Arizona State University Makes Officiating Education a Priority with RefReps Course Integration
Tempe, AZ — July 23, 2025 — Arizona State University (ASU), through its Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions and the Parks, Recreation, and Sport Management program, has announced the permanent addition of a RefReps-powered course, Foundations of Sports Officiating, into its academic curriculum. This milestone comes after two successful semesters of rapid enrollment growth and signals ASU’s commitment to tackling the nationwide officiating shortage with innovative, education-based solutions.
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The course was first offered in Spring 2024 with eight students, taught by Evan Singletary, a college basketball official himself. The concept for the course was developed collaboratively by Singletary and Dr. Eric Legg, an associate professor in the School of Community Resources and Development at ASU, as part of their shared vision to prepare students for careers in sports officiating. By Spring 2025, enrollment had more than tripled. The curriculum, which utilizes the RefReps Officiating Education System, equips students with hands-on experience in officiating mechanics, rule application, and in-game video analysis across a variety of sports.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
“When we first introduced the course, we weren’t sure how much traction it would get,” said Evan Singletary, instructor and coordinator of the program. “But the feedback from students was overwhelmingly positive. They loved the real-world application, the video-based learning, and the opportunity to explore a career path that’s often overlooked in traditional sport management programs. I am happy we were able to make this a permanent offering for our students.”
Evan Singletary officiating a basketball game.
By establishing officiating education as a credit-bearing course, ASU is providing a clear model for how universities can formally support the development of future sports officials. This approach places officiating education on equal footing with coaching, athletic training, and sports administration. Students now have a direct path to develop the knowledge and skills needed to serve the game from a different, vital perspective.
​“ASU is leading by example,” said RefReps Founder and CEO, Kyle Armstrong. “By permanently embedding this course into their curriculum, they’re preparing students, solving problems in their community, and developing a replicable model other universities can implement—creating a scalable solution to the officiating pipeline crisis. We have seen tremendous growth in the university space, thanks to our alliance with the NCAA, and look forward to others following ASU’s path.”
The RefReps system, currently used by thousands of students nationwide, continues to gain traction in both high school and collegiate settings. In Arizona, RefReps’ partnership with Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) helps expand student access to their sports officiating curriculum. ASU’s success may serve as a catalyst for other institutions seeking to develop an officiating education program, or to enhance their sports management, kinesiology, or coaching education programs.​
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For more info about the RefReps Officiating Education System, visit www.refreps.com.
For more info on ASU’s Parks, Recreation and Sport Management program, visit https://degrees.apps.asu.edu/bachelors/major/ASU00/PPPRMBS/parks-recreation-and-sport-management.
ASU students taking the court in the
Foundations of Sports Officiating course.​
