President’s Message to SDCFOA Membership
Welcome to the 2021 Season!
Let me begin by saying what an absolute honor and privilege it is to have been selected to serve as your President for 2021. I look forward to serving all of you as we strive to make this a very successful year!
What can we say about the challenges that 2020 presented to all of us and our families other than “what a long, strange trip it’s been”. We endured a year like no other and for the vast majority of us that meant not suiting up for preseason scrimmages, no Friday Night Lights or weekend Youth games. We missed out on the traditional June Crew Draft, the gathering of and renewal of old friendships and seeing new faces in July for the first in person Association meeting, the pre-season crew get-togethers, pregame meetings, the sights, sounds and excitement of the games, the post-game meal, camaraderie, the Youth Football Golf Tournament Fundraiser, our annual Banquet and CIF playoffs.
Despite the setbacks caused by COVID, our Association endured and overcame many unexpected challenges and as a result has grown stronger. Together, we will be ready to resume the profession we all love as members of the premier Football Officials Association in America. I say that because of what we were able to accomplish this past year and the traditions that will carry us forward well into the future.
Relying on the leadership of our 2020 President, Dave Garza, the Board of Directors and our Association Appointed Officers, we decided early on to get ready for what we all hoped would be an opportunity to officiate in 2020, but unfortunately the season never materialized. By utilizing a format many of us had not experienced in the past, we held virtual Zoom meetings to plan for contingencies, initiate training and keep everyone as well informed as possible as events continued unfold and the season kept getting delayed. We had incredible attendance for our highly regarded Referee and Umpire, Line of Scrimmage and Back Judge Clinics presented by outstanding former and current NFL and NCAA members of our Association. Our Instructional Program continued to set the standard for rules and mechanics training and film study calibration thanks to the unwavering commitment and untiring efforts of Steve Coover. Please join me in thanking all of these individuals for helping us to grow and continue to be the elite Association that we are today.
I would like to recognize and welcome our newest members in the 1st and 2nd year / transfer classes. You are the “life blood” of SDCFOA and we strive to make your training and on field experiences as positive and rewarding as possible. Across the board our Classroom instructors are among our most experienced, dedicated and knowledgeable members and they will continue to ensure our instructional program is the best anywhere.
I want to thank you all for hanging in there this past year and for what I know you will do in 2021 “for the good of the Association”. Recruit, study, mentor, represent and enjoy! You won’t regret it!
Please free feel to contact me at any time with any questions, concerns or suggestions that you have. I promise to do my very best to represent and serve each and every one of you!
Kevin Haws
President, San Diego County Officials Association