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Expert: - 10/17/2004


Question
Vic,

I love the game of football.  Always have and always will.  How can I get started officiating youth football for my city?  I've browsed NASO's website as well as CIF's, but no where can I find course schedules or officiating workshops.  Please help me.  I'm a resident of Redondo Beach, CA.

Dr. Gerri Alston Meggett
Faculty, University of Phoenix
Southern California Campus

Answer
Dear Dr. Meggett

I hope yu were able to attend the CFOA South Bay unit meeting.  I spoke to the Long Beach Unit and they have ended their meetings for the season (with the exception of Play-off meetings).  Their new officials class starts next August - as do most of the local association meetings.

Good luck and if I can be of further assistance please contact me.
Victor C. Winnek
VicWinnek@yahoo.com
Dr. Meggett,
Thank you for your question.  If youth football is the only level you seek to officiate then there are two routes you can take.  The first is by contacting your local city's Department of Parks and Recreation and ask if they hold instructional classes.  The other avenue is to contact one of the California Football Officials Association's  (CFOA)  local units for instruction.  This is the best route and you are more likely to get assignments for Pop Warner, Junior All-American and high school than you would by going through a city's Parks & Rec. department.  All high school, college and professional officials get their start from associations like the CFOA.  Ther CFOA is known for the best instruction in the country and produces more NFL officials than  any other football officials group.

Since you live in Redondo Beach, I would suggest you contact the South Bay Unit (they meet at Redondo Union High School) on Tuesday nights; or the Long Beach Unit (they meet at Bellflower high school on Tuesday nights.)

You will want to contact 1) Jay Belshaw, Don Taylor or Ken Smotrys of the South Bay Unit.  2) Russ Findley of the Long Beach Unit.  I do not have their phone numbers with me at the present but I will send them to you within the next few days.  You can call the Redondo Union High School office and ask for Mr. Greg Fucci (pronounced Fu-chee)[he is a high scool & college official and the South Bay's former instructional Chairman] and ask him about joining the south bay unit.

It is a bit late in the season, as the "New Man's" new officials class starts in September.  The last instructional meetings are usually around the first week of November.

Hope this helps.

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Vic Winnek

Expertise

Will Answer all queries RE: Rules of Football - NCAA & Federation; Officiating; Instruction on Football; Mechanics & application of rules; Setting up Instructional programs and clinics for: Officials, coaches and media; Liability Issues (Legal & Insurance questions)arising from coaching, playing, refereeing, product liability. Serve as an Consultant and Expert Witness in Football Related Matters in Tort and Contract (Standard of Care for: officials, coaches, players, assignors, BOD; Player, equipment, field & stadium Safety; Fee issues, independant contractor workers compensation. History of the College football game -its evolution. MY PURPOSE IS TO INFORM & EDUCATE FANS, MEDIA, THOSE INTERESTED IN FOOTBALL ABOUT: THE RULES, THEIR APPLICATION, PHILOSOPHIES; OFFICIATING; LEGAL ISSUES INVOLVING FOOTBALL. I WILL NOT RESPOND TO BASHING OF TEAMS, COACHES OR OFFICIALS. I will not dignify rude or disparaging comments with a response, nor entertain questions that use profanity or questions that suggest Football officials are corupt, such an insinuation is ridiculous and ludicrous.

Experience

24 years officiating High School & College football, NCAA Referee, Umpire, Back Judge & Line Judge 2 years Arena Football-substitution official Instructor of NCAA & Federation Officials, Played prep and college football; coached High School football; Athletic trainer; 23 years of instruction in Officiating Football

Organizations
Past President of Calif. Football Officials Assoc; Western Collegiate Football Officials Assoc.; CFOA-Long Beach Unit Board of Directors CFOA-South Bay Unit & Long Beach Unit, Pres. Executive Council of Calif. Football Officials Assoc.; CIF Presidents' Council on Officiating; Chairman Ethics Committee

Publications
Referee Magazine; California Football Officials Assoc. Instructor's Guide; NACC Div. 1-AA football officials' clinic; CFOA instrutional materials; Articles written: Line of Scrimmage mechanics, Forward Progress, Side Line Warnings, 2006 NCAA New Timing Rules; various instructional materials, UWLA Law Review

Education/Credentials
BA USC 1987
JD UWLA School of Law 1996
3 Years Reno Football Officials Clinic
4 Years UCLA Football Officials Camp Big 12 Mini Clinic NFL Grass Roots Clinic Aloha Clinic, Honolulu, HI West Coast Alliance Clinic

Awards and Honors
NCAA Div. 1 FCS & Div. III, 9 post season Bowl Games, play-offs, CIF Div. 1,2,3,5,8,9,10,12 Final, 10 years CIF Semi-finals, 19 years of CIF play-offs, California State High School Football Div. 1 Championship, Southern California Jr. College Championship, NCAA Div. III Semi-Final

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