New Members
IAABO Board 31 is always looking for officials, holding New Applicants Classes each fall. If you have ever considered officiating basketball, we urge you to contact us. It is a great way to stay involved with a sport that was invented in our own backyard.
We welcome men and women who live or work in Hampden County and are 18 years old by Nov. 1 of the examination year. Obviously, you will need to be in good enough condition to handle the requirements of officiating a basketball game and be willing to make a commitment to the sport and Board 31.
Starting with the 2023-24 season all new member classes will be conducted using IAABO University.
An overview of the process
If you are interesting in taking the classes please visit www.iaabo.org to enroll in IAABO University
From the top menu select What We Offer and navigate to IAABO Online Rules Courses. Under the High School heading go to the Click to Enroll Now button. This is an online class that can be completed on your schedule.
The cost of the class is $50 and if you pass you will need to pay an additional $35 to register with IAABO for the upcoming season. IAABO University is done at your leisure but you must pass the class by November 1st in order to be eligible for the floor training required as part of the new applicant process. Once you pass IAABO University you will be contacted by Jeff Rivet to confirm completion of the course.
2023 Floor Training
The cost for the floor training is to be determined.
Dates/Times TBA
At this point, you will need to purchase the clothing necessary to officiate games. Official IAABO supplies are available through AllSports East in Enfield, Conn.
Board 31 member Jim Whipple, of Whip’s Sporting Goods at 509 Page Boulevard in Springfield, also carries general officiating apparel and equipment. You can contact Jim at his store at 413-739-0069.
After classroom and on-court instruction, new applicants will officiate scrimmages, typically 5th-8th grade boys and girls. Upon successfully demonstrating an ability to officiate, new applicants are released to work and may receive high school assignments at the sole discretion of the PVIAC Commissioner.
2023 Scrimmages
Dates/Times TBA
If this is something that appeals to you, please contact us!