"The NFHS, in partnership with RefReps, is proud to announce the release of NFHS Digital 2.0, a major upgrade to the NFHS Digital platform designed to make rules publications, case books, guides and officials resources easier to access..."

"Currently, the IHSAA's Ref-Reps program is helping to address the shortage. The program is available at about 60 schools across the state, allowing high school students to learn officiating skills and offering free certifications..."

"Changes are under way to recruit officials for

recreational and school sports, and make sure they

are treated better on the field...A company called RefReps developed a curriculum for schools to train high-school students to officiate games..."

"As states across the country continue to fight against a shortage of officials, one program is making a difference. After launching in 2022, the RefReps program has grown to over 1,000 school and organizations..."

"When students enroll for Fall 2026 classes at Great Bend High School, they’ll find a new opportunity for the classroom and the court – an introductory sports officiating course powered by staff experience and RefReps..."

"Zielinski explained that high school students with access to a RefReps curriculum training program have a significant advantage over others in finding good refereeing work as newcomers to the field..."

"As schools across Central Texas and throughout the state deal with referee shortages, one high school in Killeen is helping students become referees..."

"Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School recently began offering a five-week after-school pilot, providing training to students to become basketball referees..."

"Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School celebrated the launch of its new sports officiating pilot program Wednesday..."

“I feel like if the program can produce a couple officials from each class, then it is an overall success and a helpful step towards solving the official shortage problem.”

"The IHSAA in an effort to not only expand its pool of officials, but broaden each individual’s knowledge, is working with RefReps, which offers comprehensive online officiating education..."

"...We feel the RefReps curriculum is a great resource for schools to use as they help develop the next generation of officials..."

"The school partnered with RefReps and the MIAA for the curriculum. The lessons are all based on the NFHS Rules. The students spend one week in the classroom and the following week on the..."

"RefReps has been designed to help the national shortage of sports officials and covers numerous sports. Sundance students had the opportunity to help officiate lower levels (non-varsity) this..."

"(RefReps) is a good online tool to learn the basics of officiating and it’s available anytime, so in addition to being available to use within schools, it’s also available for adults who otherwise...”

“'The KHSAA is excited to partner with RefReps as a strategy to help promote our mission to address the shortage of licensed officials across Kentucky,' said KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett"...

"This recent development can be attributed to a multitude of issues, many of which truly reared their ugly heads during the worldwide pandemic. Now the MIAA is attempting to combat the problem..."

"Armstrong said more than 19,000 new sports officials have gotten their start with RefReps, but a case can be made the impact has been bigger."

"A new sports officiating class at Olympia High School in Orlando not only offers students a career path, but it also helps supply the referee shortage. The class is the first of its kind in Florida!"

"The program uses the RefReps Officiating Education System, an online education platform that employs virtual reality-like scenarios, to allow students to engage in decision-making..."

"The Georgia High School Association has announced a new partnership with RefReps, an innovative education technology company focused on sports officiating education. The goal of..."

"The Ohio Department of Education has announced that it will now recognize a sports officiating license issued by the Ohio High School Athletic Association as an Industry Recognized Credential..."

"Game time is as little as a week away for high schoolers in Kansas and Missouri. The first high school football games kick off next week in Missouri and the week..."

"Over the last 50 years, the average age of sports officials has gone up, and more recently, a severe shortage has gripped the profession. Through the revolutionary delivery of online education system..."

"TAUNTON-- It's often said to be the best, you need to learn from the best. Luckily for the students enrolled in Taunton High School's sports officiating class, they received just that..."

"Rossford is not the first — Eastwood and other schools have been offering the classes since last year when the Ohio High School Athletic Association began partnering with RefReps..."

"At a time when demand is outpacing the supply of officials in Kansas and other states, Maike emphasized the importance of positive communication between coaches and those..."

"Alongside the NFHS, we’ve created a powerful technology platform for the future of officiating and rules knowledge across all sports."
— Kyle Armstrong, RefReps Founder and CEO

“This opportunity provides a viable way for schools to offer ‘Intro to Sports Officiating’ to students during their curricular day as an elective course.”

