Chapel Hill, North Carolina — Salary increases for high school sports officials and umpires were unanimously approved by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Board of Directors at their regular winter meeting in Chapel Hill Thursday morning.
Starting January 1, 2023, all sports officials will receive a 10% salary increase rounded to the nearest dollar.
Additionally, the reduced double-header rate for covering two games at one location on the same day will no longer apply. Instead, the officer receives his two his one-game checks, resulting in a higher paycheck. The new policy also creates a semi-annual schedule for reviewing officials’ compensation.
The decision to increase staff salaries comes at an important time for NCHSAA. The association, like the rest of the country, faces severe staff shortages across the state. Shortages led to games being postponed or canceled, and in some cases, schools had to devise schedules to hold games.
During the summer, the NCHSAA formed an ad hoc committee to investigate staff shortages and difficulties recruiting and retaining new staff. The commission conducted a survey of all participants in all sports in North Carolina and found that more than half had considered quitting in the past two years, with sportsmanship and compensation being the top concerns. mentioned as a matter.
Ad hoc committee chairman Steve Schwartz told the board on Wednesday that more than 800 basketball officials statewide are considering quitting their jobs in January. I want a raise, but the 10% increase that the board passed doesn’t quite reach the amount that basketball officials have been asking for.
According to communications obtained by HighSchoolOT this week, basketball officials wanted the next fee increase.
- Collegiate fee per game: increased from $69.50 to $85
- Double Header Varsity Fee: Increased from $105 to $170
- Single Game Junior National Team Fee: Increased from $59 to $80
It is not clear whether the action taken by NCHSAA will be enough to avoid a strike of officials in January. HighSchoolOT has learned that a virtual conference of basketball officials is scheduled for later this month.
The Ad Hoc Commission also asked NCHSAA to involve officials in decision-making in a more direct manner. The Commission called for the creation of a Standing Committee to help address issues relating to refereeing in high school sports on an ongoing basis. We also hope to create a position within NCHSAA to work with staff on staff recruitment and retention.
Although the Ad Hoc Committee did not require officers to vote on the Board, the NCHSAA Officers and Review Board noted that officers had non-voting representatives on the Board. However, if the school wishes to have officers vote on the board, the bylaws amendment must be passed by active members.
NCHSAA also suggests that a focus on sportsmanship will be key going forward, and continues to address staff shortages.