Premier Sports Officials Association

Mission:

Premier Sports Officials Association (PSOA) guarantees that each official will promote professionalism, sportsmanship and uphold the integrity of the game. Through training, developing, and evaluating, PSOA will provide the best officiating service to the Greater Midwest area.

History:

PSOA was created by Sean Johnston in 2010 for the purpose of making the sports officials in the Omaha community more accountable, educated, and quality in nature for the players, coaches and spectators of the sport. In PSOA’s first year there were a total of 47 umpires and one main organization we assigned for in baseball. In the second year PSOA was contacted by three more organizations to assign baseball umpires. In the second season we grew our umpire staff to 85 and we tripled the amount of games we assigned. Starting in the third year as an association we entered into the basketball and football market of sports officials. This transition allowed PSOA to spread its culture of commitment, integrity, love, control, passion, and confidence to more sports officials and those we service. In 2016 we were asked to assign sports officials for the sport of Softball. Year after year different teams, organizations, and schools keep contact PSOA to assign their sports officials. Currently we have 550 sports officials and assign over 10,000 sporting events on a yearly basis.

Education:

What makes PSOA different than any other organization is the emphasis of training we offer to our sports officials. This education process has different levels and different formats to give all officials an opportunity to attend and learn the rules, mechanics, philosophies and signals for the respective sports. Below are all the educational opportunities we hosted in 2018.

Baseball:

  • Baseball Orientation Meetings (3)
  • Baseball Rules Meeting (6)
  • Baseball Live Plate Mechanics (4)
  • Baseball Live Base Mechanics (4)
  • Baseball 4 Hour Training Sessions (8)
  • Baseball Rules Discussion Meetings (7)
  • Baseball Weekly Bulletins (12)
  • Baseball Advanced Three Person Clinic (June 17th – June 21st)
  • PSOA / Wendelstedt Umpire Clinic (Nov. 16th – Nov 18th) link the flyer to the name?

Basketball:

  • Basketball Orientation Meeting (2)
  • Basketball Rules Meetings (4)
  • Basketball Live Two Person Training (2)
  • Basketball Live Three Person Training (2)
  • Basketball Weekly Bulletins (12)
  • Advanced Three Person Clinic June 22nd
  • Advanced Three Person Clinic July 20th – 22nd)

Football:

  • Football Orientation Meetings (2)
  • Football Rules Meetings (6)
  • Football Live Observation (2)
  • Football Jamboree (June 2nd – June 5th)

Recruiting:

In America there is a shortage of sports officials. Looking at many studies and talking to other supervisors and assignors in other parts of the country we have identified the hurdles officials have to get started in sports officiating. Our first hurdle is to recruit and give people the opportunity to officiate games. Our number one way to recruit is invite family and friends. People want to work with those they know and trust. Officials who recruit a new sports official and that new recruit works a certain amount of games the recruiting official will receive a bonus!

Uniform:

PSOA offers an equipment assistance program where PSOA pays for new equipment and gear for new officials. Once the new official starts working games they pay off the equipment through game fees. 50% of the game fees goes towards the equipment the other 50% goes to them. Once all equipment is paid off they start receiving full game fees for games worked.

Training:

PSOA offers classroom style training, hands on training, and observational training where we go and watch other officials work games. This introductory training is all free for the sports officials that are part of our membership. For football, basketball, and baseball we then offer an advanced clinic to help officials learn the advanced mechanics to advance to the next level of their perspective sport.
Observations: Once each season starts we have a goal of seeing every one of our officials work to provide feedback in person what they are doing well and what they can do to improve. Veteran officials are the best tool for this. We have found that once the Veterans start teaching

Mentorship:

Once officials have joined PSOA and have started working games and show interest of remaining as a official the last step to success is finding a mentor. This is a person a new official can call for any reason. Rules, mechanics, handling situations, guidance on how to move up. This relationship is vital for honest and open communication and support in a hard-officiating world.

Scholarships:

There are many reasons to officiate, love for the game, stay involved in a sport, make additional income, and in this case challenge. Officials who want to work professionally or NCAA games must have proper education and opportunity. Our scholarship program allows for selected officials to attend professional training schools, clinics, seminars to help advance to the highest level of the avocation. Last year we awarded $3,000 to 6 sports officials to attend a national sports officiating clinic or school. What we see these sports officials due is attend these clinics learn, gain experience and knowledge then spread the information throughout our entire staff.

Accomplishments:

PSOA currently has seven professional baseball umpires, 65 sports officials that currently work at the NCAA level, relationships with MLB umpires, NFL officials, and Big Ten supervisors, Big XII supervisors, and a network of friendships from all around the country to provide guidance and leadership to our membership. To see the many connections visit our sports officials clinics to see the list of instructors that have instructed and will continue to instruct at our advanced clinics.