The Southeastern Sports Officials Association would like to wish you all a safe and Happy Holiday Season!

If you are interested in officiating Baseball, Softball, Men's/Women's Lacrosse, or Women's Soccer for the 2026 sports season, the Spring sports season is quickly approaching! If you have any questions before you register, please do not hesitate to contact the Regional Supervisor Of Officials for the sport(s) you are interested in officiating.

The Southeastern Sports Officials Association would like to wish you all a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

Thank you to all of our military, past and present who serve our great country!

The 2025 NCHSAA Volleyball State Championships will be held Friday, October 31st, 2025 and Saturday, November 1st, 2025. The championships will take place at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum on the campus of Wake Forest University and Reynolds Coliseum on the campus of North Carolina State University.

For those unable to attend the State championships in person, they will also be broadcast live on the NFHS Network and available on-demand following the contests. (requires a subscription)

The 2025-26 NCHSAA State Basketball Clinic for the Southeastern Association will be held at Southview High School on Monday, October 13, 2025. The state clinic will start promptly at 6:30pm. If you are interested in officiating high school basketball for the upcoming season, please make plans to attend this important clinic!

Officials, it's that time again! I'm talking about fall sports exams! If you are a Basketball or Wrestling official, the winter sports exams are available NOW! Exams will be available on the DragonFly Max website from Monday, October 6, 2025 - Friday, January 16, 2026 according to the NCHSAA website.

There is a link to the Dragonfly Max Exam site in the navigation at the top of this page for your convenience.

If you are interested in officiating high school Basketball or Wrestling for the 2025-26 sports season, the Winter sports seasons are quickly approaching! If you have any questions before you register, please do not hesitate to contact the Regional Supervisor Of Officials for the sport(s) you are interested in officiating..

The 2025 NCHSAA State Football Clinic and SSOA Football All Officials Clinic will be held Monday, July 28th, 2025 at South View High School, The address is 4184 Elk Road, Hope Mills, NC 28348. The clinic will start promptly at 6:30pm. Please bring pen and paper.

Officials that have not already paid fees will have the opportunity to pay their booking fees as well as SSOA membership fees for 2025-26. ($20)

Anyone interested in officiating football for the upcoming season should plan to attend the meeting.

The 2025-26 NCHSAA State Volleyball Clinic was held last night at Fayetteville Academy. Alejandro Rosadowas the recipient of the 2025-26 NCHSAA Distinguished Service Awerd for the Southeastern Association. Alejandro is pictured below receiving his award alongside Volleyball Regional Supervisor Of Officials, Bill Henderson. Congrats Alejandro!

The 2025-26 NCHSAA State Volleyball Clinic and SSOA Volleyball All Officials Clinic will be held THIS MONDAY NIGHT, JULY 14th, 2025 at Fayetteville Academy at 6:00pm. The address is 3200 Cliffdale Road, Fayetteville, NC 28303. The clinic will start promptly at 6:00pm. Please be in your seat at 5:55pm and bring pen & paper. The agenda can be found in the Volleyball section under "Clinics and Scrimmages"

In addition, officials that have not already paid fees will have the opportunity to pay their booking fees ($100 for returning officials, $75 for new officials) as well as SSOA membership fees for 2025-26. ($20)

Anyone interested in officiating volleyball for the upcoming season should plan to attend the meeting.

Officials, it's that time again! I'm talking about fall sports exams! If you are a Football, Volleyball, or Men's Soccer official, the fall sports exams are available NOW! Exams will be available on the DragonFly Max website from Monday, July 7, 2025 - Friday, September 26, 2025 according to the NCHSAA website.

There is a link to the Dragonfly Max Exam site in the navigation at the top of this page for your convenience.

Have a safe and happy Fourth Of July from the SSOA!

Take the Referee Magazine Volleyball Rules Challenge! It's a good way to sharpen your rules knowledge as you prepare for exams in a couple of weeks!

RULES CHALLENGE LINK: https://play.therulesr.com/quizzes/569

Take the Referee Magazine Football Rules Challenge! It's a good way to sharpen your rules knowledge as you prepare for exams in a couple of weeks!

RULES CHALLENGE LINK: https://play.therulesr.com/quizzes/568

ATTENTION NEW AND RETURNING OFFICIALS:

Membership is NOW OPEN for 2025-26! Whether you are a new official that wants to join our organization or a returning official needing to renew your membership, please head on over to the JOIN SSOA/RENEW page now!

Membership in SSOA is just $20 and your membership runs from July 1st through June 30th of each year. If you have been a member of SSOA for 20 years or more, you are considered a lifetime member and your members fees are waived. However you still need to fill out the registration form for record keeping purposes.

SSOA membership fees are separate from the assigning fees that you pay to your Regional Supervisor.

