CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. — Three weeks out of the year, the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) makes it a top priority for their officials and referees to feel appreciated. During the fall, winter and spring seasons they hold an Officials' Appreciation Week.
"It’s just something that I thought might be helpful in the retention of officials and a little bit with the recruiting," admitted PIAA assistant executive director Pat Gebhart. "Once you become an official, I didn’t want them to take a backseat to our recruiting efforts only. I want to make sure that they are aware that we appreciate everything that they do, everything that they’ve done and hopefully through appreciation weeks like this, many of the schools are able to show their appreciation also."
The schools, athletes, coaches, administrators and even fans are showing their appreciation for just how important officials are to the overall high school sports experience. It's one of a handful of initiatives by the PIAA to retain and recruit new refs.
Gebhart was our guest for this week's Sunday Sitdown interview in the Sunday Sports Frenzy. He discusses why the Officials' Appreciation Weeks are so effective, the residual effect that is raising awareness and respect for the people officiating the contests and other programs designed to help address the shortage of referees across the state.