FAIRFIELD — This past Saturday, Fairfield High School hosted its third annual junior referee clinic.
Eagles athletic director Mike Schmidt — who helps put the event together — said the clinic is meant to encourage a new generation of officials and to help curb the ongoing statewide referee shortage.
"There's such a shortage of refs, we've got to do something," Schmidt said. "It rests a little bit upon the school and myself to do what we can to encourage people to do it."
The event was successful, Schmidt said, as 36 kids ranging from fifth to 12th grade learned referee skills for basketball.
"I think it bodes well for one avenue to improve the number of officials," Schmidt said. "I'm trying to get a football one started and a volleyball one started where I know we're short, too."
A factor into the training for these young referees was bringing in 12 mentors who have been involved with the Montana Officials Association for a substantial amount of time. Bo Scott was one of those mentors, and he said it was humbling seeing the kids have a smile on their faces during their training.
"They come in really nervous, anxious almost," Scott said. "To see them run up and down the court with a smile on their face, a whistle in their mouth, big baggy t-shirts, you know it's pretty humbling.
"Really takes you back to your roots."
Six of the attendees said the help of the mentors went a long way.
"Some of them have been here for 20 years doing this," senior Bryce Hooper said. "They know exactly what they're talking about, and you know, it's best to learn from the best."
"They're actually super cool and funny guys," junior Aundra Passmore said. "They for sure know what they're doing, and they're super calm and patient, and great teachers."
"They've impacted it a lot today," junior Kyla Cooley said. "They explain stuff so much better and it's really fun, and I'm building a lot of relationships with them."
"It helps a ton. If we didn't have them, I don't think that half the people would come," eighth-grader Ryan Mathison said. "If you don't have somebody who knows what they're doing, then I don't think it's even worth coming because then you will never learn."
"It means a lot for them to come out of Great Falls, or, heck, Browning, and take their time and to teach us," eighth-grader Cameron Keel said. "It means a lot."
"They've experienced it before," fifth-grader Conley Dahl said. "They've reffed, so you can learn a lot more from just a regular read off of the rule book."
