FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 9, 2005


FHSAA to hold statewide contest officials meeting this weekend in Tampa

GAINESVILLE – The 2005 FHSAA Officials Association Presidents Meeting will be held this Friday and Saturday, June 10-11, 2005, at Plant High School in Tampa. Media representatives are invited to attend.

More than 150 officers from over 60 local officials associations sanctioned by the Florida High School Athletic Association will attend the two-day meeting, which according to FHSAA Associate Director of Athletics Tamara Wilsey, the meeting coordinator, is intended to encourage interaction among the FHSAA’s 105 sanctioned local officials associations.

“We will bring the local association officers who are present up to date on FHSAA policies and procedures, including any impending changes for the upcoming school year,” Wilsey said. “But most importantly we will be sharing and exchanging ideas that hopefully will improve the quality of officiating for our student-athletes.”

New this year is a Presidents Roundtable gathering at 6 p.m. Friday in the Plant High School Auditorium. The opening general session begins at 10 a.m. Saturday also in the school auditorium. The awards luncheon will begin at 1 p.m. The meeting will conclude at 5 p.m.

Also, new this year will be the announcement of the winner of the FHSAA’s Inaugural Officials Association of the Year Award at Saturday’s luncheon. This new award recognizes the one officials association that has excelled in the areas of recruitment, retention, education/training, professionalism and innovation. The winner will be posted on FHSAA.org shortly after the award’s presentation on Saturday.

“The FHSAA has placed new emphasis on recruiting new officials, retaining existing officials and improving training for all officials,” Wilsey said. “This award recognizes the association that, in the opinion of the FHSAA staff, has done the best job in those areas this school year.”

A number of individual officials also will be recognized with National Federation Officials Association Awards. Receiving sports-specific awards will be Tampa area official Alan Reed (boys basketball), Jacksonville area official Tom Platt (boys soccer), Lakeland area official Robert Hartley (wrestling), Sarasota area official Tom LoCrasto (baseball), Miami area official Julio Forte (football), Vero Beach area official Edward Motyka (girls soccer), Palm Beach area official Joseph Liguori (girls basketball), Naples area official Jim Fales (volleyball) and Sarasota area official Pete Rutledge (softball). Margaret Busbee, a long-time basketball official in the Jacksonville area, will be presented with the NFOA Section 3 (southeastern U.S.) Distinguished Active Official Award. Orlando area basketball and football official Don Trawick will receive the FHSAA Contributor of the Year Award.

The Florida High School Athletic Association is the governing body for interscholastic athletic competition in Florida. It has a membership of more than 740 middle and senior high schools. The Association annually registers more than 7,000 individuals as contest officials in the sports of baseball, basketball, flag football, football, soccer, softball, track & field, volleyball and water polo.

Contact:
Jack Watford
Director of Communications, FHSAA
(352) 372-9551 ext. 170
jwatford@fhsaa.org