Youth football officiating gets help from NFL and NASO

(RACINE, Wis.) — Youth sports football officiating programs across America have received an important educational boost to improve officiating this fall thanks to the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) and the National Football Leagues Youth Football Fund (YFF).

Officiating Youth Sports Football 2003 is being provided at no cost to numerous youth sports programs including Pop Warner Football, Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of America, the National Youth Sports Officials Association, American Youth Football, Jewish Community Centers, Amateur Athletic Union and others.

The popular 16-page publication is created by NASO/Referee. Written by the editors of Referee, the 2003 publication focuses on youth officiating and provides tips and insight on how to properly officiate youth football.

"This program continues to receive accolades from every program participant because it reaches the very core of football development," says Randy Christal, NASO chair. "Providing youth football programs with a positive and educational publication definitely improves the quality of their program. They can see it firsthand."

NASO first introduced the concept to the NFL in 1998. After two years of development, NFL Charities funded the initial 2000 publication. It was distributed to the Pop Warner and National Youth Sports Officials Association members.

In 2001, the program expanded to include other NFL youth partners. In 2002, distribution more than doubled from the previous year.

This year funding came from the NFL’s Youth Football Fund, a new division within the NFL dedicated solely to promoting the development of youth football. Also partnering in the program this year is USA Football, an independent non-profit organization focused on the promotion of the sport at the youth and amateur level. USA Foo9tball has been launched by and received initial funding from the NFL and the NFL Players Association.

If your organization is interested in obtaining the Officiating Youth Sports Football 2003, contact NASO at 262/632-5448.