Maine high school football officials will collaborate more to address lack of refs
By Larry Mahoney, Bangor Daily News Staff
The assigner for the Eastern Maine board of high school football officials says the different regional groups of officials will be collaborating more this season to address the need for more refs.
Tim Kenney, who assigns officials for the Eastern Maine board, and the assigners of the other three boards in Augusta, Waterville and Portland recently met with Mike Burnham, executive director of the Maine Principals Association, to discuss the officiating shortage and the future of officials, Kenney said
One of the developments is the assigners will be meeting with each other every two or three weeks to discuss the season and their needs. Kenney said this will be the first time the assigners have done regular Zoom chats.
“We are all going to help each other out,” he said.
He noted that if one board is going to have a shortage of officials during an upcoming weekend, they can mention it at the zoom meeting and arrange to have officials from another board fill the void. Boards have been sending officials to help out other short-staffed boards for years.
Despite the low numbers of officials at the moment, Kenney is encouraged by the recent interest shown by a number of prospective candidates.
The regional board has 47 officials and uses five-person crews for varsity games. If there are nine games on a Friday night, they can’t afford to have more than two officials be unavailable.
The lack of officials in recent years has forced Maine athletic directors to move their games around to accommodate the officials, including pushing Friday games to Saturday or playing on Thursdays. Officials have also tried using four officials in a game instead of five and may continue if they have to.
“But that leaves the field unprotected and they are throwing the ball all over the place these days,” said Kenney, who noted that a four-man system would cut the back judge out of the rotation.
The back judge is usually positioned in the secondary so he can monitor receivers and defensive backs.
Kenney is also trying to bring new officials into the mix.
Beginning on Aug. 10, the Eastern Maine board will have meetings every Thursday at the Cohen Middle School in Bangor for officials. Addition to classroom work where they learn the rules, they will be taken onto a field and learn positioning and mechanics.
Jon Perry, a longtime official, will teach the new prospects the rules and proper mechanics.
The meetings will continue for 12 weeks, but, after the first four, officials won’t be required to attend them in person.
The officials will be able to work immediately at the youth and Pop Warner levels, where only three officials are required per game. Officials will eventually move up to middle school and jayvee games later this season, and they could work a varsity game if there is a shortage.
But rookie officials, even those who might land a varsity game, do have to take the National Federation of Football Officials test around the first of November to become certified to do varsity games in the future.
They have to be at least 18 years old, and must purchase uniforms and shoes, which cost around $300, Kenney said.
“The average age of our officials in eastern Maine is 57, so we’re looking for some youth,” said Kenney. “There has to be somebody out there who has played high school or college football who would like to be involved in the game.”
At the high school level, officials receive $92 per game and are reimbursed for mileage.
The Orrington native is in his 43rd year of refereeing football and used to officiate college games at all levels, including games for the Ivy League and Colonial Athletic Association.
He said there are a lot of benefits to being an official including financially and the friendships you develop.
“You make some lifelong friendships,” said Kenney. “And that’s really important.”
Anyone interested in becoming an Eastern Maine football official can contact Kenney at burner3665@aol.com or 207-659-3332.