PROBLEMS ISSUES RECRUITMENT RETENTION SPORTS OFFICIALS

Recruitment and Retention of Sports Officials • 2004The key recommendations of the study were that:• Sports should attempt to build a stronger and more positive public imagefor sports officiating.• Sports should adopt a tough stance on abuse that moves beyond thebanter of the game.• Sports at all levels should be encouraged to increase their recognition ofofficials.• Sports at all levels should shift from stand-alone to integrated structures inrelation to sports officiating.• Clearer and more transparent career paths should be developed andcommunicated.• NSOs and SSOs should be encouraged to develop and implement reliablesystems to monitor the recruitment and retention of sports officials.• Performance evaluation systems and resources should be reviewed toensure that officials at all levels receive regular and appropriate feedbackon their performance.• NSOs and SSOs should be encouraged to appoint officials’ coordinators atassociation level.• Sports should consider adopting more flexible approaches to the rosteringof officials.• Sports should develop opportunities for experienced officials to ease intoretirement.• There should be formal recognition of prior learning to enable experiencedofficials to make the transition from sports official to officials’ coach orcoordinator.• Training for officials should be designed to include hands-on conflictresolution sessions and coping mechanisms for dealing with the trauma ofabuse.• Coach and player education should include modules on working with sportofficials to minimise incidents of abuse.• Training and accreditation opportunities for rural and regional officialsshould be provided in locations other than major metropolitan centres.Griffith University • Griffith Business School • Cuskelly & Hoyeiv