Officiating football takes more than rules

CEDAR RAPIDS - Some may think all it takes to become a football referee is to put on a striped 'zebra” outfit and blow a whistle.

They would be wrong.

The Cedar Rapids Area Officials Association recruits and trains new football officials every year. For most referees, it will take about two years before working with a regular crew at a varsity game.

New referees start by going to four meetings led by Bill Yeisley, a retired referee who helps train new football officials every year.

At the first meeting, recruits are taught the basic mechanics and positioning. If the new ref still wants to become a referee, they have to get a license and take a few tests online.

They then take the field and learn at practice scrimmages. This helps the new referees learn proper signals, what area of the field they need to cover, when to use the whistle and the rules.

'A lot of people don't realize how good of shape referees need to be in,” Yeisley said. 'They are running up and down the field as much as the athletes.”

New refs are not immediately tossed into a varsity game. Most referees start with middle school football games with more experienced refs working with them. This is followed by freshmen games, sophomore games and junior varsity games.

'Our goal is to give referees the confidence they need to ref a varsity game,” Yeisley said.

For varsity games, there are five-man crews working each game. There are two line judges located on both sidelines. Each has the responsibility to watch the receivers and the tackles. The one on the away team's sideline also is responsible for the chain crew and telling them when to move.

The umpire is on the defensive side of the ball by the linebackers. He is in charge of watching the guards and center. He also is in charge of stepping penalties off. The back judge is located far behind the defense and is in charge of long runs and passes.

The head referee wears the white hat, controls the game and makes the final calls.

A career in officiating can lead to prep playoffs, college or even professional games.

'It is ultimately up to the ref himself if he wants to continue,” Yeisley said.

Anyone interested in officiating can attend a meeting Friday night at the Grant Wood AEA Building, starting at 6:30 p.m.