From all of us at the Southeastern Sports Officials Association, we wish you a safe and prosperous 2021!

From all of us at the Southeastern Sports Officials Association, we wish you safe travels and a wonderful holiday season!

Longtime official Bruce Stephens, 73, passed away Saturday, December 5th, 2020 alongside his friends and family. Bruce joined SAOA (now SSOA) in 1977 and officiated multiple sports within our organization. During his tenure, Bruce officiated five State Championship games and two East-West All-Star games. in addition, Bruce received the NCHSAA Distinguished Service Award for Basketball in 2000 and received the Dick Knox Service Award for Football in 2010. Bruce was also a Basketball Clinic Leader from 1998 until 2012. In 2014, Bruce received the Don Kitts Mentoring Award, SAOA's highest honor.

Aside from officiating, Bruce was also a United States Air Force Veteran and he retired from the Cumberland County Schools system where he was a PE instructor. Bruce, thank you for your service and all that you did for us. You will be sorely missed. (Photo Credit: K. Kassens)

Visitation will be held December 9th at Rogers and Breece, 500 Ramsey Street, Fayettevile, NC 28301 from 6pm-8pm. A Celebration Of Life will be held December 10th at 2pm onsite at Beaver Dam Baptist Church, 4693 Beaver Dam Church Road, Roseboro, NC 28382. It will be followed by a graveside service with military honors.

Bruce Stephens in Fayetteville Observer

The Basketball and Lacrosse Exam period is now open as of December 1st. The exam this year is not taken thru ArbiterSports as it has been the past several years. It is located in your account on DragonFly. If you need help to find your exam, click here to go to the NCHSAA Officials page. There under "Certification" click "Testing Instructions" for a PDF that contains instructions on how to access your exam.

The exam close date has not been posted yet by NCHSAA but as always DO NOT wait until the last minute to take your exam! The link is to access Dragonfly Max is located in the navigation of your respective sports section.

It is the time of year for us to spend time with our family (safely) and give thanks. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone from SSOA!

Most of you know that the NCHSAA fall exam periods were extended due to the NCHSAA making changes to the sports schedules for 2020-2021. That being said, the NCHSAA Volleyball exam period will close on Sunday, November 15, 2020. If for some reason you have not taken your volleyball exam please do so now.

The exam this year is not taken thru ArbiterSports as it has been the past several years. It is located in your account on DragonFly. If you need help to find your exam, click here to go to the NCHSAA Officials page. There under "Certification" click "Testing Instructions" for a PDF that contains instructions on how to access your exam.

The 2020 Region Four Fall Golf Tournament has been rescheduled. The Spring 2021 touranment is scheduled for Sunday, April 18, 2021 at Gates Four Golf and Country Club in Fayetteville. For more information, go to regionfour.org.

NFL Referee Brad Allen shares his thoughts on what makes officiating so incredibly special. Tune in August 24-27, 2020 for the Sports Officiating Summit @ Home to hear him and many of sports officiating's best. Registration for the summit is FREE!
Just go to sportsofficiatingsummit.com #SummitAtHome

Update: If you missed Brad's session on August 24, you can still watch it on the Sports Officiating Summit website. Duration: 20 minutes

Updated 12/10/20

Due to Sports schedules being altered for the 2020-21 season, the NCHSAA has modified the exam periods for all sports. The exam periods are as follows: (subject to change):

Football: Opens January 1,2021
Volleyball: Closed (As of November 15, 2020)
Soccer: Open
Basketball: Opened November 1, 2020
Wrestling : Opens March 15, 2021
Lacrosse: Opened December 1, 2020
Baseball: Opens March 29, 2021
Softball: Opens February 15, 2021

Due to the cancellation of spring sports at high schools across the country, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) will not be publishing new rules (both print and digital) for 2021 in the sports of baseball, softball, track and field, girls lacrosse and boys lacrosse.

Because very few schools were able to compete in these sports prior to the March shutdown of schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic, competition in these sports in 2021 will be conducted under 2020 NFHS rules for baseball, softball, track and field, girls lacrosse and boys lacrosse.

