Officials play big role for RecSports programs

The lights shine bright as teams take the field in the intramural flag football championship. Throughout the year, they have proven to be the best and now they are on the field showcasing their skills on IU intramurals' biggest stage. Hours of training and preparation have come down to this one night. No, this is not your usual flag football championship squad -- this is the team of hard-working referees.\nIU's recreation sports program is well respected around the nation, with publications such as Sports Illustrated On Campus recognizing IU as "perhaps the nation's top recreational sports program." The players and the administration at IU RecSports have worked hard to make IU's recreational sports program one of the nation's best, but without referees, there could be no program.\nThis year alone, 245 new officials have signed up to referee flag football, volleyball and indoor soccer. The process to become a referee is a large commitment of time and energy. The only requirement to be a referee is to be a current IU student. No experience is necessary because all new referees have to go through the same training, regardless of experience. Referees have to go to an introductory meeting, a stations training to learn the sport and two nights of practice games. Overall, new referees spend about 10 hours of training before they are able to officiate a real game.\n"Training does not end after the introduction training," said Assistant Director of Intramurals Josh Downing. "Our officials are in constant training from the first game to the last game they ref."\nSo far, the training has paid off. RecSports has not had a serious issue with complaints of the referees other than the usual complaints regarding poor sportsmanship. The future of referees at IU is looking bright with all the new students coming out this year to participate, Downing said.\n"They've been doing a good job. We have a good young crew of referees who should be successful for the next two or three years," Downing said.\nBeing a referee for RecSports has its advantages. The students gain experience officiating sports, make new friends and have a starting pay of $6.75 an hour.\n"Being a ref is fun because you get to have power over people and they respect you," said freshman referee Mason Quick.\n-- Contact staff writer Chris Engel at ccengel@indiana.edu.