Quite a few of our high schools in Ohio offer an officiating class during the school day as an elective," says Tim Stried of OHSAA. "There's a company we've partnered with called 'Ref Reps' that has online curriculum. 

"RefReps uses point-of-view video and interactive lessons to put students in the role of an official. The program operates in more than 1,250 schools across 47 states..."

"To address a lack of officials that emerged during the pandemic, RefReps launched a pilot program in 2022 with the Indiana High School Athletic Association, seven schools and 79 students..."

"The Kansas State High School Activities Association has partnered with RefReps to offer courses for the past few years, and Director of Officiating Services Scott Goodheart said it’s made a big difference..."

"The Kansas City Chiefs and RefReps, the leader in sports officiating education, announced a new collaboration to grow girls FLAG Football in Kansas City..."

"'There are many ways referees are recruited,' Pappas says, 'including a high school curriculum called RefReps that teach kids what it is to be and what it means to be a referee...'"

"In collaboration with the Texas Way, RefReps created a new series for fans titled: You Make the Call. These videos will ask you to place yourself in the shoes of the official responsible for making the call..."

"NFHS Begins Agreement with RefReps to Assist with Education Content for Officials..."

“We want to ensure that high school leaders have easy and reliable access to playing rules and resources, ultimately leading to a better game experience for the millions of student-athletes..."

“Officiating provides so many life skills that are great attributes: time management, conflict resolution, following rules, regulations and decision making.”
— Scott Goodheart, KSHSAA Director of Officials

“'This is a great opportunity for kids. When they are in college, they can be an umpire or a referee in a sport they love,' he said. 'They learn how to do sports statistics, operate a contest’s timing...'"

"Nationwide, the average age of officials is nearing 60 years old, this is why on Tuesday, the South Dakota High School Activities Association announced a new partnership (with RefReps)..."

“'The OHSAA has gone away from in-person classes which poses a challenge for new sports officials getting started,' said Brian Ladner, BHS Health/PE teacher who’s instructing the class..."

“The first is that it provides students an opportunity to become officials, which will hopefully help with the officiating shortage. Secondly, being an inner city school, it gives our kids an opportunity...”

“For many students, their athletic career ends after they leave high school. This gives them the opportunity to continue with the sport they loved.”

“Over the last several years, there has been a decline of sports officials across the country. I recently read that in the last few years in all high school sports, over 50,000 officials have stepped away,”

"With the assistance of RefReps Officiating Education System, Auch and Wiebers developed a plan to help college students become more employable and gain skills they may not..."

"The Ohio Department of Education has announced that it will now recognize a sports officiating license issued by the Ohio High School Athletic Association as an Industry Recognized Credential, which..."

“'This first-of-its-kind exhibit will challenge visitors to ‘make the call’ just like the officials in high school, college and pro basketball do around the world every day,' according to a news release."

"RefReps has been endorsed by Peyton Manning, the National Federation of State High School Associations, and 32 NFHS member states. The program is one way sports representatives..."

"The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and RefReps have entered into a three-year agreement in which RefReps will be recognized as an education content collaborator..."

"The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and RefReps are teaming up to let you make the call on some of the most interesting plays in basketball..."

"Since RefReps launch in 2022, 42 states including South Dakota are teaching RefReps courses. That’s translated to over 19,000 new high school officials. Its one of kind “point-of-view” approach..."

"The LHSAA recently formed a partnership with the LHSOA, the NBA Referee Operations Department, the Junior NBA, and RefReps that will help identify and enroll potential young-adult..."

"Flour Buff ISD announced Thursday that it's officially starting a new course... on being an official. The district is starting the elective class in the fall for both juniors and seniors. Flour Bluff..."