“Since most schools were not able to practice or play a game in these sports, we thought it was best to carry the 2020 rules publications forward to next year,” said Dr. Karissa Niehoff, NFHS executive director. “Our rules committees in these sports will conduct virtual meetings this summer but will not be approving any additional rules changes.”

Among the five aforementioned sports, a total of eight 2020 NFHS publications will be used for the 2021 season, including the Baseball Rules Book, Baseball Case Book, Softball Rules Book, Softball Case Book, Track and Field/Cross Country Rules Book, Track and Field/Cross Country Case Book, Girls Lacrosse Rules Book and Boys Lacrosse Rules Book. In addition, the 2020 NFHS Simplified and Illustrated Rules and 2020 Rules by Topic books for baseball and softball produced in concert with Referee Enterprises Inc. (REI) will be used in 2021 as well.

The NFHS Baseball Umpires Manual and the NFHS Track and Field/Cross Country Officials Manual will be published this year as scheduled since these are two-year publications.

As a result of this change, the NFHS will be working with its member state associations to fulfill needs for additional 2020 spring sports rules publications in advance of the 2021 season.

Leroy Thompson, shown below wearing #53 appeared in the August 2020 Issue of Referee Magazine. Photo Credit: K. Kassens.

Information from the NCHSAA's tweet ( @NCHSAA ):

"As you know, Governor Cooper announced yesterday the re-opening plan for the 2020-21 school year. He also indicated that the NCHSAA would be making the decisions related to sports. This morning the NCHSAA Board of Directors approved the following rule and calendar changes:

- The start of NCHSAA fall sports is delayed until at least September 1st.

- The first five (5) student days of the 2020-21 school year will be designated as a "dead period" for ALL sports, allowing school staff to focus on the start of school.

- NCHSAA Phase One of the summer conditioning and workouts will continue until further notice. "

From the NCHSAA website:

The Football State Clinic will be available online starting Thursday, July 16th. This video can be used to fulfill the educational requirement for NCHSAA Officials. Please make sure to allocate enough time to watch the entire video which is approximately 33 minutes in length.

Please click HERE to go to the NCHSAA website to view the video.

After watching the video, remember to click the "NEXT" button (located below the video) to fill out the attestation form to receive credit for watching the video. Please use the same email address that you registered with to ensure credit is received.

As always if you have any questions please direct those to your Regional Supervisor as he may have additional instructions for you.

*For your convenience a link to this video has also been added to the Football 2020 resource page for later reference.

While many things are still up in the air when it comes to fall sports, the NFHS fall exam dates have been set! The Football, Volleyball, and Soccer Exams are scheduled to begin in just TWO WEEKS. They are set to begin on Monday, July 27th and will conclude on Tuesday, August 11th.

The deadline to take the FREE courses on NFHSLearn has been extended until July 31, 2020! Please take advantage of this opportunity as these courses usually cost $20 each. You may choose from 11 officiating courses available right now just log on to NFHSLearn.com for more info.

If you do not have an account on the site, it is quick to setup. Once this is done, click on the courses you want to take, add them to your cart, and checkout. This process has to be completed so that the courses are added to your account. The price at checkout will show $0.00 and you click purchase. No worries, you won't be asked for a credit card or any form of payment to complete the checkout.

Have a safe holiday weekend. Thank you to all that served and continue to serve our country!

From the NFHS - The NFHS is concerned about poor fan and parent behavior at high school contests, and has addressed the topic in various articles and columns in the past year. Now with the help of production company "Behind The Scenes", it has produced a 30-second commercial that discusses the issue.

The commerical was aired before a primetime national audience June 18 on ESPN News. It will continue to air in regional markets across the country in upcoming weeks.

The commerical was produced alongside an accompanying longer video that includes interviews from NFHS Executive Director Karissa Niehoff, an official, athletic administrator, and parent. In addition to interviews filmed at the NFHS office in Indianapolis, film crews attended a basketball game at Mooresville (Indiana) High School for additional footage.

