SUWANEE, Ga. -- The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) celebrates our spring sports officials during Officials’ Appreciation Week, April 3-9. Through this initiative, NCAA Divisions II and III will come together to recognize and thank our officials for the important role they play in competition across all sports.
The commitment of SCAC officials and referees to safe, fair and competitive contests is a critical part of the student-athlete experience. Often overlooked and underappreciated is the amount of time, effort and dedication our officials give back to support their sports and our student-athletes.
"No other group is more integral to what we do yet less appreciated than the referees and officials who work our athletic contests," said SCAC Commissioner Dwayne Hanberry. "By participating in this recognition, no one is saying our officials and umpires are perfect – they make mistakes just like our players and coaches do. That said, it is an indisputable fact that officials provide a baseline for fair gameplay that is at the core of everything we do relative to athletic competition. That in and of itself deserves our respect and appreciation.”
Officials' Appreciation Week was also celebrated during the 2022-23 winter season, and will be recognized during the fall 2023 season. The idea of special weeks is one of numerous initiatives that are being implemented as part of the Division III Commissioners Association (DIIICA) Strategic Plan for Collegiate Officiating that was created as a result of the DIIICA’s Strategic Analysis of the State of Collegiate Officiating.
Officiating is at a crisis level due to a declining pool affected by the advancing age of current officials and the lack of interest or incentive among younger populations to enter or remain in the field. The time is now to address this disturbing trend and head off a serious threat to college (and high school and youth) sports. NCAA athletics events cannot be conducted without quality officials, and it is unwise to assume that the problem will resolve itself without a collaborative and collective commitment.
The SCAC hopes to help in their efforts to combat the current officiating crisis. If you are interested in becoming an official, please click on one of the links below to get started:
