Over and out for another season!

I am happy to announce your new SABOA executive as elected at our last general meeting.  On a personal note, I would like to thank all those who helped me out in any way during my tenure as Secretary-Treasurer over the past four years.  I wish my successor, Don Monts all the best with his new role on the executive.

The new SABOA executive is as follows:

President:                   Mike Slavich
Vice-President:          Bill Halma
Sec. Treas.:                Don Monts
Education Chair:        Keith Jorgensen
Evaluation Chair:        Kim Jones
Members at Large:    Sandy Fox and Marcus Yagos
Assignor:                    To be appointed.

Also congratulations to the following SABOA members who are on the ABOA executive for the next two years:

Mike Slavich is Vice President
Paul Rocca is Treasurer

Don't forget our year end BBQ!  Please bring your significant other, plates, cutlery, and a few loonies on:

May 24th, 2002
Elks Compound
6:00pm

Don't forget, alcoholic beverages will be a loonie this year!

Congratulations to all our officials who attended provincials.  We had an SABOA official in the final of every tournament we attended!

Check out the photos page for some more photos of our officials in action.

Pay night will be April 10th, 2003.  Cheques will not be available until after the meeting and elections.  If you are interested in running for the executive, let either Bill Halma or Sandy Fox know. 

CAMP INFORMATION:
"Make the Right Call" Fox 40 Camp
Head Clinician - John Weiland
Special Guest Clinicians - John Clougherty & Richie Ballestarous (WNBA Schedule permitting Clark Stevens)
Guest Clinicians - various CIS Officials
Location - U of C Calgary Alberta July 18 - 20th Call John to register - (403) 239-1338

CABO Camp in Montreal
View the information/registration form by clicking here.

Canada West Officials Camp
with Bill Crowley
June 28 - July 1st in Edmonton
more information to come...

Darrel has written a letter to the SABOA and all its members.  You can read it by clicking here.  It is in PDF format.

It is with great sadness that the SABOA announces that one of our 10+ year veteran high school, college, and university officials is leaving us.  Darrel Knight has been promoted with United Farmers of Alberta and will be moving to Trochu, Alberta to manage his own store.  Congratulations to Darrel on his career promotion.  Darrel has officiated with the SABOA since about 1990 and has not only contributed as an excellent official but he also served on the executive for a number of years and most recently has taken on evaluating our young and upcoming officials.  His hard work and devotion to the SABOA will surely be missed.  If you see Darrel make sure you wish him the luck in his future endeavors.  Good luck Darrel and keep in touch from all the executive.

The SABOA recently said goodbye to a long time official.  Jason Orr, has moved to Northern Alberta and has continued his officiating career there.  Jason was a competent hard working official who served us well in perhaps our most remote geographical area as far as officials go - Milk River.  We wish Jason continued success with his new board.

Check out photos of some of our SABOA officials at work by clicking here.

This column was written by Jay Bilas for ESPN.com:

Back off the Refs
Speaking of tough calls, can we officially get off of the officials, already?

Referees have the toughest job in basketball, and all they get is grief over the job they do. The vast majority of officials I know are hard working, honest, and take their work seriously. They are fair-minded, and would like nothing more than to go unnoticed by the masses, and especially talking heads like me. Of the officials I know, they want one thing above all else, to get it right. Every time.

Here is the rub. The powers that be in the game want the game to be more finesse than power, and to take the weight room out of contention as being the primary place that games are won or lost. The elimination of rough play, especially in the post area, has been a major point of emphasis for officials. That is a noble goal, and it is one that is worthy of being pursued. However, many officials are stuck between being able to administer a game according to their own judgment, and doing it the way they are being told by their superiors.

Referees get evaluated by their superiors just like the rest of us, and assignments and tournament slots depend upon how they ply their trade. Meanwhile, coaches are yelling at officials at the top of their lungs for an entire 40 minutes, announcers are second-guessing them with super slo-mo on every play, and studio shows are dissecting plays like it's the Zapruder film.

Referees are professionals, and need to be able to use their own judgment in game situations. There is a difference between rough play and touch fouls, and between contact and improper contact. Not every play can be boxed into some neat little rule. Let the officials use their judgment, and let the players play. If there is rough play, call the rough play. If there is a touch foul that gives no advantage or disadvantage, let the referees let it go.

Here is what I think should happen. Coaches should sit down and coach their teams. There is no reason for a head coach to be up and out of the coaching box as often as coaches currently are. That rule should be enforced, even though it seems rigid and silly. It is a violation for a player to step out of bounds, it should be a violation for a coach to do so as well. Assistant coaches should stay seated and silent toward officials during all game action. Coach your own team and pipe down. If a trainer spouts off at a referee, his yap should be taped shut.

Coaches need to quit moaning about officials in public. If you have evidence that an official is incompetent, bring it forward to your conference office, and handle it the right way. This public bitching and moaning is unseemly, and it needs to stop. And quit complaining about late whistles. A late whistle is more likely to be right than the anticipatory whistle we so often hear.

Players need to pipe down. Players have no business talking back at an official. The referees are the law on the court, and no amount of yapping is going to get an official to change a call. Shut up and play. You actually will play better by concentrating on your own job rather than the job of the officials.

Fans need to cheer for their teams instead of against the referees. A little good-natured ribbing is OK with the refs, but some of the venom that is spewed their way is uncalled for. That is where school administrators need to step in and demand decorum from their fans. This is college basketball, not World Wide Wrestling, for crying out loud.

Lastly, those in charge of officials need to let the officials do their jobs without constant interference. Referees should be evaluated, sure. But there are not as many absolutes in officiating as people are led to believe. I think the officials do a damn good job. Are there some bad ones? Sure. Are some arrogant? You bet. I would guess that there are just as many, if not more, bad and arrogant coaches and players out there as there are bad and arrogant officials.

Lighten up and play.