Lifetime ban and reinstatement procedures: In some instances, an individual’s actions can be considered so severe and so detrimental to the chapter that it requires a unanimous vote by the BOD to ban this individual for life (what meets the criteria of so severe?). Any individual receiving a lifetime ban may submit a request in writing to the Board for reinstatement, prior to the start of the new season. To be reinstated, it requires a unanimous vote by the BOD to approve reinstatement.
RULES AND MECHANICS INTERPRETER:
This position will be held by an experienced official who will make any rule decisions and interpretation of the rules necessary for proper officiating by Chapter members. This person will be the chapter’s liaison for the rules and mechanics official for both THSBOA and UIL.
RANKINGS – NEW & TRANSFER OFFICIAL(S):
The NTBOA will establish a ranking of 800 for officials who are new to the NTBOA or join the NTBOA as a transfer for the first year. New members & transfers will have the opportunity to improve their rankings after the member(s) join or transfer to the chapter. Once an evaluation has been completed the officials ranking could be changed to as high as 300.
REFEREE EVALUATION & FEEDBACK (REF):
The committee members observing officials shall provide feedback and other information to officials during preseason evaluation opportunities. Committee members shall submit a report containing the evaluations of officials to the Official(s), Assignments Team via Smartsheet. The committee chair and members of the committee shall review and follow the roles and responsibilities.
Evaluation Form: The North Texas Basketball Officials Association will adopt 1) evaluation form for officials’ evaluation. The evaluation form will be finalized and uploaded on the NTBOA website via Smartsheet. Evaluation(s) must be completed and submitted for tracking of officials’ performance. The REF Committee and Observation Committee shall utilize the same form for submitting observations.
OBSERVATION COMMITTEE:
This committee, when performing evaluations will be composed of active and/or inactive experienced members who are available to observe officials in the execution of actual game duties to evaluate the performance of mechanics to aid in the improvement of the individual officials and the Chapter. Observations shall be completed on an Evaluating Tool through the website. Officials, Assignments team shall receive a copy of the evaluation within 1 week after game(s) worked via email. The committee chair and members of the committee shall review and follow the roles and responsibilities.
EDUCATION COMMITTEE:
This committee is charged with the duty of education for all members of NTBOA.
RECRUITMENT & RETENTION COMMITTEE:
This committee is charged with the duty of recruiting and retaining officials for NTBOA.
SCHOOL RETENTION & ONBOARDING COMMITTEE:
This committee is charged with the duty of entertaining the requests for services and retaining schools. Any school that makes an inquiry to the chapter to have their school serviced by NTBOA officials will notify the School Retention and Onboarding Committee within 48 hours of the request. The committee will direct the requestor to complete the chapter Smartsheet School Service Request on the NTBOA website. The committee reviews and confirms the request and submits the request to the Board President. The President will inform the Board of Directors of the school inquiry to complete a majority vote. Once a vote is determined, the school will be contacted with a decision within 48 hours.
THSBOA REPRESENTATIVE:
This position shall represent NTBOA on an annual basis.
DIGITAL MARKETING:
Oversee all digital media & marketing for the chapter.
MEMBERSHIP COMMUNICATIONS:
The members of this committee will be charged with keeping our membership informed of important information and key dates/deadlines.
MENTORSHIP COMMITTEE:
The members of this committee will be responsible for overseeing mentor/mentee relationships.
CAMP COMMITTEE:
The members of this committee will be charged with planning, organizing and facilitating the NTBOA camp.
RANKING APPEALS COMMITTEE:
The members of this committee will review an official’s ranking appeals request. All ranking appeals shall be completed prior to the start of the seasons live games. Officials shall utilize opportunities presented prior to the start of the season to appeal rankings. During preseason opportunities officials shall follow the process listed below:
- Complete the Officials Ranking Appeal Form located on the Officials page of the NTBOA website.
- The RAC will have access to all information pertaining to the officials’ on-court evaluation.
- If the committee decides there will be no change to the current ranking, the committee chair or representative of the committee will communicate this to the official via phone, followed by an email.
- If the committee feels there is validity on court evaluation(s) that may warrant a change in the ranking (increase or decrease), the committee will share their findings with the co-chairs of the REF Committee and Assignments Team. The Observation Committee, The Co-Chairs of the REF Committee, and the RAC Committee Chair will review and discuss the proposed new ranking and make a final determination by a majority vote. No ranking will be changed until all information has been reviewed and communicated to the official(s) in question. The REF Co-Chairs will be responsible for ensuring the official(s) ranking is changed once the decision has been finalized.
- Any RAC member who goes out to observe official(s) shall be compensated the same as the REF/Observation committee.
- Officials may not submit another ranking review request during that same season.
