Basketball provides a great outlet for thousands of North Texas youth, but they won’t be able to take to the court if the North Texas Basketball Officials Association cannot find the more than 600 new officials they need before October 1.
The organization provides the refs for dozens of North Texas districts ranging all the way up to the Red River.
With over 600 positions to fill each year, NTBOA is in need of aspiring referees and seasoned officials to join its ranks. The nonprofit organization ensures fair play and regulations compliance for over 13,000 middle school and high school UIL games each year.
About half the needed positions have been filled so far.
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Despite being in one of the fast-growing communities in Texas, NTBOA struggles with a referee shortage along with the rest of the state in various sports.
“We all understand, that whether you're doing volleyball, football, basketball, the challenges are the same, not only on the court or on the field, but certainly in recruiting and retention,” said Tim McCallum with the North Texas Basketball Officials Association. "We share those challenges because we're growing so fast. And because we live in a challenging environment. "Every year, the districts in North Texas are building more schools and putting in more basketball programs and more middle schools and high schools. And so they need officials to support those games."
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At times, McCallum said there have been 60 to 100 games having only one referee, affecting officiating quality and game experience.
"Without great officials in those games, it's really the kids that suffer when we don't have enough officials to fill all their games. For example, last year we had several games that only had a single official in a game. And that's not great for our kids,” said McCallum.
The demand for skilled referees in North Texas is rising, but some people avoid officiating due to concerns including the fear of being treated poorly by players, coaches, or fans. Time constraints, full-time jobs, and family responsibilities are also factors.
"We want to encourage the fans out there -- remember those officials are human beings and we need to keep good officials. We might all yell from the stands and make those comments when we see something you think may not be right. But let's remember that those officials are working hard out there," said McCallum.
NTBOA invites anyone interested in becoming a referee to register for the upcoming basketball season. Applicants must be at least 16 years old and experience is not required. The association offers on-court training to equip officials with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel and avoid the stress of crucial decisions.
"Every call that every official makes in every sport -- it's made by a human being. So what's really important to us is that we spend a lot of time training. We don't just put people on a court or throw them into a game," said McCallum.
Referees can work as much or as little as they want with flexible scheduling. On the high end, referees can make as much as $7,000 in an entire season. A gas mileage stipend is also provided for driving to the games. The season starts in October and runs until February.
“If you're retired and you're looking to make some extra income or just stay active, we have a lot of folks that are retired. Or if you're a young college person, who's looking for a fun time and a flexible schedule to make extra money, officiating is a great option,” said McCallum.
To register for the upcoming season or to learn more about becoming a basketball official with NTBOA, please visit their website at https://ntboa.org/become-official/
