Official problems

BY: TRACEY JAGNEAUX
Sports Editor

Could the upcoming football season be in jeopardy? That is the question on everyone’s mind as the upcominggridiron campaign approaches.
Two issues are at stake as the Louisiana High School Officials Association (LHSOA) and the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) come together in a series of meetings to resolve any and all conflicts.
First and foremost, the issue of a pay raise for officials in football, volleyball, soccer, basketball, wrestling, softball and baseball officials.
In January, the LHSAA member principals rejected pay raises for basketball and volleyball officials and also took away travel pay for baseball/softball umpires who are on site to call games that are rained out.
The LHSOA countered by putting together a higher pay scale for officials in a number of sports. LHSOA contracts sent to all LHSAA schools require schools to agree to the pay raises.
In May, the LHSOA came to the LHSAA with a set of demands for increases in pay for the above sports listed and also sent out contracts to all LHSAA schools requiring them to contract for services at the new higher rates.
LHSAA Executive Director, Eddie Bonine, said that most pay raises are from $5 to $10 per official, which would amount to about $1800 per school.
Speaking with two head football coaches in the parish, both coaches agree that officials need to be given raises, but with one caveat.
“I am all for paying the officials more money,” said Ville Platte High head coach Jorie Randall. “But to whom asks more, more is required. If the officials are going to get more money, then they need to produce a higher quality product. We had two games this year where there were not enough officials to fill out a crew, and in one of those games it cost us.”
Basile High head coach Kevin Bertrand agrees that officials have a tough job.
“Officials have a hard enough job as it is,” stated Bertrand. “I sure wouldn’t want their job. But, we have rules and procedures when it comes to giving raises to the officials. It is up to the principals in the state to vote on the pay raise.”
The second issue at stake for both sides is the demand that the LHSAA member schools sign contracts with the LHSOA in order to secure officials for their games in 2015-2016. However, according to Bonine, this is a violation of the LHSAA by-laws.
The LHSOA said it won’t waver in its demands for pay raises. Bonine said the LHSAA won’t let schools violate their by-laws by signing contracts with the LHSOA.
“From our standpoint, there can be no agreement or discussion moving forward unless it involves contracts and getting schools to sign them,” LHSOA President Paul LaRosa said by phone after the news conference. “We’ve been promised things in the past only to not see them come to fruition.”
“I honestly believe that Mr. Bonine and Keith Alexander have done everything that’s within their power to do. What we want is to change the process. We don’t just want money thrown at us, which is what was done in the past, only to see things go back to the way they were.”
When asked who would be officiating football games, Bonine responded, “I’m not sure who does. They (LHSOA) are not a union, but if individuals choose to officiate and go across that line. Is that going to cause rift in their organization? It’s a tough call.”
LaRosa said he was given a letter by Alexander, the LHSAA’s assistant executive director who supervises officials, when he arrived for a meeting at the LHSAA office on July 2.
The letter detailed the plan Bonine and Alexander developed. Bonine told the media that his plan was make the push to get pay raises implemented in 2015-16 with an eye on having them approved by member principals at the annual convention in January.
The letter also said the LHSAA would work to repeal a rule passed at the 2015 convention that took away travel pay for baseball and softball officials who aren’t contacted in advance about rained out games. LaRosa said that terms in the letter also included freezing pay for officials for four years.
Bonine said he doesn’t see the pay raise requests as outlandish and noted several times how Louisiana’s pay scale compares to Nevada, where he was previously executive director. He also acknowledged an “animosity” exists between some LHSAA member schools and officials.
“I’ve fallen into previous actions … I’m guilty by association, representing the LHSAA.” Bonine said. “What I proposed today was ‘the same old song and dance’ they’ve heard.”
LaRosa said the LHSOA could not accept the Bonine’s plan or even a scenario such as the one that played out in 2011 when principals approved a pay raise for basketball officials at a special-called meeting. The meeting was called because the basketball officials staged a walk out for a short period of time after not getting a pay raise they thought was coming.
“What it comes down to is trust,” LaRosa said. “Can we trust them, and by them, I mean the principals to do this? The answer is no. After I left the meeting, I spoke with our board (LHSOA board) and a number of officials groups from around the state.”
“Now there are 1,100 football officials. Can we guarantee that all 1,100 won’t work games. We’ve got associations in the state’s biggest areas — New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Monroe and Shreveport — who are standing tall on this. Even if we get a raise, that doesn’t mean the principals wouldn’t vote to take it away.”
You can add the Lafayette association to that list as of Monday night. The association voted to not continue working under the present LHSAA contract. According to Lafayette association assignment secretary Greg Gathreaux, is not about the money.
“I have been a part of high school officiating for the last 42 years, either as an official in football and basketball or as an assignment secretary and one thing I know is that we get very little respect from the coaches, fans and the administrators. The LHSAA and the principals have promised us things in the past only to go back on their promises.”
Gathreaux points back to a promise made by the administrators several years ago.
“They (administrators) voted to increase our pay in increments to bring us up to the pay scale of other states in the region after a study was done. There were stipulations that we had to fulfill, going to an officials camp every two years, for example.”
“But after two minor increases, no other pay increases came, even after we fulfilled our end of the agreement. In 2011, they said that they would have to take another look at the plan. That is when the basketball officials walked.”
Gauthreaux’s frustration is evident; a frustration he says is felt by all officials.
“We are only asking for a $5 to $10 dollar increase per official,” stated Gauthreaux. “To me it shows a complete lack of respect that we can’t get that from the principals. We are being treated like an employee, but we’re not. First of all we have no representation on the LHSAA executive committee. They have raised the fees we have to pay to be an official, but cannot get a raise.”
According to Bertrand, one officials’ association is going to honor their present contract with the teams they cover.
“The Lake Charles area officials are going to call all of the games they were scheduled to officiate this season,” said Bertrand.
Meanwhile, on its website, the LHSAA is actively seeking officials to register for 2015-16.
“There are a lot of officials who want to work and they’re getting ready,” Alexander said. “They’re hoping this is resolved.”

Robin Fambrough of the Advocate contributed to this story.