HALL OF FAME COMMITTEE:
Purpose and Membership into NTBOA Hall of Fame:
Our Chapter needs to honor its pioneers and chapter-builders with an honor that goes beyond just a lifetime membership, which is the major award that NTBOA has given in past years. As much as a lifetime membership is a good honor and has a proper place in the levels of awards given by NTBOA, there needs to be greater recognition for those who have spent significant time and energy in building our Chapter and bringing recognition to our avocation. Membership should be exclusive; in other words, there may not (and probably should not) be inductees every year into the NTBOA Hall of Fame. Inclusion in the Hall of Fame should be known as a very exclusive and hard-earned membership.
Role of the HOF Committee:
The role of the Hall of Fame Committee is to select potential new members for the Hall of Fame from nominations submitted by existing NTBOA members, prior NTBOA members or the committee itself. The HOF Committee would generate the nomination form to be used to place names into nomination. A chairperson will be appointed by the President for a term of four (4) years and must be approved by the Board. No NTBOA member may be appointed to more than two (2) consecutive terms as chairperson of the HOF Committee. The chairperson shall select no more than four (4) NTBOA members to serve on the HOF Committee concurrently with the chairperson. The NTBOA members selected for the HOF Committee shall be approved by the Board. The HOF Committee shall have no more than five (5) members including the chairperson.
In any year in which there are nominations for the NTBOA Hall of Fame, the committee will review all nominations and select those nominations deemed worthy of inclusion into the NTBOA Hall of Fame. Those names will be submitted to the Board for final review and approval. By way of illustration, though not an exhaustive list, nominees for inclusion in the NTBOA Hall of Fame should meet the following criteria:
- A referee must be fully retired for three full seasons or, if still an active official, have been an active referee for a minimum of 25 years. That person will then be considered for Enshrinement in the fourth year of retirement or 26th year of officiating.
- Was/is a member of NTBOA (or its predecessors) for a minimum of ten (10) years and, if no longer an NTBOA member, a former member being considered must have exited the chapter as a member in good standing.
- During the period of NTBOA membership of such person, she or he made significant contributions to the growth, development and professionalism of the Chapter.
- During the period of NTBOA membership of such person, she or he achieved significant success at all levels of high school basketball officiating (appeared in playoffs, regionals, state tournaments – UIL or TAPPS or both); and
- During the period of NTBOA membership of such person, she or he served the Chapter and the avocation of basketball officiating in various roles in both the Chapter and beyond.
Once the HOF Committee has selected the nominees for the NTBOA Hall of Fame, the chairperson shall present the nominees to the NTBOA Board for review and approval. The approved new members of the NTBOA Hall of Fame shall be recognized and inducted at the NTBOA end of season celebration and recognition events.
COORDINATOR OF OFFICIALS:
The Board of Directors will select a Coordinator of Officials on a one-year rolling contract. At the end of each year, the Board of Directors will review the Coordinator of Officials’ performance. If they choose not to post the job or make changes to the contract by the end of the business year, then the contract will be automatically renewed for the next year. During April or May, any member who wishes to apply for the position can do so. The board will evaluate each proposal. Any member that wishes to apply must have been a member in good standing for the last two (2) seasons.
The Coordinator of Officials will select Assistant Assignor(s) and upon confirmation from the Board of Directors, the Assistant Assignor(s) shall assist the Coordinator of Officials. If the Board does not confirm that individual, then the Coordinator of Officials shall select someone else until an individual can be confirmed by the Board of Directors. The Coordinator of Officials will be responsible for evaluating each Assistant Assignor(s) performance for the previous year. The performance evaluation and improvement plan shall be presented to the board at the conclusion of each season.
TREASURER/ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY:
The Board of Directors will select a Treasurer/Administrative Secretary on a one-year rolling contract. At the end of each year, the Board of Directors will review the Treasurer / Administrative Secretary’s performance. If they choose not to post the job or make changes to the current contract by the end of the business year, the contract will be automatically renewed for another year. During April or May, any member who wishes to apply for the position can do so. The board will evaluate each proposal. Any member that wants to apply must have been a member in good standing for the last two (2) seasons.
POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST:
In accordance with the state governing body policy, an official shall not officiate a game for any school where:
- They have relatives who are students, players, or employees.
- From which they graduated less than 10 years previously.
- Any member that holds a leadership position with another basketball chapter must disclose this to the NTBOA BOD.
An official that serves in any leadership role (Board Member, Committee Chairperson, Consultant, etc.) in any organization that is in direct conflict with the mission and goals of NTBOA. It is the responsibility of the official to make the conflict known to the BOD. Board Members, Committee Chairperson shall not be permitted to profit from chapter business (camps, trainings, etc.)
VARSITY GAME ASSIGNMENTS:
The Assignments team will make Varsity game assignments using an official’s availability, tier placement, and a scratch list sent to the Chapter by the coaches who have been provided with the full chapter membership roster.
