Dear Select High School Basketball Officials,

Following the November 14^th meeting of the MIAC, when the post game handshake rule was adopted, Deputy Director Bill Gaine (as executive staff liaison to the MIAA Sportsmanship Committee) was delegated responsibility for the implementation of this new rule.

Unfortunately, in the sport of basketball, the Association has met with noncompliance by MSBOA (the state IAABO executive board), as that board has instructed their officials to defy this sportsmanship initiative, and not remain for the post game handshake.  As a result of this challenge by MSBOA, I, as well as our Sportsmanship Chair Phil Vaccaro, Bill McGuirk (MIAA executive to the Game Officials Committee) and Executive Director Dick Neal have spent hours in discussions, meetings, and corresponding with MSBOA representatives.

International IAABO President Peter Carroll and Peter Webb (a highly respected New England IAABO member and national leader committed to the mission of education-based athletics) participated in one of these meetings earlier this month.  The two had hoped to bring closure to the handshake controversy promoted by the MSBOA.  At that meeting, the MSBOA representatives were able to clarify that their singular issue with regard to participating in the post-game handshake ceremony was lack of liability insurance coverage.  That issue was resolved by the International IAABO President following that meeting, and before the MSBOA Board met three days later.   The MIAA offered to pay the added premium cost to ensure basketball officials are covered during their participation in the sportsmanship post game ceremony. (We previously notified the State board that the MIAA carries tournament insurance for all contest participants, including officials.) It was also learned that IAABO International leadership did not advise officials to refuse to participate in the handshake ceremony.  To the frustration of the other meeting participants, MSBOA subsequently voted to withhold MIAA game officials' enrollment fees and to continue meetings to resolve additional issues! 

The winter game officials' enrollment period has passed.  Our efforts have been unsuccessful, and the lack of outcome disappointing. In fact, last week, MSBOA's representative Bill Miller provided testimony to the Basketball Committee that MSBOA has no respect for the MIAA.  A final meeting with MSBOA representatives Larry Machione and Bill Miller was held yesterday in the MIAA office.  After 4 ½ hours, the State board representatives left us with added requirements that we carefully considered throughout the day today. Of concern to us was the knowledge that the State board would be unable to meet until February 3, at the earliest. Also playing into our decision was the State board demand that a police officer be present at every basketball game, and further be positioned on the court with the officials during the handshake ceremony.  This image promotes the antithesis of the message that the sportsmanship ceremony is intended to convey.  As a result, we have decided to move forward without the State board.

To this end, and in the interest of continuing to provide our student-athletes with quality officials, we invite individual high school basketball officials to enroll directly with the MIAA by executing the following simple procedure.  Please click here for the Basketball Official Individual Enrollment Form.  Do not assume that you are enrolled, because of your affiliation with a local IAABO board. Some IAABO boards have sent us lists of names, with no enrollment fees.  This is meaningless.  Effective immediately, to be recognized as “enrolled” and eligible for MIAA Tournament work, you must enroll individually and through the process identified herein.  Because we think that IAABO officials have already submitted their enrollment fees to their local IAABO Boards, we will not require a "duplicate payment" from you.  Rather we suggest that you request a refund from the IAABO Board, and forward a $6 check to us, once you have been reimbursed. 

We recognize you have officiating commitments to different levels of basketball, but we need men and women who also are willing to make a commitment to the Mission of education-based athletics.  Realizing that the high school basketball season is relatively short, and that you have an opportunity to officiate year round, we simply would like to develop a pool of individuals who have special regard for the high school sport.  From this pool, the Association will make tournament assignments.  So that we can organize tournament officials’ assignments (e.g. do we use two or three person crews?  stagger game times?), we are setting your late individual enrollment deadline at Friday, February 1.  This week should be sufficient time for this opportunity to be received (this message is posted on www.miaa.net) by all who might wish to be considered for tournament assignments.  Please do not enroll if you are unwilling to comply with the handshake requirement.

We are suggesting that basketball officials simply gather at half court and face the two teams as they perform the post game handshake.  Many report that the officials are pleased to be approached by participants to be included in the handshake gesture.  Additional information will be provided to tournament officials in advance of their responsibilities.  Our continuing fundamental commitment is to provide a safe, educational environment for all contest participants and spectators.  Clarity as to expectations or protocols can be readily accessed through MIAA Deputy Director Bill Gaine, who continues to hold executive staff responsibility for implementation of this sportsmanship initiative.

The organizing of high school basketball boards led by the MIAA is the last scenario that the leadership of this Association wishes to see.  Rather, we hope that individual officials will come together in groups that support the Mission of education-based athletics.

We have heard of only positive results from the handshake policy where the officials have remained.  In the other games, we have lost opportunities to enhance the culture of high school sport.  The unnecessary situation in which we find ourselves is singularly in the sport of basketball, and it is simply the result of the leadership of MSBOA, a group with which we cannot make progress.

We encourage your enrollment, and we thank you for any support you provide the student-athletes who will qualify for this year’s MIAA Basketball tournaments.

      For the MIAA Board of Directors,
           James Peters, MIAA President, Principal, Monson High School, and MIAA Basketball Chair

      MIAA Board of Directors
           Barry Haley, MIAA Vice President, and Athletic Director, Concord-Carlisle High School
           Donna Brickley, Athletic Director, Notre Dame Academy (Hingham)
           Mary Carlson, Principal, Marlborough High School
           Dr. Keith Crowley, Assistant Principal, Xaverian Bros. High School (Westwood)
           Michael Deary, Athletic Director, Longmeadow High School
           Roberta Doering, School Committee Member, Agawam
           Sean Gilrein, Superintendent, Dudley-Charlton Reg. School District
           Albert Holland, Director, Health Career Academy (Boston)
           Karl Lord, School Committee Member, Tri-County Reg. Voc Tech (Franklin)
           Ruth Lynch, Principal, Pembroke High School
           Charles Lyons, Superintendent-Director, Shawsheen Valley Tech (Billerica)
           Leslie Murray, Principal, Amesbury High School
           Robert Norton, Principal, Woburn High School
           Timothy Payne, Principal, Mt Greylock Reg. High School (Williamstown)
           Stephen Sangster, Principal, Rockland High School
           Michael Sullivan, Athletic Director, Lowell Catholic High School
           Kevin Turner, Principal, Harwich High School
           Francis Whitten, Athletic Director, Algonquin Reg. High School (Northborough)