NASO Summit Will Take on Sportsmanship and Other Critical Issues

(RACINE, Wis.) — Sportsmanship. Liability. Independent contractor status. Accountability. Recruitment. All those topics and more will be covered during the NASO "Sports Officiating 2004" summit conducted Aug. 7-9 in Alexandria, Va., in suburban Washington D.C.

"There is a link between administrators, coaches, players and officials when it comes to enforcing sportsmanship on the field and we’ll explore what we, as officials, can do to improve what is becoming a very bad situation," said NASO President Barry Mano.

The 2004 summit is being conducted in cooperation with the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

"Gathering officials who really care about the future of the profession is important and that’s why a summit of this kind is necessary," notes NASO Chair Randy Christal. "Sharing ideas, gathering facts and developing solutions is what it’s all about."

Regular attendees will notice several changes to the format in 2004. Sportsmanship will be at the top of the agenda, but other critical issues facing the industry will also take center stage at times. Interaction with attendees will be emphasized; so more group discussion sessions are on the agenda.

"We want to get more input from attendees," notes Mano. "It’s important that there be interaction. We want to hear from the attendees what works and doesn’t work in their community."

In addition to the educational sessions, NASO will present its 2004 NASO Gold Whistle Award, conduct its semi-annual board of directors meeting and host another Officiating Development Alliance (ODA) meeting. Members of the NASO board and ODA will have an integral role in many of the summit sessions too.

For registration information and to secure your accommodations at the Crystal City Marriott Hotel — located just a little more than a silver dollar’s throw across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., — contact NASO Summit Coordinator Tina Sagal at 262/632-5448 or visit the NASO homepage at www.naso.org.