Matt Vines

When numbers are being discussed in the football preseason, it’s usually by coaches who are talking about their roster sizes and the depth they expect to have at different positions.

But a different number is taking center stage as Louisiana football kicks off starting this Friday for Midsouth Association of Independent Schools.

The number – or lack thereof – of referees and officials.

The Louisiana High School Officials Association says there’s a shortage of qualified officials, meaning that more football games may have to be moved to Thursdays and Saturdays, or in the worst-case scenario, cancelled altogether.

Greg Petrus, the LHSOA Regional Coordinator in the Alexandria area said that of the approximately 1,100 officials that don the stripes statewide, just seven percent are 30 years old or younger.

In contrast, nearly 70 percent of Louisiana officials are 50 years old or older.

Petrus spoke to TV station KALB about the statewide shortage. Coverage has surfaced in the Lafayette area as well, but all associations are experiencing shortages.

Attrition through retirement and retention issues due to fan/coach abuse and work-life unbalance are prime reasons for the shortage.

Officials give up prime nights during the week and on the weekend to work a variety of sports, not just football.

When a shortage for a particular weekend or event occurs, schools begin to look beyond their area for officials. That drives up the cost for pay officials as schools pay extra for longer travel, which could put schools with smaller athletic budgets at higher risk for cancelling games altogether.

The LHSOA is increasing its efforts to recruit new officials and retain them from year-to-year, but they need your help.

To learn about becoming an official, visit lhsoa.com or https://www.lhsaa.org/lhsoa.