The shortage of referees for sports from youth to high school levels is a nationwide problem. Hutchinson High School is hoping to combat the issue with new officiating classes that will be offered next fall.
Dennis Piechowski is a teacher at the high school and the head varsity volleyball coach. He's also been an official for baseball and football for more than 25 years. During a discussion with High School Principal Robb Danneker last summer, Piechowski's sports officiating background came up.
“We were just talking sports and ... we got into a conversation about officiating and how there's such a shortage of officials at the high school league level,” Piechowski said. “Games were being postponed or moved around because of that. I just said that I thought it would be a great idea if we could maybe bring a class to the high school where we could try to get kids involved in officiating. It's something that I know the state high school league has been asking ... because they see the need. So we just kicked that idea around for a little while.”
Piechowski has had personal experience with the shortage of officials. Two years ago, a Hutchinson volleyball match had to be rescheduled because they didn't have any officials. For three of the past five years, the state high school league has asked baseball umpires if they would like to officiate lacrosse.
“All the new people that come into officiating, usually their age is probably 50-plus years old,” Piechowski said. “A lot of times, guys who have sons and daughters that have been playing high school sports want to still be around the game. You look at that, that's 50-, 60-year-old guys. In 10-15 years, they're retiring and not doing it any more.”
The course will be offered all three trimesters to any students grade 9-12. The sports taught each trimester align so they are one trimester behind when the sports are played. So sports such as basketball and wrestling will be taught in the fall trimester, and sports such as baseball and lacrosse will be taught in the winter. That way students who complete the course will be officially certified and able to begin officiating right away.
Piechowski believes the middle school level is the best starting point for new officials, and the Minnesota State High School League requires varsity officials to be 18 or older.
“But if a kid took it to a new level and really got excited about it, could they move to a C team level, a JV team level? I think, yeah,” Piechowski said.
He also believes there are life benefits that come with being an official such as communication with other referees, coaches and players. Also the ability to make quick decisions is a useful skill that comes along with being an official.
Registration for next fall doesn't begin for a couple more months, so for now, the school doesn't know how much interest there will be in the class. But Piechowski has heard from students who are interested, and he believes it can be a success.
“I think it can be hugely successful and beneficial for people and for athletics," Piechowski said.
