Subject:  An Open Enrollment Opportunity through Wednesday, February 13

The Association office has received a sufficient number of recent messages to suggest the advisability of this communication.  It is clear that an increasing number of basketball officials are concluding that MSBOA has been misrepresenting this Association and the substance of their interactions with MIAA leadership.  The MSBOA representatives have alone been responsible for ongoing confusion and unnecessary anxiety experienced by many.

As a result, we are honoring the requests to provide local IAABO boards, or their individual members, a final opportunity to enroll for possible MIAA tournament assignments.  This decision is fair to those IAABO members who have been consistently subjected to a lack of information or misinformation by MSBOA over the last year.  This opportunity also could benefit our student athletes if this offer leads to an increase in the number of officials willing to partner with the MIAA in supporting education based athletics.  We continue to acknowledge that as independent contractors, any official may accept or reject this offer.

Even now, misinformation may be being disseminated by representatives of MSBOA.  To be specific, MSBOA representatives demanded that a police officer be hired for every MIAA basketball tournament event and more significantly, that a police officer flank the officials on the court during every post-game handshake ceremony.  We told MSBOA at the time that nothing could be more inappropriate than an "armed guard" on the floor while we are promoting values of respect and good sportsmanship at the conclusion of an educational activity.  As mentioned in previous messages to many of you, the MIAA mission reflects a commitment to the ongoing promotion of a positive culture and climate at all of our activities.  Our position with MSBOA is unchanged and our commitment to safety and security remains consistent.

Whether reopening the opportunity for enrollment results in additional tournament officials' enrollments or not, the requests to do so seemed reasonable, and in the best interest of our student-athletes.  Yesterday we directed our tournament directors to give every consideration to the 715 enrolled officials who have already provided their support.  That commitment remains unchanged.  This too is a matter of fairness to those men and women, who despite pressures to the contrary, stepped forward to ensure that certified basketball officials would be available to support our student-athletes.

During yesterday's meeting of MIAA leadership and basketball tournament directors, the decision was made to utilize two-person crews through our regional quarter-final rounds.  If this new window for enrollment is productive, then that decision might be reconsidered, which would give more officials a tournament opportunity.

As previously stated, MIAA will no longer interact with MSBOA.  Any MSBOA representative is being removed from representation within the MIAA governance structure.  We do however pledge to work with enrolled IAABO boards to ensure IAABO representation within the MIAA committee structure, while recognizing the importance of representation of other basketball boards.

[Edit 2/12/08]:
After meaningful dialogue with the leadership of IAABO Board 130, the MIAA reaffirms its pledge to establish a meaningful and productive relationship with basketball officials as part of our governance structure and as partners in our mission of educational athletics.  As a result of these discussions, we are now hopeful that the MIAA and MSBOA can meet in the near future to turn our relationship in a positive direction.

Between now and Wednesday (2/13) individual officials may enroll by clicking here.

If a Board chooses to enroll by Wednesday February 13, we can offer this convenience: you may submit a list of your members to us electronically (nbonneau@miaa.net) or by fax (508-541-9888). Each Board submission must be accompanied by a statement that each enrolling official is committed to remain for the post game handshake. Additionally, each submission must include a written commitment to forward the required check within 24 hours by overnight mail - checks not received by 4 p.m. Friday, February 15 will invalidate that board enrollment.

Respectfully submitted,

James Peters, MIAA President, Basketball Committee Chair,
      and Principal of Monson High School
Dick Neal, MIAA Executive Director
Bill Gaine, MIAA Deputy Director and Sportsmanship Executive
Bill McGuirk, MIAA Assistant Director and Game Officials Executive