CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Texas has been experiencing an ongoing shortage of basketball officials since the start of the pandemic.
The Corpus Christi Area Basketball Officials Association is hosting free clinics for anyone who enjoys the game and wants to officiate.
"When there's not enough officials and games have to be moved or canceled, if we ever get to that point, the kids are the ones that suffer." said Alan Bean, A REP 1 with the CCABOA.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Corpus Christi Area had approximately 120 basketball officials. Today that number has dropped to around 80.
"The brutality of what comes from the stands sometimes can also play a hand in people feeling like it's not worth their time to put up with some of the things that may be said," said, Ferrin Williams, the President of CCABOA.
Just about anyone can be an official as long as they are older than 16, with the proper training.
Bean stated, "I was a parent who was in the stands, who complained about the officiating. Or would sit there and say "I can do that," those kind of things." He added, "That's what peaked my interest. Instead of being that fan or parent that was in the stands, I was like "you know what, if you wanted to change it, why don't you join it and figure it out and be better at it?"
The CCABOA is hoping a new generation of officials will show up for the young athletes in the South Texas community.
The officials will serve middle school and high school games from up in Refugio to Kingsville.
"You don't have to have any experience, we're going to come out, show you the basics. Get you a great foundation going into the season, that way when scrimmages start happening at the end of October." Williams added, "You'll hit the ground running with no issues".
The free clinics will be on the first three Sunday's in October (2nd, 9th, 16th) from 3 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. inside the Incarnate Word Academy gym, located at 2910 S Alameda St, Corpus Christi, TX 78404.
To apply, click here.
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