Training & Certification

NFHS Officiating Courses

NFHS LEARN

ARBITER Sports- Officials Central Hub

National Association of Sports Officials

OFFICIALS SPORTSMANSHIP (BIAS) STATEMENT

Officials will read the following statement before every NJSIAA event at any level (No Paraphrasing):

There will be no tolerance for negative statements or actions between players and coaches. This includes taunting, baiting, berating opponents, “trash-talking” or actions which ridicule or cause embarrassment to them. Any verbal, written, or physical conduct related to race, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or religion shall not be tolerated, and could subject the violator to ejection, and may result in penalties being assessed against your team. If such comments are heard, a penalty will be assessed immediately.

Registration & Certification

NJSIAA MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR REVIEW OF OFFICIALS CHAPTERS

Certification of an officials’ chapter or association is at the discretion of the Executive Committee, which may consider, among other things, the need for a new chapter or association, the number of new officials in the membership of the new chapter or association, and whether the new chapter or association was created as a result of a conflict with an existing chapter or association. In addition, all officials’ chapters or associations must meet the following minimum requirements to be eligible for consideration by the Executive Committee.

  1. The chapter must provide evidence of officiating experience of its membership noting league, conference, or levels of competition and years of service.
  2. The chapter must provide a list of its duly elected officers and membership.
  3. The chapter must provide a copy of its Constitution and Bylaws for review by the NJSIAA.
  4. The chapter must agree to grant the NJSIAA the final authority for testing, training, and evaluation procedures adopted by the chapter.
  5. The chapter must provide an outline of its testing, training, and evaluating procedures for certification of prospective and present members. ALL MEMBERS MUST PASS AN ANNUAL WRITTEN RULES EXAMINATION, AS APPROVED BY THE NJSIAA.
  6. The chapter must agree to comply with all provisions of the Constitution, Bylaws, and Rules and Regulations of the NJSIAA; decisions of the Executive Committee of the NJSIAA; and the tenets of agreements effected by the Officials’ Councils and the NJSIAA.

NJSIAA MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR REGISTRATION OF OFFICIALS

The Executive Committee, at its discretion, may approve the certification or registration of officials and/or officials chapters in all sports, and may establish the minimum requirements for testing, training and evaluating of officials.

I. NJSIAA Registration

  1. All officials must be registered with the NJSIAA via the Arbiter to be eligible to officiate ANY level of high school contests the NJSIAA governs.
  2. All officials must register for each sport each year.
  3. All officials must have paid the appropriate registration fees based on their current level. All NJSIAA payments must be paid through the Arbiter, which includes both the registration and the background check fees.
  4. All officials must consent to a yearly background check and pay the background check fee. The background check is required once a year not per sport. Inactive officials are not required to have background checks.
  5. All background checks will expire in June on the day of the last NJSIAA event regardless of when your background check was submitted.
  6. All registered NJSIAA officials are considered independent contractors and not employees of the NJSIAA.

II. NJSIAA Officials Registration Levels:

  1. Active - An active official is defined as any official that is registered with the NJSIAA and affiliated with an NJSIAA approved officials chapter. The active official must have also successfully completed all necessary requirements of the chapter to which they are affiliated with. An active official is permitted to work all NJSIAA contests at any level. All registered “Active” officials are covered by the NFHS Liability Insurance.
  2. Cadet - A cadet is considered an “official in training” and must be registered with the NJSIAA and affiliated with an NJSIAA approved officials chapter. A cadet is not permitted to work any NJSIAA varsity contest but can work all levels under the varsity level. All NJSIAA approved chapters are required to have a cadet training program and will determine the advancement of their cadets within a set period of time. All cadet training must be completed within 3 years, meaning that upon registering in year 4, the official must be either “active” or “inactive”. All registered “Cadets” are covered by the NFHS Liability Insurance.
  3. Inactive - An inactive official is defined as any official that is registered with the NJSIAA and may or may not be affiliated with an NJSIAA approved officials chapter. The inactive official is not permitted to work any NJSIAA contest at any level. An inactive official will continue to be covered under the NFHS General Liability and Accident Insurance if they choose to officiate any contest other than NJSIAA, Semi-Pro, and Professional levels. In order for an official to become active again, they must complete all requirements for an “active official”.