You can view the video HERE.

Registration is now OPEN for 2020 NCHSAA Fall sports. The NCHSAA is using a different system for registration this year called DragonFly which is in conjunction with the Center for Officials Services (COS) and the National Federation Of High Schools (NFHS).

Click HERE to go directly to the NCHSAA registration page.

We hope everyone has a safe Memorial Day weekend. Thank you to all that served and continue to serve our country!

As a way of saying thank you for serving as an official, you may choose from 11 officiating courses available right now for FREE through the NFHSLearn website.. Just log on to NFHSLearn.com for more info.

If you do not have an account it is quick to setup. Then click on the courses you want to take, add them to your cart, and checkout. The price at checkout will show $0.00 and you click purchase. No worries, you won't need a credit card or any form of payment to complete checkout.

Keep your skills sharp and enjoy your courses!

NASO sent an email out containing a link to a quick 2-minute survey about how officials will get back to work after the COVID-19.. They would like your input so please take the time to complete it.

Survey Link

When is it safe for an athlete to return to play after recovering from Covid-19? The American College of Cardiology Sports and Exercise Council issues testing recommendations before an athlete is cleared to play. Click Here To Read This Article From WECT News.

We just received notification from Mark Dreibelbis that NCHSAA Fall Registration has been moved from June 1st to June 15th, 2020. As most of you know the re-opening process has been slow so these types of delays are expected. The NCHSAA is using a new registration system this year. As soon as we receive more information it will be posted on this news page.

Beginning next year, high school basketball rules will further clarify when a contest is to be forfeited, including if a qualified invididual is not present to coach.

Click HERE to view the full press release from NFHS.

As the result of a concerted effort to accommodate the growing number of female wrestlers, the 2020-21 high school wrestling rules changes are headlined by significant adjustments to weigh-in protocol and appropriate hair length requirements.

Click HERE to view the full press release from NFHS.

From James Alverson, NCHSAA Media Relations, Publications, And Special Events

"In keeping with Governor Roy Cooper's announcement today that the public schools of North Carolina will be closed for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) has canceled all remaining winter championships and spring Sports"

"Today's decision is difficult for the NCHSAA Board of Directors and Staff. We empathize with the thousands of student-athletes, especially graduating seniors, coaching staffs, officials, and family members affected by this decision." said NCHSAA Commissioner Que Tucker. "However, this decision reflects a commitment to keeping our student-athletes, officials, and member schools' staffs and their communities safe, while following the guidelines of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education."

"We had maintained hope for a conclusion to our State Basketball Championships and a modified spring sports season to help return a sense of normalcy to our communities," continued Tucker. "Now, as we continue to deal with this difficult time, we must do so by applying the lessons that education-based athletics teaches us: cooperation, patience, sacrifice, responsibility, perseverance, and resilience. Together, we will be able to put a "W" in the win column!"

The NCHSAA Board of Directors, in its meeting next week, will discuss finalizing the state basketball playoffs, policies for summer activities, as well as address academic concerns for Fall 2020.

We would like to wish all of you a Happy Easter!

Due to Covid-19 and Governor Cooper's stay at home order, the Spring Region Four Emergency Fund Golf Tournament has been canceled. The next tournament is scheduled for Sunday, October 18, 2020 at Gates Four Golf & Country Club in Fayetteville. If you would like to donate, volunteer, or participate, head on over to regionfour.org for more information!

From James Alverson, NCHSAA Media Relations, Publications, And Special Events

In response to Governor Roy Cooper's executive order closing all North Carolina public schools through May 15th, North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) Commissioner Que Tucker relesed the following statement:

"Having heard the updated information relative to schools remaining closed until the middle of May, NCHSAA interscholastic activities will remain suspended until at least May 18th.

The NCHSAA Board Of Directors and staff will use the next few weeks to weigh our future decisions based on the new directions given by Governor Coope, other governmental leaders, and organizations charged with public health and safety during this unprecedented time. Such decisions will include the possible resumption of spring sports' competition and the possibility of holding the state basketball championships.

