Easton School Tackles Youth Sports Officiating Shortage With NBA Referee’s Guidance

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. The program focuses on teaching students at the school the rules, terminology, and officiating skills necessary to call plays at youth basketball games. 

On Wednesday, Oct. 22, 18-year NBA referee veteran Gary Zielinski helped guide the students. He emphasized the importance of understanding game situations and interactions, especially with coaches, to handle conflicts and improve their officiating. 

ABC6 Providence reported that Zielinski officiated more than 1,000 NBA games and 18 playoff games before being named the league's youth and amateur officiating development lead in 2019. Although he is no longer in this role with the NBA, Zielinski now organizes these clinics through a group called RefReps.

"I'm going to give you a foundation, and you're going to build off that foundation, and, hopefully, one day, you'll be the referee you want to be, NBA, college, whatever it may be, high school," Zielinski explained in a statement shared with NewsCenter 5 Boston.

According to a 7NEWS Boston report, Southeastern plans to expand the program over the next several years to include more students. School officials said they want to add training for additional sports as well.

The lack of available referees continues to be a problem across multiple youth sports. In 2023, a survey by the National Association of Sports Officials found that a youth-focused movement was needed. The average age of the officials surveyed was nearly 57. 

According to the survey, poor sportsmanship is partly to blame. Just under 50% of survey respondents reported not feeling safe due to behavior by administrators, coaches, players, or spectators.

“A lot of times you just teach them why they yell,” Zielinski said in a statement shared with ABC6 Providence. “They watch the game different than us. We referee the defense; they watch the ball everywhere. If you don't know that, and they're just yelling, you'd be like, ‘This job is terrible. Everyone yells at you. I must be doing terrible.'”

Students who graduate from the program can be placed through Good Call Officiating Academy, which partnered with Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School to offer the program.