SUB-VARSITY GAME ASSIGNMENTS:
NTBOA officials of all levels will have the opportunity and are expected to support our sub-varsity programs. Assignments are under the direction of the Assignments Team.
SCRIMMAGE ASSIGNMENTS:
The Assignments Team will assign scrimmages to members of the NTBOA. Each member must work a minimum of three (3) scrimmages, and it is the official’s responsibility to ensure they complete three (3) scrimmages in the defined time frame based on UIL’s scrimmage schedule. Assigned scrimmages will be considered a game assignment and are subject to the same attendance requirements as a regular-season game. Scrimmage assignments do not count towards the minimum of fifteen (15) NTBOA varsity assignments needed to work playoffs. Officials are expected to be on hand for the duration of the scrimmage. At least one scrimmage must be worked before you are eligible to call a varsity basketball game. Dual members shall follow the same criteria in order to be a member in good standing. Note: Board Members and committee chairs will only be required to work 2 scrimmages which will be sufficient for the 3 points and requirements.
PLAYOFF, REGIONAL, and STATE GAME ASSIGNMENTS:
NTBOA members who want to work in the playoffs must:
- Be a Member in Good Standing as defined by the Constitution and By-laws
- Work at least fifteen (15) NTBOA varsity assignments. No more than five (5) of the NTBOA varsity assignments may be tournament assignments.
- Make a minimum score of 90% on all required THSBOA tests.
- Not be on probation.
- Obtain 7 Performance Points in the following manner:
- Meeting Attendance – Members will earn ONE Performance Point for each Chapter Meeting attended during the course of the season. The maximum number of points that can be earned in this category is TWO. A member MUST attend TWO meetings, or they will not be eligible for playoffs.
- Scrimmages – Members will earn ONE Performance Point for each Chapter Assigned scrimmage officiated in a season. The maximum number of points that can be earned in this category is THREE. A member MUST participate in at least THREE scrimmages earning THREE Performance Points or they will not be eligible for playoffs.
- Training/Education – Members will earn ONE Performance Point for each Chapter Training/Education Event. A member MUST participate in at least TWO Training/Education Events, or they will not be eligible for playoffs. Training and Education areas are as follows:
- NTBOA Camps for Staff and Campers
- NTBOA Film Sessions
- NTBOA Education, Training, or Program – As determined by the chapter.
- Work a Junior High set of games with a chapter member who is ranked 500 700 and submit a game report via Smartsheets.
- Fulfill the mentor requirements in the NTBOA mentor program.
- No exceptions will be given unless with Board approval, according to need.
The Assignments team will be given the discretion to utilize the total number of points earned as criteria when making playoff assignments. At a time to be announced by the Board of Directors each season, members wishing to be deemed Playoff Eligible must fill out a Playoff Eligibility Worksheet outlining Performance Points earned and must return that form in accordance with the announcement. Once a member submits his/her worksheet they will become playoff eligible if they meet the criteria. Please note that playoff-eligible officials requested by a coach to officiate a specific post-season game will be given priority consideration for that assignment.
Furthermore, the UIL requires each Chapter to provide the UIL with a listing of officials for possible assignment to the Regionals or State tournaments. However, for an NTBOA Member to be considered for Regional and State Assignments, they must appear on the Playoff Eligible List of Officials from the previous year, as well as take and meet the required playoff testing requirements.
The list sent to the UIL for Regionals and State Finals Assignments will be made up of the Assignments Team(1), REF/Observation Committee(1), and three(3) individuals appointed by the President and approved by the BOD. The Chairperson Person of each committee will compile their committee’s list. The committee chairpersons will meet, along with a
board-appointed representative, to compile the list and present it to the elected board for final approval. The THSBOA Rep will then submit the final board-approved list to the UIL. Please note, the UIL is solely responsible for assignments for Regionals and State Finals assignments.
Medical Waiver: Due to personal injury, illness or other medically related concerns, an official can request a medical waiver which would allow the student to petition to be eligible for playoffs, regional and state assignments.
In order to request a medical waiver, an official must send proper medical documentation to the BOD via email and copying the THSBOA representative. Proper documentation should include date of injury/illness etc., expected days of absence and/or expected date of release from medical care.
The request must be submitted within two weeks of the first day of illness/injury/etc.
CHANGES TO OPERATING PROCEDURES:
Any changes to the Operating Procedures shall first be submitted to the Board of Directors in writing. Approval by a majority of the Board of Directors is necessary.
CHAPTER SCRATCH POLICY:
The NTBOA Scratch Policy will be reflective of the current UIL scratch policy.
OFFICIAL’S SCRATCH POLICY:
Officials will not be able to scratch other officials. Officials are expected to work the assigned games with the other officials assigned to that contest.
