“I was the parent in the stands yelling.” 

The most rewarding part of officiating isn’t being able to watch a game up close or even be able to be the one to teach the game as a whole to athletes, coaches, and fans alike. According to Mark Diddens, it’s giving back to the community.

“We have a great group of kids throughout our valley that just want the opportunity to play sports,” said fourth-year TCBOA President Mark Diddens who started officiating almost a decade ago when he found himself the parent in the stands yelling about the officiating and did something about it. “Officiating gives you a chance to give back to your community and you get paid at the same time. When I joined the officials association, I gained 100 new friends.”

As the weather starts to change, it means that basketball season is quickly approaching. With it, the question of what the nationwide referee shortage will mean for schools, athletes, parents, and even the officials themselves? The Tri-Cities Basketball Officials Organization (TCBOA) is trying to get ahead of the arc.

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