those who donated or contributed during the campaign for the American Cancer Society. In total IAABO officials generated $110,176 for the ACS.

IAABO will continue its campaign this coming season. The dates are Jan. 24-29, 2011. More info to come here and on www.iaabo23.org when it becomes available.

Congrats to champs; 2010-11 opening day

Congratulations to these state champion basketball teams in the Board 23 area:

Milford Mill boys from Baltimore County - Class 2A
Arundel girls from Anne Arundel County - Class 4A

The MPSSAA has announced that the first day of practice for the 2010-11 basketball season will be Nov. 15, 2010. Opening Day will be Dec. 6, 2010.

Keep the General Assembly out of Playing-Time Decisions

Kudos to the folks at the MPSSAA for visiting the Maryland General Assembly in Annapolis, Md., to speak out against House Bill 503, which would require every member of a non-varsity (i.e. JV, fresh/soph teams, etc.) the opportunity to participate in every contest unless there are injuries, illnesses, or they are unable to play because of physical or emotional conditions, according to the spring 2010 issue of the MPSSAA's Scout magazine.

As best as I can tell from the Assembly's Web site, there's been no action on the bill since a March 3 hearing. That's a good thing. In my opinion, HB503 is an attempt at another ridiculous intrusion into a stable aspect of life on the part of some level of government, in this case, the state government.

The sponsors of the bill must've gotten cut from their teams while in high school. God forbid coaches have some autonomy over their teams.

Hopefully you've received the spring 2010 Scout, because it sums up the issue pretty well.

MPSSAA Bracketology - Board 23 Style

It's time! The Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) released the brackets for the 2009-10 state tournaments Sunday. There are a number of interesting matchups on the way to Comcast Center for the boys and the RAC Arena for the girls. Good luck to the participating teams.

By my unofficial examination of the brackets, it appears as though Board 23 officials will work the following number of games, at a minimum in the first two rounds, based on the seedings and byes of teams we serve in Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties:

Boys
Class 1A North First Round: 3. Second Round: 2.
Class 2A North First Round: 2. Second Round: 0.
Class 3A North First Round: 1. Second Round: 3.
Class 4A North First Round: 0. Second Round: 2.
Class 4A East First Round: 4. Second Round: 4.

Girls
Class 3A East First Round: 1. Second Round: 0.
Class 4A East First Round: 3. Second Round: 2.

The state semifinals and finals are March 11-13. The boys are at UMCP's Comcast Center. The girls are at UMBC's RAC Arena.

If you are selected to work an MPSSAA Tournament game, congratulations! If your season is over, thanks for a job well done and consider coming out to some of the playoff games to support your fellow Board 23 officials.

-PK

Long Stretch Off

Both Anne Arundel County Public Schools and Baltimore County Public Schools have decided to close Feb. 10, 11 and 12, meaning no hoops in our public schools this week.

Combine that with the Presidents' Day holiday on Monday, Feb. 15, for which both school systems are closed, and that means many of us will have quite a long stretch of no basketball. That's assuming the school systems will not play on Feb. 15. Normally they would not. But with the back-log of games, I wonder if the administrators would make an exception and allow their schools to play that day.

Stay warm and safe. Crank up the fireplace at home if you like, but no, do not toss your rule books into the fire as kindling just yet. Come another blizzard or not, there's still plenty of basketball remaining in the 2009-10 season. So if you're stuck at home, pull out the rule book and do some late-season studying to make sure you're sharp for the stretch run and the playoffs.

As always, stay on top of your availability at http://www.arbitersports.com/. The more time you can free up for Rick for the rescheduled games, the better we can serve our school systems. Even if you can free up parts of a day that you had previously blocked...you never know when games might be rescheduled.

-PK

Meeting Rescheduled for Feb. 22 at Lansdowne

The IAABO Board 23 general membership meeting originally scheduled for Monday, Feb. 8, has been officially rescheduled for Monday, Feb. 22 at the Lansdowne High School cafeteria. Start time is 7 p.m.

Dues for the 2010-11 season are due on this date (or before, if you wish to mail the membership form and check to treasurer Damian Biggs). Please pay your dues timely in order to be a member in good standing and thus participate in the nomination process, which will take place at the Feb. 22 meeting, that will help determine candidates for the IAABO Board 23 Executive Committee for 2010-12.

Damian and I will arrive at Lansdowne around 6 p.m. if you wish to arrive early and pay your dues in person. The 2010-11 Board 23 membership form can be found on the Current Members page of iaabo23.org.

All checks should be payable to IAABO Board 23.

Thanks,
PK

BCPS Pushes Back Title Games

Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) have moved their boys' and girls' basketball championship games from Friday, Feb. 19 to Tuesday, Feb. 23, according to The Baltimore Sun.

The move allows county schools to utilize the full week of Feb. 15-19 to make up games that were postponed due to the recent (and soon to come) snowstorms.

Check your e-mail as frequently as possible during the next few days as games are rescheduled through ArbiterSports.com. Be sure to keep your availability up to date as well.

-PK

AACPS to close two hours early Feb. 5

Anne Arundel County Public Schools have already announced that they will close two hours early on Friday, Feb. 5, and all school-sponsored activities for Feb. 5 are postponed.

Expect games to be rescheduled for next week.

Nothing yet from Baltimore County Public Schools, but it wouldn't be a surprise if they followed suit.

Keep your availability up to date at www.arbitersports.com.

Feb. 8 Meeting Likely Postponed to Feb. 22

Be on the lookout tonight for an e-mail from president Gary Stewart. Given the impending weather forecast for this weekend and the possible need for officials to be available Feb. 8 to work makeup games, the Feb. 8 Board 23 meeting will likely be postponed to Feb. 22. I say "likely" because we have not confirmed the availability of Lansdowne High School to host the meeting. But stay tuned.

As always, be sure to keep you availability up to date at www.arbitersports.com, as AACPS and BCPS will likely have several games to reschedule if Friday's slate is wiped out.

-PK

1099s Mailed

If you earned more than $600 through Anne Arundel County Public Schools, by way of a check from IAABO Board 23, in calendar year 2009, check you mailbox over the next couple days for the tax form 1099.

AACPS, BCPS cancel school-sponsored activities Feb. 2

The Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) and Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) have canceled afternoon and evening school-sponsored activities, including basketball games, for Feb. 2 due to the forecast of impending snow this evening and tonight.

According to baltimoresun.com, AACPS has moved its Feb. 2 slate of games to Feb. 3, which will make it a busy day for Board 23 as Feb. 3 already contains many BCPS games.

Be sure to keep your availability up to date as games will be rescheduled. To update your availability, log on to www.arbitersports.com.

-PK