Triangle Basketball Officials Association Opposes HB-91
The Triangle Basketball Officials Association (TBOA) is a group of 275+ men and women who
have a passion for officiating. We referee high school basketball in the greater Triangle area
(including Wake, Durham, Orange, Harnett, Johnston, Franklin, Vance, Granville, and Warren
Counties). We are independent contractors, governed by the North Carolina High School
Athletic Association (NCHSAA), and strongly oppose the legislation pending called HB-91.
The NCHSAA has always operated at the highest ethical standard. Their 108-year tradition of
doing what’s in the best interest of high school sports and student-athletes is unparalleled
across the country. Our experience as NCHSAA-approved officials is the same.
The NCHSAA provides officials across the state the framework with which to manage games,
players, coaches, and schools fairly and equitably and supports our having a positive relationship
with high school athletics and its 400+ member schools. This relationship, developed over
decades, has been instrumental in our officiating being seen as a gold standard in the country.
The NCHSAA has expertly managed the officiating program and HB-91 would destroy this
relationship. It would have a significantly detrimental effect on the retention of current officials
and attracting the next generation of referees so badly needed in all sports. Simply put, you
cannot play high school sports without officials.
Despite the proposal the Committee be comprised of educators and coaches, those people are
ultimately answerable to the politicians who place them there. They are governed by the
politicians who choose them, and would negatively affect high school athletics with politics.
While we do not purport to represent all 6500+ officials across all high school sports in the state
of North Carolina, should HB-91 become law, it will be a decision that ends high school athletics
as we know it, adversely impacting the ranks of badly needed officials.
The undersigned members of the TBOA wish to fully support our position that the NCHSAA
remain an independent organization and ask that you reject HB-91.
________________________________________
Greg Fogleman, TBOA Regional Supervisor
greg@refthetriangle.com
TBOA Members in Support
Steve McNeill Max Carter Mike Gaskins Esther Beyer Nicholas Thorpe Michael Brown Steven Canady Matt Wolf Ben Strunk Justin Ford Joe Korostynski Calvin Thompson James Walters Brian Rushing Justin Salz Shawn Spence Dewarren Compton John Henderson Brian Eaves Jim Wear Mario Giscome Jimmie Massengill Mark Barbour Talise Morris Gee Lopez Gary Wiley Otis Tucker Omar Essader Richard Platia Barry Jones Darrow Rimmer John Holmes Kenneth Royster Jerry Soletro Steve Schwartz Don Johnson Bruce Wharton Dwight Ausley Dennis Andrews Richie Hogg Michael Eason Campbelle Austin Rodney Crooms James Brown Jeffrey Johnson Dale Ham Waldo Rogers Eddie Gadson Daniel Fisher Bill Cheek Mario Price Junior Creech Archie Dekeyser Roger RIckman Chris Andrews Stephen Peay Bob Surgan Kenneth Gentry Keith Johnson Rodney Clapp Chris Wegwart Marcus Brown Jeff Faulkner Louis Mays John Rees Rick Voltz Eric Curry Stephen Keidel Russell Yolland Masonic Stokes Henrietta Brunson Jim Sedlmeyer Michael Douglas Sr. Sabah Hamad Leon Relaford Gary Swanson Ryan Beale Eric Hopkins Steve Rhodes Charles Gwynn Kinely Williams Bobby Shipwash Joseph Thomas Abron Jr. Sylvester Fuller Bradley Richards Klara Vinson Dean Beabout Donald Bryant David Outlaw Scott Graham Felton Page John Wood Dr. Idella Johnson George Akins Darren Deese Justin Frear Ken Hall Rob Arthur Chris Losack Sean Cherry Eddie Pendergrass Donald Johnson Michael Thompson Justin Brown Bernard Footman Lakwauna Hicks Dennis Harrell Vernon Brown Melvin Hamlett Robert Hemingway Sam Allen Alex Fowler Jennifer Davis Michael Utley