The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) has taken a major step to support those who make high school games possible long before the opening whistle.
Through NASO’s group membership program, all 215 OHSAA assigners have been enrolled as NASO members, gaining access to the Sports Officiating Security (S.O.S.) Program and other member benefits.
Assigners occupy a crucial but often unseen role in officiating. Managing rosters, scheduling contests, and mediating between officials, schools, and leagues are all key services that assigners provide. With that responsibility comes potential exposure to disputes and claims, particularly as expectations and scrutiny continue to rise across high school sports.
“We felt it was important for assigners to have insurance for the job that they are doing,” said OHSAA Manager of Officiating Charles Anderson. “Most assigners don’t make enough from doing this job to cover expenses should they be sued for whatever reason. We found that most of our assigners did not carry insurance for this, nor knew that it existed. We wanted to provide some peace of mind for these individuals as they continue to do this work.”
Through NASO membership, each assigner receives up to $100,000 in Game Call and Assigners’ coverage as part of the S.O.S. Program, protection that addresses claims arising from alleged assigning errors or omissions, even when no bodily injury is involved. Members also gain access to NASO’s Member Information and Consultation Program (MICP) for guidance on officiating-related issues, including initial legal consultation and referrals if needed.
“We are excited to support the Ohio assigners group,” NASO President Bill Topp said. “Our unique insurance coverages and industry-leading support staff will help professionalize and protect an important and often under-recognized segment of officiating. We thank the OHSAA leadership for their commitment to its assigners and to NASO.”
The agreement positions Ohio as a leader in assigner support, extending NASO’s comprehensive protections to a community whose behind-the-scenes work keeps games staffed and schedules running smoothly.
Every individual NASO membership protects assigners in the same way, and other groups interested in adding all their assigners to NASO, like OHSAA has done, can contact Ken Koester at kkoester@naso.org for more information.