Source: NFHS

In an effort to minimize risk of injury in high school wrestling, a revision in the leg block or cut-back maneuver was recommended by the NFHS Wrestling Rules Committee at its April 6-8 meeting in Indianapolis.

This revision to Rule 7-1-5n of the NFHS Wrestling Rules Book was one of eight changes recommended by the committee – all of which were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

Although the leg block/cut-back maneuver already was an illegal move, the committee added “when leaving the feet and using the foot or leg to ‘cut out’ an opponent’s leg, to include from the rear-standing position.”

Elliot Hopkins, director of sports and student services and editor of the NFHS wrestling rules, said the committee added language about leaving the feet to help ensure that this move is not attempted because of the significant risk of injury.

In other rules changes, near-fall criteria language was added to the Technical Fall section in Rule 5-11. In Rules 5-11-2c and 5-11-4b, the following statement was approved: “If the near fall creates a 15-point advantage, the match shall continue until the near-fall criteria is no longer met. Conclusion of the near-fall criteria is immediate.”

“This change defines when a technical fall shall be awarded and eliminate any confusion between a pinning situation and near-fall criteria,” Hopkins said. “It also will make the technical fall consistent with the takedown or reversal that creates the 15-point advantage.”

Two changes were approved regarding equipment and uniforms. While wrestlers cannot wear wristbands, sweatbands, bicep bands or arm sleeves that do not contain a pad, they now will be able to wear leg sleeves that do not contain a pad. Since wrestlers are allowed to wear tights on both legs, the committee agreed that wearing leg sleeves would be no different.

In addition, effective July 1, 2027, the school’s name, school nickname, school logo, school mascot, weight classification and/or the wrestler’s name are permitted on the uniform top and/or bottom. Aside from the wrestling-specific terms, this is standard language approved for all NFHS sports rules publications.

The final changes approved by the committee included another option for conducting dual meets and a revision in the Technical Violation section. In Rule 1-2-2 regarding dual meets, the committee approved an option of conducting dual meets in order of lowest weight classes to the heaviest classes.

In Rule 7-3-3 regarding technical violations, “arm” was replaced with “extremity.” The committee noted that locking hands and including a leg in the clasp around the trunk of the body is the same as locking hands with an arm included.

A complete listing of the wrestling rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on the “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Wrestling.” The print version of the 2025-26 Wrestling Spirit Rules Book will be available for purchase in July at www.NFHS.com, and the digital version will be available in the same timeframe via NFHS Digital at www.NFHS.org.

This week is Spring Officials Appreciation Week! Join us in thanking SSOA Officials along with all sports officials around the nation! These men and women dedicate their time to making competition a SAFE & FAIR experience for our school communities #becomeanofficial

Source: NFHS

Four revisions dealing with player equipment in high school football were among the eight changes recommended by the NFHS Football Rules Committee at its January 12-14 meeting in Indianapolis. All recommended changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

The Football Rules Committee is composed of one member from each NFHS member state association that uses NFHS playing rules, along with representatives from the NFHS Coaches Association and NFHS Officials Association. 

One of the equipment changes next year will permit some additional electronic communication with players during games; however, in-helmet communication is still not allowed. A change in Rule 1-5-3c(2) will permit fixed electronic signs with play signals as well as non-audio methods. However, players between the numbers still are not permitted to watch video.

In the same Rule 1-5-3c(3), another new item was added to the illegal equipment listing. Any audio (microphone) or video (camera) device worn by a player during the game is not permitted. No player participating in the game is allowed to wear any device that would record or transmit audio or video. 

The remaining player equipment changes focus on tooth and mouth protectors and arm sleeves. The committee approved two new additional requirements in Rule 1-5-1d(5) for tooth and mouth protectors, which are required in high school football. Tooth and mouth protectors a) shall not include any attachment(s) that do not serve a purpose and function in protecting the teeth or mouth, and b) shall not include anything that is a health or risk issue and could pose danger to themselves or other players.

A new item was added to Rule 1-5-2d regarding a change in arm sleeve specifications. The new language, effective with the 2027 season, states that “arm sleeves, whether attached to a shirt or unattached, manufactured to enhance contact with the football or opponent, must meet the SFIA specification at the time of manufacture. Arm sleeves must have a permanent, exact replica of the SFIA arm sleeve seal (meets SFIA specification), that must be visible and appear legibly on the exterior of the arm sleeve.”

The Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), in working with football arm sleeve manufacturers and the NFHS, has developed the new football arm sleeve performance specifications to be effective with the 2027 season. The new specifications closely align with the current NFHS rules for football gloves.     

"One of our responsibilities is to properly respond to advancements in equipment and technology. Through deliberate research, debate and input from the NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) and engineers, we are confident the rule changes regarding equipment are a positive move for our game," said Steve Roberts, chair of the NFHS Football Rules Committee and associate executive director of the Arkansas Activities Association.

