CBOA, NASO Partner for Five-Year Agreement

RACINE, Wis. — The National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) and the California Basketball Officials Association (CBOA) announced a five-year agreement in which California basketball officials receive NASO benefits and services as a part of belonging to CBOA.

“The partnership between CBOA and NASO is a direct result of the vision and determination of the CBOA board of directors,” stated Barry Mano, NASO founder and president.

With the plan, CBOA’s nearly 4,000 members will receive books and other publications customized for them. That includes CBOA members-only editions of Referee magazine and It’s Official, the CBOA Membership Handbook and the NFHS Preseason Basketball Guide. Trainers will receive the CBOA Instructor’s Manual. CBOA members also receive the NFHS Basketball Rules By Topic, NFHS Basketball Simplified and Illustrated and access to NASO’s exclusive Legal Information and Consultation Program (LICP).

All of the CBOA’s units are now enrolled in NASO-ON and are eligible for NASO-ON’s insurance, and receive publications and other benefits provided to local associations. NASO-ON member associations receive a members-only website; access to answers to legal issues; an index and archive of current and past must-have Referee articles on issues such as administration, assigning, finances, group policies, membership, education and training, evaluation and rating, recruiting, meetings, communication and discipline and rewards.

“The agreement allows CBOA to move its instructional program forward,” said Bill Gayler, CBOA president. “It puts us at the forefront of all state organizations. The insurance coverage is second to none and the partnership with Referee magazine allows our program to advance.”

Mano added, “NASO is proud to be affiliated with CBOA and we believe that together the two organizations can not only help CBOA realize its full potential in serving its members better, but to also help NASO in its mission to assist large groups of officials with educational materials, insurance protection, legal information, web support and customized benefits and products for each organization. This really will be a case of one plus one equaling three.”

Originally known as the Southern California Basketball Officials Association, CBOA was formed in the Los Angeles area in 1918. Until 1958, the association served only Southern California. But with officials from outside that area expressing interest and with existing members moving to other parts of the state, the organization recognized a need to open its doors to a wider constituency. That led to the formulation of local affiliated units, which provided some local autonomy. So long has the CBOA’s reach become that the current membership includes officials from Hawaii and Nevada. The name was changed to CBOA in 1987. There are currently 38 CBOA units.

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