To become a sports referee or umpire in Idaho, begin by registering with the Idaho High School Activities association. The IHSAA oversees the high school sports of basketball, baseball, football, soccer, softball, volleyball, wrestling and track.
Registration for all of the above sports opens July 10. The deadline for registration can be in August, November or March depending on whether it is a fall, winter or spring sport. Once you register you will receive rule books, case books and other support material.
For most sports the minimum age requirement is 18 years. There are two exceptions. Idaho soccer officials may become certified to work sub-varsity games at age 16. Idaho softball umpires may become certified and work sub-varsity as a high school senior.
Idaho Referee and Umpire Training
All officials are required to attend a yearly rules clinic sponsored by the IHSAA. According to the Idaho Officials Handbook, “clinics are conducted by state rules interpreters who cover rule changes, rule interpretations, points of emphasis, and special topics.”
Testing for new officials is done through the NFHS website. Tests are open book. Officials are allowed to retake the test up to five times in an effort to receive a passing grade.
There are two classes of Idaho high school referees and umpires: varsity and sub-varsity. Sub-varsity officials must score at least 70% correct on the NFHS rules exam for their sport. They must also attend a state rules clinic and receive the recommendation of their district commissioner.
Varsity officials must score at least 80% on the NFHS exam. In addition to attending the state rules clinic, varsity officials are required to attend two board meetings at the local level.
Use the link to follow to get more information about becoming a referee or umpire in Idaho: https://idhsaa.org/new-officials. Online registration is done through DragonFly. To begin the registration process, click here.