In other changes approved by the Football Rules Committee, a new exception was added to Rule 4-3-1 regarding when a loose ball goes out of bounds. Previously, the out-of-bounds spot was the yard line where the foremost point of the ball crossed the sideline. Now, when a forward fumble goes out of bounds or is ruled out of bounds between the goal lines, the ball shall be returned to the spot of the fumble.

Bob Colgate, editor of the NFHS Football Rules Book and director of sports and sports medicine for the NFHS, said the committee made the change because the previous rule potentially provided an unfair advantage to the fumbling team.

The committee also approved a deletion in Rule 10-4-4b which continues the committee’s revisions in the penalty enforcement rules to ensure consistency, particularly among illegal participation fouls.

Finally, the rules committee made a revision in the Six-Player Football Rules that clarifies that as long as there is a change of possession from the snap receiver to another player on offense, the ball can be advanced beyond the line of scrimmage.

A complete listing of the football rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Football.” The print version of the 2025 Football Rules Book will be available for purchase in May at www.NFHS.com, and the digital version will be available in the same timeframe via NFHS Digital at www.NFHS.org. 

Source: NFHS

Multiple contacts by one player attempting to play the ball will now be allowed on second contact if the next contact is by a teammate on the same side of the net. This elimination of a judgment call by officials highlights the 2025-26 high school volleyball rules changes.

In all, six rules changes were recommended by the NFHS Volleyball Rules Committee at its annual meeting January 12-14. All rules changes were reviewed and approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

Rule 9-4-8c was added to the section on multiple contacts, adding second contact to the list of permitted instances, joining a team’s first contact and after a player touches the ball on a block. In addition to eliminating an official’s judgment call, the change allows for play to continue and does not create an advantage for the offending team.

“In addition to the impact this judgment call has had on the flow of the game, the multiple contact fault has consistently been a point of contention between coaches and officials,” said Lindsey Atkinson, NFHS Director of Sports and liaison to the Volleyball Rules Committee. “It is the committee’s belief that the elimination of this fault will contribute to less disputes between coaches and officials and ultimately benefit the overall environment of the match.”

Another major revision involves the addition of Rule 3-2-1 NOTE and the use of a textured ball. Beginning in 2026-27, state associations will be permitted to adopt the use of a textured ball – commonly utilized in boys volleyball – for boys or girls matches. This state association adoption would also remove restrictions on color and shape of panels for a textured ball. Rule 3-2-1 panel color, number and shape requirements for a smooth ball remain.

Two rules regarding uniforms were modified to address undergarments and number placement. Rule 4-2-4 was amended to note that, beginning in 2029, uniform numbers must simply be centered on the upper half of the uniform. This removes the requirement for the number to be 5 inches from the top and bottom of the garment and the need for officials to measure the distance.

Undergarments were addressed in a change to Rule 4-2-1, which now allows players to wear solid black, white or gray undergarments under the uniform top or bottom if the predominant color of the team uniform cannot be matched. However, all team members, other than the libero, must still wear the same color undergarment.

Officials will no longer be required to carry a lineup card as part of their uniform/equipment thanks to edits to Rule 5-3-2b and 5-5-3b(9). The lineup card could still be used by newer officials as a training tool, while veteran officials may use the coaches’ submitted lineup sheets to check the starting lineup.

In a change to Rule 10-4, the penalty for an illegal libero replacement will be determined before or after the contact for serve. If identified before contact, an unnecessary delay is administered. If identified after service contact, an illegal alignment results in a loss of rally/point. Prior to this change, the penalty was determined whether the official had signaled for a serve.

A complete listing of the volleyball rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Volleyball.” The print version of the 2025-26 Volleyball Rules Book will be available for purchase in late April at www.NFHS.com, and the digital version will be available in April via NFHS Digital at www.NFHS.org.

Officials, it's that time again! I'm talking about Spring sports exams! If you are a Baseball, Softball, Lacrosse, or Women's Soccer official, the Spring sports exams will be available on the DragonFly Max website from Monday, January 20, 2025 - Sunday, March 09, 2025 according to the NCHSAA website.

There is a link to the Dragonfly Max exam site at the top of each sports section for your convenience.

This week is Winter Officials Appreciation Week! Join us in thanking SSOA Officials along with over 99,000 high school winter sports officials around the nation! These men and women dedicate their time to making competition a SAFE & FAIR experience for our school communities #becomeanofficial

NO high school officials....means NO high school sports! It's as simple as that! Join us during Officials Appreciation Week in thanking every official for making your game possible! Then, suit up alongside them by signing up to #BecomeAnOfficial today!

We would like to wish all of you a safe and Happy 2025 from SSOA!