Spotlight on Officials – (Winter 2020)
This edition of the Officials Spotlight is a conversation with Josh Tanking. Josh has been a registered official with the KSHSAA for 24 years and is also the league commissioner for the Big Seven and Twin Valley. Tanking has a unique view of officiating. He is an active official, commissioner/assigner and parent of current student-athletes. Josh has been instrumental in recruiting new officials and contributing to the general administration of officials in Kansas. We thank Josh for his service and taking the time to discuss his story. [ continue ]

Spotlight on Officials – (March 2020)
Most of the time, you probably don’t even notice he’s there. But the official prowling the sidelines of your high school gymnasium isn’t just a zebra to shout angry words at from your spot in the stands—he’s my daddy. And I’m counting on you to be kind. [ continue ]

Spotlight on Officials – (January 2020)
In any given night officials will make an immeasurable amount of decisions on a given night. Certainly, they will want to try and remember pivotal moments to learn from, but how they were hosted at the event will always be something they can recall. Why? Because it is the first and last thing they experience the night of a game. A friendly welcome, maybe a hotdog, and a heartfelt thanks are things that officials will take home with them and tell other officials about. Officials wanting to work your contests is an admiral goal to attain for any school. There are two aspects to keep in mind for both the official and the school administration. [ continue ]

Spotlight on Officials – (December 2019)
Officials know that many good stories start with, “Our crew was driving to our game on Friday….” What follows obviously could cover an array of topics and events, but it typically leads to a good story worth telling. The beginnings of an organization that looks to be impactful on two fronts, for veterans and for member schools, began with a drive to a Friday night game. [ continue ]

Spotlight on Officials – (November 2019)
Many officials set goals for themselves as they begin their avocation. Some wish to make it to the collegiate level or maybe eventhe professional level. Others want to get to “state” and work a championship. Or maybe they just want to keep progressing at their craft and be a solid, respected high school official. For one family, a goal turned into more of a bucket list. This season they ran a Sharpie through a check box. [ continue ]

Spotlight on Officials – (September 2019)
Here is a snapshot of what our numbers have looked like the last two years for registered officials with the KSHSAA. It is no secret our overall numbers continue to drop in nearly every sport. The second chart shows the postseason numbers forlast school year. For example, only 37% of the total registered volleyball officials were eligible to work postseason. [ continue ]

Spotlight on Officials features Brad Hallier – (May 2019)
We’ve seen the videos. They often go viral, and even someone with a marginal use of Facebook or Twitter has probably seen them. The angry soccer mom kicking a ball at, and hitting, a teenage referee.The basketball dad coming out of the stands and hitting a referee. A wrestling dad verbally assaulting a referee on the mat after a match. Folks, it’s going to happen. Maybe not this year. Maybe not next year. Maybe not when your kids are in high school sports. But it will happen eventually. [ continue ]

Spotlight on Officials features Justin Seuser – (February 2019)
Justin Seuser hears it all as the Buhler High School athletic director. He doesn’t judge calls made on the field since his view from the stands is different than what the referees see on the field. Seuser knows firsthand.The 34-year-old has heard those phases and other “four-letter adjectives” as a referee. Seuser said spectators and coaches have even timed walking by him to have the last word as he left the court. [ continue ]

Spotlight on Officials features Ed Mora – (January 2019)
January’s Spotlight on Officials centers on Ed Mora from Hutchinson. Mora has been officiating baseball and basketball for 19 years. This year the NFHS has tried to connect the service industry like law enforcement to the world of officiating. Given Mora’s day job, as you will read below, you can really see how the intangibles needed in law enforcement tie in nicely to officiating. We thank Ed for taking the time to share his story: [ continue ]

Spotlight on Officials features George Ebert – (December 2018)
The 45-year registered official residing in Flush, Kansas took time out of his life on the farm to tell his story as it relates to officiating. Ebert began his officiating career with the KSHSAA in 1974 with basketball, and a few years later picked up football and has been involved ever since. He is very active in the KSHSAA mentorship program and has officiated numerous state championship games in basketball and football. [ continue ]

Sharing My Experience – (November 2018)
Five years ago one of the recruiting efforts started by the KSHSAA was to ask schools to nominate high school seniors for a potential complimentary registration as an official. Each scholarship official is paired with a “mentor” official who will help them with some of the questions they may have about being a new official. This month Keri Pfrang, a scholarship official from 2015, shares her experience. [ continue ]

From Ties to Stripes... – (September 2018)
I was fortunate to be a head basketball coach for 25 years in Kansas; 4 years coaching boys and 21 coaching girls. After the 2014 season, I decided to “retire” from basketball to follow my kid’s college careers on the golf course and pursue some other interests. I had the privilege to coach many great student-athletes. [ continue ]

Love for Game Turns Former Athletes into Refs – (December 2017)
Almost everyone who becomes a referee is a former athlete looking to give back to a game he still loves. It’s no different for Marysville Sports & Recreation director Brian Fragel, bank vice president and loan officer Jeff Bartels, probation officer Chris Denner, NAPA parts manager Trent Becker, elementary principal Jason Wheeler or Snap-On Incorporated franchisee Robert Eck. [ continue ]

Shanline Calls A Fair Game – (November 2017)
Guys involved with sports like being on the field and playing the game. Zach Shanline is no exception. He likes playing on the Pratt High School basketball and baseball teams. But he has found another way to participate in sports. Shanline is a game official. [ continue ]