While we remain hopeful that we will be able to resume competition, particularly for our senior student athletes, we also recognize the need to protect the health and safety of our students, coaches, and the communities we serve."

From James Alverson, NCHSAA Media Relations, Publications, And Special Events

Due to the threat from COVID-19, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) has made the decision to postpone the 2020 Men's and Women's Basketball State Championships indefinitely.

"As much as we would like this opportunity for our student-athletes, coaches, and their communities, we know that ultimately any decision we make must err on he side of caution." said Commissioner Que Tucker.

The Board of Directors also moved to suspend interscholastic athletics beginning at 11:59pm on Friday, March 13, 2020 through at least Monday, April 6, 2020. The NCHSAA Board Of Directors will assess this situation regularly over the next few weeks. This includes all workouts, skill development, practices, and contests.

From James Alverson, NCHSAA Media Relations, Publications, And Special Events

Due to the threat from COVID-19, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) has made the decision to postpone the 2020 Men's and Women's Basketball State Championships indefinitely.

"As much as we would like this opportunity for our student-athletes, coaches, and their communities, we know that ultimately any decision we make must err on he side of caution." said Commissioner Que Tucker.

The Board of Directors also moved to suspend interscholastic athletics beginning at 11:59pm on Friday, March 13, 2020 through at least Monday, April 6, 2020. The NCHSAA Board Of Directors will assess this situation regularly over the next few weeks. This includes all workouts, skill development, practices, and contests.

From James Alverson, NCHSAA Media Relations, Publications, And Special Events

In response to the growing threat from the COVID-19 outbreak, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA), in consultation with the host facilities and university administrators, will conduct Saturday's scheduled State Basketball Championship games with only essential staff and limited family in attendance.

"This decision is not one we make lightly" said Commissioner Que Tucker. "We recognize that participating in a state championship game is often a once in a lifetime experience for our student athletes, coaches, and their families and many in the community. However, the NCHSAA must do it's part in providing leadership necessary to keep our students, communities, and state as safe as possible from the rising threat of COVID-19."

The games will be contested with essential team personnel and a limited number of family members in attendance. No tickets will be sold at the door. Concessions will not be available for he limited attendees. Media will not be permitted to attend.

All eight games will be televised through the Sinclair Broadcasting Group statewide television network. The games will also be available through the NFHS Network for those who are unable to view the contests being broadcast through Sinclair stations.

Beginning next season, changes to the conditions and procedure for restarting play with a dropped ball will take effect in high school soccer.

Click HERE to view the full press release from NFHS.

This is just a reminder that Spring sports exams (Baseball, Softball, Women's Soccer, Men's Lacrosse, and Women's Lacrosse) ENDS TOMORROW, Monday, February 10th, 2020. If you have not taken your exam yet please take the time to complete it as soon as possible.

In the past there have been technical issues with the exam site. Please do not wait as there are NO time extensions to complete the test.

In an effort to eliminate a potential timing advantage gained by the defensive team in high school football, the play clock will be set to 40 seconds - effective with the 2020 season - when an official's time-out is taken for an injury to a defensive player or a defensive player has an equipment issue.

Click HERE to view the full press release from NFHS.

Revised rules for roster submissions and penalties assessed to the team bench are among the most prominent high school volleyball rules changes for the upcoming 2020-21 season.

Click HERE to view the full press release from NFHS.

Just a reminder that the 2020 Spring Exam period opens THIS MONDAY, January 27th! The exam window is open for two weeks to give you plenty of time to take the exams without having to rush. Please do not wait until the last minute to take your exam in case there are technical issues with the exam site!

If you are registered with NCHSAA you should have received information from them on how to log and take your exams.

We hope everyone enjoyed the holiday season and got to spend time with their family and friends. As 2020 is upon us we turn to our training as spring sports are on the horizon! Testing begins in just three weeks so now is the time to get in those rule books and case books! Don't forget to do your video study as well.