III. Testing

  1. All candidates and members must pass a National Federation Rules Examination or other comprehensive exam approved by the NJSIAA.

IV. Training

  1. Candidates must align themselves with an approved chapter of officials within ninety (90) days of notification of successfully passing the approved exam.
  2. Chapters must designate a rules interpreter who must attend the NJSIAA Rules Interpretation meeting and who must conduct a chapter rules interpretation meeting prior to the opening of the interscholastic sport season for that sport. Attendance at any NJSIAA Regional Rules meetings for those sports in which NJSIAA conducts such regional meetings shall be mandatory for all members. Chapters are encouraged to hold rules interpretation meetings throughout the respective sport season(s).
  3. Chapters shall conduct meetings at which rules, mechanics, and NJSIAA modifications are reviewed for the in-service improvement of officiating. A member shall be required to attend a combination of a NJSIAA meeting and two-chapter meetings, which totals three required meetings.
  4. Cadet and in-service training programs must be established to insure a high caliber of officiating for the member schools. It is highly recommended that officials who are not of legal age (18), even though they may have obtained varsity game status, be assigned to games/matches/meets with mentor officials who are of legal age (18 or older. Officials who are under the age of 18 may not officiate his/her peer group/high school competitions in any sport.

V. Evaluation and Certification

  1. Chapters shall develop a means of evaluating their members for continuing their memberships in good standing
  2. Chapter secretaries shall furnish the NJSIAA with a list of their members in good standing by the NJSIAA designated date.

VI. Chapter Registration

  1. Candidates must provide at least two references attesting to his/her character.
  2. Registration by the chapter will not be issued or renewed for any adult (an adult is defined as any person 18 years of age or older):
    a. Convicted, or adjudicated with a finding of fault, guilt or violation, in regard to an offense against a minor or any sexual offense unless/until such offense has been reversed by proper authority with jurisdiction over the matter; or,
    b. Convicted, or adjudicated with a finding of fault, guilt or violation, in regard to an offense involving any illegal/illicit drug or controlled substance as prescribed by federal or state law or regulation, prior to five (5) years following the completion of any sentence, parole, or probation period imposed for the offense.
  3. Currently Registered Officials
    a. When a currently registered official is indicted or charged with any indictable criminal offense or charged with a violation of any statute pertaining to minors, drugs or a controlled substance, such license will automatically be suspended, pending resolution of the indictment or charge. Conviction or adjudication of fault, guilt or a violation under any such indictment or charge shall result in immediate and automatic forfeiture of the officiating license.
    b. Currently registered officials must inform the local chapter of any such indictment or indictable criminal charge immediately upon receipt of or upon having knowledge of such indictment or charge. Failure to notify the chapter shall itself be a basis for immediate and automatic forfeiture of the officiating license.
  4. Reinstatement/Reapplication for Registration. An official whose registration has been forfeited, suspended or revoked or an applicant who is denied registration, under the provisions of this policy, may petition the chapter for reinstatement/reapplication based on the following:
    a. If suspension, revocation or forfeiture of registration is based upon conviction, adjudication or finding of guilt as a result of an indictable offense: The official/applicant may petition the chapter for registration one (1) year after the completion of the parole/probation period; other than conviction of illegal/illicit drugs, controlled substance where a five (5) year probation period is used, or immediately upon dismissal or reversal of the charge or conviction (provided the offense was NOT involving a minor or a sexual offense.
    b. If suspension, revocation, forfeiture or denial of registration is based upon any conviction, adjudication or finding of guilt involving a minor or sexual offense, reinstatement/reapplication will not be permitted, unless/until such offense has been reversed by proper authority having jurisdiction over the matter.