"RefReps implementation specialist, Trey Zabona, speaks to attendees during the Southern Nevada Officials Association open house at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters"

"Friday morning, students were given an on-court clinic from former NBA official, Gary Zielinski himself. He's officiated more than 1,000 regular season games, as well as 18 playoff games with the NBA"

“Of course, we can’t have the sports without having the officials.”
— Darrell Lane, GHSA Associate Director of Basketball

"Since 2023, Buhler High School has offered a sports officiating class, “Ref Reps,” as part of its course offerings. Jeff Comer is in his second year teaching the course and said it relies on an online program..."

"The program is designed not only to teach rules and mechanics but also to prepare students for certification and paid opportunities in officiating — not just as a side-gig, but as a potential career..."

"Fewer people are signing up to be officials, something Tilgner is trying to address through his Sports Officiating Class at Northwestern College. They can take it in a variety of sports and go through the RefReps program..."

"The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has partnered with officiating education platform RefReps to upgrade its NFHS Digital 2.0 platform designed to make rules publications, case books, guides and officials..."

"To help address that need, Williams plans to bring officiating into the classroom. Starting next fall, DPS will launch a new sports officiating course at Denver East High School..."

"The Indianapolis Colts and RefReps, the leader in sports officiating education, today announced a new collaboration to grow girls flag football in Indiana..."

"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..."

"Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School in Easton has launched a new five-week sports officiating pilot program to address the shortage of youth sports officials..."

“For the last two years, RefReps has helped over 30,000 people across 43 states gain certification as licensed sports officials.”

"At the beginning of the school year, Taunton athletic director Mark Ottavianelli and community liaison Chris Green were scrambling to find officials for high school games yet again"...

“'The reason this all started was our community liaison, be noticed the lack of officials and the shortage of officials so he said why can’t our kids learn how to do this and then become officials.'"

"The referee shortage is felt across the country. In Kansas, the new man in charge of trying to recruit officials for high school sports is working to overcome that challenge (with RefReps)."

"In this second episode of our RefReps series, we visit with Leeanna Meador, Principal at Tipton High School, and talk about what they are doing with the RefReps program and how it has impacted..."

"...This is work force development and instant employability..."

"Boardman High School senior, Braeden Pugh, is an example of a program to bolster the declining ranks of sports officials. Pugh won a new $500 grant from RefReps and a group called ‘Save Our Sports'..."

"Because of the need for younger assistance, the WVSSAC has lowered the minimum age requirement to 16 for youth sports at middle school levels and below. With the new age requirement, comes..."

“'We are thrilled to partner with RefReps to bring to schools the opportunity to offer officiating courses,' IHSAA executive director Tom Keating. 'The potential of this program to recruit young...'"

"Whistle blowers: USD students learn basics of officiating to combat ref shortage..."

"'There's a huge shortage across the country and a lot of people are getting out of this because of the factors. Without the officials you don't get to play the games, and there's been...'"

"The IHSAA in an effort to not only expand its pool of officials but broaden each individual’s knowledge, is working with RefReps, which offers comprehensive online officiating education..."

"Pugh is one of the first winners of the award from RefReps and a nonprofit group called “Save Our Sport.” According to the RefReps social media page, Pugh and two other grant winners..."

"'This class was such a great opportunity to grow and learn, it’s a great program and didn’t take long at all,' sophomore student Maya Lopez said after of the class. 'I can’t wait...'"

"Now, Buhler students are learning so they can someday help to fill some of the voids where refs, umps, statisticians, line judges and other game day support are needed. Torgerson just..."

"'I love the fact that Taunton has this class and that they're working with RefReps. It's fantastic and I wish it was something that was implemented across the country.'"

"The Indianapolis Indians hosted itss last home game of the season Sunday night. Whiile most fans were focused on the players on the field, one organization at the game was focused on..."

"To meet that challenge, the association hopes to recruit more officials through a program called RefReps and getting the administrators at member schools to take a stand against ..."

“'We’ve seen that, especially in rural areas. It’s harder because there’s not as many officials in those areas,' Kristina Sage assistant executive director for the South Dakota High School Activities..."

“Until you’ve seen the game through their eyes, you can never imagine just how hard their job really is!”

— Kyle Armstrong, Co‑founder & CEO, RefReps