> VIEW THE SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Sunday, July 28
1:00 PM – 4:30 PM
GRAND RAPIDS CITY TOUR
Starting with the historic Heritage Hill District, you will visit one of Michigan’s largest and finest concentrations of 19th and early 20th century houses which includes nearly every style. After visiting points of interest downtown, your tour will conclude at the Frederick Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
2013 Sports Officiating Summit Grand Opening
The kickoff for the 31st Sports Officiating Summit begins in the Ambassador Ballroom of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in downtown Grand Rapids. Current NBA Commissioner David Stern will provide a pre-recorded message. Industry-leading keynote speakers will set the tone for Game Assignments: Right People, Right Place, Right Time, the Right Way.
8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Welcome Reception
Directly following the Grand Opening, join us for the welcome reception in the historic Imperial Ballroom of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. Filled with a great mix of hors d’oeuvres, cash bar and networking opportunities, spend the evening with some of officiating’s most notable leaders. The Welcome Reception is included with your registration fee.
Monday, July 29
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM
It’s All About the Assignments
The most complete, authoritative and researched study about officiating assignments ever compiled. The statistics and trends paint a picture for you … a picture of the who, where, what and how of many officiating assignments in the U.S. Each member of this stellar panel brings unique knowledge to the subject. This session sets the tone for the entire Summit program.
SPEAKERS:
MIKE CONLIN (HORIZON LEAGUE)
RICH FETCHIET (CBUA)
MARK UYL (MHSAA)
8:45 AM – 9:30 AM
What Assigners Really Do
Oh, the pleasure and the pain of being an assigner! On the surface, assigning games doesn’t seem complicated. But, before believing that, listen to this group of seasoned practitioners. The demands of the assigning business coupled with the pressure being applied by coaches, schools and the officials themselves rule out this undertaking for the faint-of-heart or those mired in the old way of doing things. Time to step into the brave new world of being an assigner.
SPEAKERS:
BILL CAROLLO (COC, NFL)
JIM CORSTANGE (MHSAA ASSIGNER)
CURTIS SHAW (NCAA BASKETBALL)
JULIE VOECK (PAVO)
9:45 AM – 10:30 AM
How the Pros Make Their Assignments
At first blush, if you aren’t in the pros, you might think this session will have little value. Think again. The pro leagues have invested millions of dollars in assigning architecture. That investment has enabled them to think critically about such things as: overall staff effectiveness, critical-need assignments, vacation/off-day schedules, limits on the number and repetitive nature of assignments, input from the officials themselves, what collective bargaining agreements provide for, the postseason and other plum assignments. A tour de force on assigning.
SPEAKERS:
DEAN BLANDINO (NFL)
MATT MCKENDRY (MLB)
MATT WINICK (NBA)
10:45 AM – 11:30 AM
I Thought I Was Covered: Assigners, Assignments and Risk
So many times assigners, administrators and officials believed they were not in harms way regarding officiating assignments. So many times they were wrong. Not only were they exposed legally; they did not even have proper insurance protection. Not knowing is not a defense. What defines an assigner? Who bears what risk and when? What is the smart way to making and working assignments safely? The leading legal and insurance gurus of the officiating industry talk straight, plain and persuasively on these topics. This is one of the most popular Summit sessions every year.
SPEAKERS:
ALAN GOLDBERGER (LEGAL EXPERT)
DREW SMITH (ASI)
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
The Officiating Industry Luncheon
With each passing Summit the Officiating Industry Luncheon takes on increasing importance. Presentations after lunch by Bob Gardner, executive director of the NFHS and Barry Mano, president of NASO, jointly provide an update of how sports officiating is meeting the new and demanding challenges it faces. The OIL is now the premier “state of the industry” event every year. This luncheon is one of the most attended events of the entire Summit.
1:45 PM – 3:00 PM
Sport-By-Sport Interactive Clinics
Break down officiating to its core in these concurrent sessions covering baseball, football, basketball, softball, soccer, hockey, lacrosse, volleyball and wrestling. Sit with fellow officials and veteran leaders to review video and analyze rules, mechanics, philosophy and hot topics — the nuts and bolts of working your games, evaluating performance and teaching better officiating.
BASEBALL (SPONSORED BY THE UMPIRE SCHOOL)
BASKETBALL (SPONSORED BY IAABO )
FOOTBALL (SPONSORED BY THE FOOTBALL OFFICIATING ACADEMY )
HOCKEY (SPONSORED BY USA HOCKEY )
LACROSSE (SPONSORED BY US LACROSSE )
SOCCER (SPONSORED BY NISOA)
SOFTBALL (SPONSORED BY ASA )
WRESTLING (SPONSORED BY CLIFF KEEN )
VOLLEYBALL (SPONSORED BY PAVO )
3:15 PM – 4:15 PM
Let’s Go To The Video
Get The Play Right — Job One for any official! Each presenter breaks down tape: real plays, real rulings, real analysis. You will feel the pressure, the dynamic of actual game situations being evaluated right in front of your eyes. You get the “insider” analysis of what actually happened — and the aftermath — from the officials who where there on the firing line. Real officiating in real time.
