West Coast Officials Association named 2008-09 FHSAA Officials Association of the Year
The West Coast Officials Association of Tampa was named the 2008-09 FHSAA Officials Association of the Year at the June 5-6, 2009, Officials Leadership Conference in Orlando.  The WCOA is made up of nearly 350 active football and basketball officials and should be commended on this great honor, as well as their dedication to FHSAA sports year after year. The organization's President is Tom Powers and the Vice Presidents are Jeff Albers and Ben Heugel.

Officials registration open as of June 8
The FHSAA is now accepting registrations for the 2009-2010 school season.  Returning officials, log in to iFHSAA to renew your registration online.  Interested in becoming an official?  Visit www.becomeanofficial.org today for step-by-step instructions on how to get started.  All registrations must be received in the FHSAA Office no later than the deadline dates listed below.  Please contact Carrie Hardee at chardee@fhsaa.org with questions.
Registration deadline dates:
August 5, 2009 -  Football, Volleyball and Swimming & Diving
October 1, 2009 -  Basketball, Soccer and Wrestling
January 4, 2010 - Baseball, Softball, Track & Field, Water Polo, Lacrosse, Flag Football

Did you know?
The FHSAA invites four local associations to send a representative to our office each year to review the officials test questions at the FHSAA's expense? This process has been in place for nearly 15 years for the sports of football, volleyball, basketball, soccer, wrestling, baseball and softball.

The test question reviewers are given about 400 questions from old NFHS tests, as well as collection of multiple choice questions, marking each question as:
1. Good question — use it

2. Good question if you make the following word changes (they mark these changes on the question itself)

3. Poor question — do NOT use

These test reviewers also submit 10 new multiple choice questions and go through the same process with these questions.

This year, each official can print the 50 questions the computer randomly generated for them. As in the past, if there is a test question that is found to be flawed, we will throw it out. One of the advantages to the online testing is, only those officials who were given the particular question will have their scores adjusted. To access your test status, log in to the online testing center and click on the test history button on the left side of your home page.

Makeup Exams (Baseball, Softball, Flag Football, Track & Field, Water Polo, Lacrosse)
Officials who need to take the online makeup exam may do so March 20-24.  Officials eligible to take the makeup exam are those who scored below a 75% on the initial test or those who have not yet tested. The makeup exam is a closed book test and will be the final testing opportunity for the 2008-09 spring season.  Click here to be redirected to the online testing center: https://testing.fhsaa.org

For all registered FHSAA spring sports officials
The online rules video presentations and exams begin this month (February) for spring sports. ALL registered FHSAA Sports Officials are required to participate in both the online rules video presentation and exam. Failure to comply will result in financial penalties and suspension. If you’ve registered, but have since found that you are unable to commit to the sport, a letter of cancelation to the FHSAA Office is needed in order to avoid fines from becoming assessed. Cancellation notices MUST be received in the FHSAA Office prior to the conclusion of the online rules video presentations to be honored without penalties. Send cancellation notices to chardee@fhsaa.org.

Schedule of online rules video presentations:
Click on the following link to be redirected to the online rules video presentations and READ instructions carefully: tech.fhsaa.org/eclassroom

2/10-2/20 BASEBALL
2/9-2/21 SOFTBALL
2/12-2/21 FLAG FOOTBALL
2/16-2/23 TRACK
2/11-2/22 WATER POLO
2/11-2/21 LACROSSE

Schedule of online exams all sports:
Click on the following link to be redirected to the online testing site: testing.fhsaa.org

2/20 – 3/3 Online Closed Book Exams
3/4 – 3/10 Online Open Book Exams

3/2 Written Exams (A $15.00 charge will be billed after the test)

NOTE: Officials who attempt to take both the online open book and online closed book (or written exam) will be credited with their online open book exam score.

If you are a returning official to the online testing site, you will simply log in with your username and password. Otherwise, please fill out the brief registration by clicking here and create a username and password prior to accessing the online tests. It is highly recommended that you test your log in and/or submit testing registration in advance to assure assess when tests become available. Please do not wait until the last day.

Solicitation of 2009-10 FHSAA field clinic hosts
For Sanctioned Officials Associations only:
If your association is interested in hosting a field clinic during the 2009-10 school year, please complete the information sheet (click here) and return it to the FHSAA Office, c/o Carrie Hardee, no later than April 1, 2009. EXCEPTION: FOOTBALL, NO LATER THAN MARCH 3.

This deadline has been established to allow the FHSAA time to select host associations and also plan for curriculum meetings required to train local clinicians. The FHSAA will review all the applications received in the office after April 1 and will then choose from the list of potential hosts accordingly by sport and their geographical locations. Once the hosts have been determined, all associations will be notified.

Associations who are selected will be required to send its lead clinician to the FHSAA Office for a one-day workshop. At this workshop, the FHSAA will go over all the necessary steps that shall be taken in conducting an informative, organized, successful, fun and, most of all, educational clinic. Associations that fail to be represented at this orientation workshop are subject to forfeiture of their approval to host.

If you have any questions, please fee free to contact the FHSAA Office at (352) 372-9551 ext. 290.

Calling for a Cure
The FHSAA is supporting the fight against Cancer by forwarding the following information to FHSAA registered contest officials.  The "Calling for a Cure" campaign for the 2008-09 sports season requests all FHSAA registered contest officials that use a whistle in their respective sport to go to www.foundationsresourcegroup.com and order a Pink Fox 40 Whistle for $5.00; the whistle will then be shipped directly to the contest official.  Foundations Resources Group / "Calling for a Cure" invites participants to make a voluntary donation of a percentage of his/her contest fees.  The donation itself is intended for the targeted weeks of participation, but officials may make alternative arrangements if interested.  This will be coordinated between the contest official and Foundations Resource Group / "Calling for a Cure".  All funds raised in this effort will be donated to the American Cancer Society in the name of your local officials association. During the designated weeks for participation, the FHSAA has approved the use of the "pink whistle" while officiating FHSAA sanctioned contests. Designated weeks for participation are:

• October 20-25, 2008
• January 12-17, 2009
• March 30-April 4, 2009

For more information, local officials association presidents should e-mail questions to officials@fhsaa.org.