NCHSAA seeking volleyball officials

The demand for high school sports officials is higher than ever.

One of the sports most impacted by the officiating shortage is volleyball. The N.C. High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) is looking to combat the problem by recruiting officials ahead of the 2024 season, which begins competing in mid-August.

According to Jerry Talley, a regional supervisor in charge of volleyball officials in central Carolina, refereeing assignments are typically sent to schools two weeks ahead of scheduled matches. If enough officials aren’t available for a certain day, the association must work with schools to move matches — either to a different start time or different day altogether.

Moving matches puts stress on schools dealing with scheduling conflicts, causes issues for parents/spectators attending games, and has resulted in officials traveling to various locations to call multiple matches on the same day.

Many local schools have felt the effects of the shortage, and Talley said more complications will arise in the coming years if more officials aren’t added.

“The majority of officials right now in all sports in our area are 60 years old or older,” Talley said. “It has been difficult recruiting young people into officiating. If the shortage continues to get worse, I can see schools having to play games on days they normally do not play. For instance, volleyball is a Tuesday/Thursday primary day. They may have to schedule games throughout the week just to have officials. Other sports will probably have to do the same thing if the shortage continues to go downhill.”

To become an official, Talley said the first step is to register on the NCHSAA website. Anyone that is interested or has questions can also email Talley at jerrystalley@aol.com or by calling 336-344-2224.

After registering, potential officials must participate in six hours of clinics in which they review the rules, study mechanics and call practice games and scrimmages. Officials are also required to take the national volleyball exam.

Talley added that no prior experience is needed to become an official.

“We can train anyone that is willing to take the time to come out and participate. This is true for all sports, not just volleyball,” Talley said.

Those interested are encouraged to register as soon as possible as the first area clinic is scheduled for July 31 at McMichael High School. More information, including the officials’ code of ethics and frequently asked questions, can be found at nchsaa.org/officials