Football officials needed

Robert Perea, The Fernley Reporter

As high school football teams began practice this week and are preparing to begin the season August 18, the head of the region’s high school football official’s association is making a plea for more officials.

 Mark Jacoby, president of the Northern Nevada Football Officials Association, said membership in the association is down to about 60 officials, to cover 285 games this season at 30 locations.

“We don’t have enough officials to cover them,” Jacoby said.

Because of the shortage of officials, many games are being played on Thursday nights or Saturdays.

The NNFOA has been the organization providing high school football officials for about 40 years, but Jacoby said membership has dwindled from about 100 officials 14 years ago to the current number of about 60.

Anyone interested in learning to officiate high school football can apply at nnfoa.com. Jacoby said there is an extensive training and mentoring program, to teach new officials each of the five officiating positions.

For 2023, high school officials are paid $73.50 per varsity game and $53 for JV or freshman games, plus travel fees for games out of an official’s home region are 65 cents per mile for the driver and 24 cents per mile for passengers. Officials are encouraged to carpool to out of area games if possible.