SPEAKERS:
MARC DAVIS (NBA)
TOM RITTER (SEC REFEREE)
RON WINTER (NFL)
Tuesday, July 30
8:00 AM – 8:45 AM
Right People, Right Place, Right Time
Assigning officials might not be rocket science but it does take some mastery. Putting the right people in the right place at the right time is a skill. It does not happen by happenstance. It results from a planned approach. How does an assigner put all the pieces together? How is a balance struck between the obligations of those who “own” the assignment and the requisites of those who fulfill that assignment? Great assigners are unique and they are treasures. From them much is learned.
SPEAKERS:
DONNIE EPPLEY (IAABO)
MARTY HICKMAN (IHSA)
JOAN POWELL (NCAA VOLLEYBALL)
ED RUSH (FORMER NBA VP OF OFFICIATING, COLLEGE COORDINATOR)
9:00 AM – 9:45 AM
Mad About the Media
The title of this session can be taken two ways: that you love what the media is doing with officiating or that you hate what the media is doing to officiating. Either way, what is critical is understanding, accepting and bringing the media into positive focus. The scrutiny of seeing plays again and again is undeniable. Is that changing the way the game is officiated? What role does a spokesperson on behalf of the officials properly play? What responsibilities do the media have in what they present? These and so many more essential questions will be addressed.
SPEAKERS:
JOHN ADAMS (MEN’S NCAA BASKETBALL)
MARK HULSEY (BIG TEN NETWORK)
STEVE JAVIE (FORMER NBA)
RALPH SWEARNGIN (GHSA)
10:00 AM – 10:45 AM
When It’s Time To Go
Emissary or enemy? It can be up to you. Helping officials thoughtfully end their careers creates emissaries rather than enemies. What it takes is what this session delivers. Fresh thinking, skillful positioning and a willingness to think outside the box. A long, vibrant and successful officiating career need not end with a thud or a bang. It can end well. When both parties see the wisdom in this approach it makes “riding off into the sunset” a win-win for all involved.
SPEAKER:
TERRY GREGSON (NHL)
11:00 AM – 11:45 AM
Let’s Hit the Play Button
Great officiating! Roll the tape please! Here we go — always one of the highest-rated sessions of the Summit. Invited organizations and leagues present real calls, no-calls and uniquely handled situations — all with ample video support. We asked each to show outstanding officiating and this session “plays” the plays. Celebrate what has gone right!
SPEAKERS:
MARCIA ALTERMAN (PAVO)
JOE BORGIA (NBA)
TERRY GREGSON (NHL)
CHARLIE OBERMEYER (LACROSSE)
DANA PAPPAS (NMOA)
DICK RUNCHEY (NCAA BASEBALL)
KEVIN RYAN (ASA)
TIM THOMPSON (MSHSAA)
DEB WILLIAMSON (NCAA BASKETBALL)
LARRY YOUNG (MLB)
12:15 PM – 1:45 PM
Lunch Workshops
The Right Way: Assignments By Design
During this workshop, clear thinking, clear directions, leadership and small group participation will, by design, lead to the first ever formulation of “best practices” for the assignment segment of officiating. A tall order, yes, but one, when filled, will provide to every assigner, agency, league and conference a template for improving assignment practice.
State Association Annual Forum
A closed-door meeting for state office executives and staff only. A chance for state association leaders to share ideas and best practices in a variety of topics, including online registration, video training, recruitment, public relations and much more.
Sound Advice
You have questions. You will get answers. The NASO Member Information & Consultation Program (MICP) provides answers to thousands of questions every year. Three areas generate the lion’s share of these questions: legal affairs, insurance coverage and business practice. Topics such as: independent contractor status, assigner liability, game call exposure and board governance.
The Visual Official
Join Dr. Barry Seiller, a leading authority in the field of visual performance and designer of software for athletes at all levels. He and his staff are developing a program to visually improve the consistency and accuracy of the skills involved in officiating sporting events.
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
The Player Safety Mandate: Its Impact on Officiating
To what extent are officials responsible for player safety? That is the core question. When it comes to player safety, there is no “wiggle room.” Officials must err on the side of safety. New rules and stepped up enforcements now bear down on sports officials. Have they been properly advised, trained and supported? Is a little medical knowledge a dangerous thing? What are reasonable expectations? Are officials accepting the new mandate regarding safety?
SPEAKERS:
BOB COLGATE (NFHS)
STEVE SHAW (SEC FOOTBALL)
JEFF TRIPLETTE (NFL, ARBITERSPORTS)
3:15 PM – 4:15 PM
THE “IT” FACTOR
The name says it all. Get an inside look from four of the biggest names in the officiating world. Mike Periera will lead the discussion on what having “it” really means. Don’t miss this all-star cast!
SPEAKERS:
JOEY CRAWFORD (NBA)
MIKE PEREIRA (FOX SPORTS)
MIKE REILLY (MLB)
GENE STERATORE (NFL, NCAA BASKETBALL)
6:30 PM – 9:30 PM
Celebrate Officiating Gala
An event not to be missed. Join us as we celebrate the best that officiating has to offer during an elegant evening banquet. NASO is privileged to recognize the efforts of outstanding people and outstanding calls through the Gold Whistle Award, Mel Narol Medallion and the NASO Great Call Award. Former NBA referee Steve Javie will serve as the emcee.
You’ll feel enormous satisfaction and overwhelming pride in knowing you are a part of the officiating community — while at the same time helping to recognize those being honored.
