WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO DO?
REFERSHE HAS THE OBJECTIVE OF RESEARCHING, ISOLATING, AND ELIMINATING THE MAIN MOTIVATORS THAT DETER WOMEN FROM ENTERING THE FIELD OF SPORTS OFFICIATING. THE INDUSTRY DATA IS PRESENT, AND THE NUMBERS ALL POINT IN A SINGULAR DIRECTION. HOWEVER, NOTHING IS BEING DONE.
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IN THE 2023 NASO.ORG OFFICIALS SURVEY, IT WAS NOTED THAT ONLY 9.36% OF RESPONDEES IDENTIFIED AS FEMALE. THIS MEANS THAT FOR EVERY WOMAN THAT OFFICIATES, THERE ARE NINE MEN. THERE IS NO OTHER INDUSTRY THAT THIS WOULD BE DEEMED ACCEPTABLE WITHIN, AND WE MUST ACTIVELY SEEK SOLUTIONS
INDUSTRY NEED
AVERAGE AGE OF AN OFFICIAL HAS INCREASED FROM 53.3 TO 56.7 FROM 2017-2023 HIGHLIGHTING THE NEED FOR NEW OFFICIALS TO STEP UP​​​
PERCEPTION OF TRAINING QUALITY IS STAGNANT, BUT THERE HAS BEEN A -5.4% SKEW IN OFFICIALS PERFORMANCE SINCE 2017 - ADDITIONAL TRAINING INVESTMENT IS ESSENTIAL.​
73.7% OF OFFICIALS THINK THERE SHOULD BE FORMAL ADVOCACY AND MENTORS FOR UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS.​​​
62.3% OF OFFICIALS THINK THERE NEED TO BE SPECIAL RECRUITMENT EFFORTS TARGETED TOWARDS THESE UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS.​​
​79.1% OF OFFICIALS HAVE REPORTED TAKING ON MORE ASSIGNMENTS DUE TO THE INDUSTRY SHORTAGE WHICH WILL LEAD TO DIRECT BURNOUT AND TURNOVER.​​