REFEREE DUTIES:
The Referee will be responsible for holding pre- and post-game conferences with all officials immediately prior to any Varsity Game, when possible, before any sub-varsity game. The referee is also responsible for completing a referee game report on the official’s page of the NTBOA website.
OFFICIAL MECHANICS:
Only officiating mechanics approved by the NFHS, along with Texas exceptions, may be used in UIL games. The Referee is responsible to see that the game officials utilize proper mechanics.
UNIFORM REQUIREMENTS, DRESS/APPEARANCE & STANDARDS:
The uniform worn by members of the NTBOA will conform to that specified in the current year’s Officials Manual and as approved by the state governing body. That uniform consists of:
- THSBOA Jacket (Varsity Only & Excluding Tournaments).
- Black & white vertical stripe “V–neck” shirt with black wide panel and a dye-sublimated American flag on left sleeve and THSBOA logo on right sleeve (all crew members are required to wear identical shirts).
- Black slacks, black socks, black shoes, black belt (if wearing belted slacks-not recommended), black lanyard, and black plastic whistle (Fox 40 preferred).
- Shoes will be mainly solid black except for the shoe brand name.
- Slacks made of denim material or sweatpants will not be worn.
- No exterior drawstrings are allowed on the pants.
Failure to adhere to the uniform requirements for varsity and sub-varsity assignments will result in a written warning for the first offense and then reported to IRC starting with the second offense and could include the removal of schedules and/or suspension.
Each NTBOA member will ensure that his/her hair (including mustache and beard) is neatly trimmed, and shoes and uniform is neat and clean.
All officials will stand opposite the scorer’s table, facing the flag for the playing of the national anthem. If an official is uncomfortable standing for the national anthem they must remain outside the visual confines of the court until the completion of the anthem.
Street clothes worn to/from game sites must be neat and clean. Business Casual dress is preferred. Shorts of any kind, tank tops, and flip-flops are not considered appropriate for wear to/from game sites.
SCHEDULE CHANGES BY OFFICIALS:
All game assignments, made in accordance with an official’s availability as set forth by the official, are the responsibility of the assigned official until he/she is notified by the appropriate Assignor that a suitable replacement official has been notified and has accepted the game assignment. Leaving a message (voice or text) or sending an email to the Assignor to be released from a game by an assigned official does not constitute a cancellation, nor does leaving a message with another party constitute cancellation. Officials must utilize the Schedule Change form on the website to submit any changes. If the change is within 24 hours, direct contact, meaning a phone call to the Assignors, followed by an email and completing the schedule change form, will be the only way to cancel a game or games.
After game assignments are made, officials will be able to turn back 5 assignments without incurring a fine each season. After the 5th turn back, officials will be assessed a cancellation fee of $5 per assignment set. The fine for cancellation of a game assignment within 24 hours of the assignment is $25.00 per game.
If there is a past due balance the official is not eligible to be assignment to any NTBOA games or programs until balance is paid. Should a game cancellation be the result of a game-related injury, or other reason, the Board of Directors may elect to waive the game cancellation fee. An email must be sent to the BOD within 48 hours of the cancellation requesting a waiver. Multiple acts of this nature will result in notification to the Internal Review Committee. The IRC Committee investigation could result in a member not being in good standing. In addition, the Assignments team may remove future game assignments from officials who show a pattern of repeated schedule changes.
GAME CANCELLATIONS BY SCHOOLS:
When schools cancel games and the Chapter is notified, the responsible Assignor will make every effort to notify all assigned officials. If the school does not notify the Chapter of the cancellation 24 hours prior to game time, the school is responsible for a game fee(s) for each canceled game and reimbursement mileage payment to the officials if they drove to the game site. If the official is given a comparable assignment, then no fee will be paid by the school.
If the Chapter fails to notify the officials of a game cancellation, or if the Chapter incorrectly assigned officials to a game, the Chapter is responsible for reimbursement of mileage to the assigned official(s).
REDUCTION OF GAME FEE FOR OFFICIAL BEING LATE FOR A GAME:
Schools served by the NTBOA will pay officials according to the UIL fee schedule. The UIL further stipulates that an official who is late for a game may have his/her game fee reduced by the home school by one-quarter of the fee for each quarter or part of a quarter the official is late. “Late for a game” is defined as not being at the game site 30 minutes before the actual game start time, and on the court, ready to begin play at the scheduled starting time.
FAILURE TO SHOW UP FOR AN ASSIGNED CONTEST(S):
Officials are expected to work all game assignments according to the official’s availability as submitted in Arbiter by the official. It is the responsibility of the official to show up for all assigned game(s) and communicate any changes to their availability to all co-officials, the Assignments Team, and submit turn-back forms, when appropriate. If an official works a game alone due to their co-official failing to show up, the official will be paid according to the Single Official Game Rates listed below.
