NY Metro ISOA News

Ken Andres Named NISOA Executive Director

Ken Andres (Haddonfield, NJ) has been named the Executive Director of the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association (NISOA), succeeding Dr. Raymond Bernabei who passed away on September 5, 2008, after leading NISOA for nearly forty years. Andres will serve as the Interim Executive Director pending selection of an individual to lead NISOA on a full-time basis. You can read more about Ken on this announcement from NISOA (pdf).

We wish Ken the best of luck in this important assignment.

In Memory of Dr. Raymond Bernabei

The NY Metro ISOA Executive Board requests our members honor the memory of Dr. Raymond Bernabei, by wearing a black ribbon or wrapping black tape on their NISOA badge for all intercollegiate soccer matches until September 15, 2008. Please click on the thumbnail for appropriate ribbon placement.

Dr. Raymond Bernabei, 1925-2008

From John Van de Vaarst and Mario Donnangelo:

It is with great sadness that we must inform you that Dr. Ray Bernabei passed away on Friday, September 5, 2008 from complications that resulted from his illness. We will inform you as soon as the family notifies us of the arrangements for the funeral. Let us continue to keep them in our prayers.

Dr. Bernabei has been NISOA’s only Executive Director, serving in that role since 1975 and for most of us, the face of NISOA. He will be missed.

Pre-Match Communication

Please remember your pre-match communication requirements. The recommended procedure is:

• At least 72 hours before the match, the assigned referee will contact both of the assigned assistant referees to confirm the assignment and coordinate specific details. If you use email or leave a voice message, you must make sure you get confirmation that the message was received.
• 48 hours before the match, the assigned referee must make sure both assistant referees have confirmed the assignment or attempt to contact them again. If an assistant referee has not been contacted by the referee, the assistant referee must contact the referee and the other assistant referee to confirm the assignment. At this point, telephone contact is preferred to email.
• 24 hours before the match, if all three officials have not been in contact with each other, we strongly recommend the referee and the assistant referee contact the match assignor and advise them of the situation while continuing attempts to contact the unresponsive official.

This procedure will only break down if ALL 3 officials do not do their job.

Proposed Constitutional Amendments

At the August 23, 2008 mandatory rules clinic, Alan Wharton presented two separate, proposed constitutional amendments regarding business meetings. They are:

1. An official who is assigned to work a Collegiate Soccer game on the night of a scheduled business meeting shall be excused from that meeting and be given credit for that meeting.
2. The annual dinner will be considered a business meeting.

In addition to these two proposals, the Executive Board will request discussion of the following administrative constitutional amendment:

Change Article 4, paragraph 1: “Elections shall take place with nominations brought to the floor at the fourth business meeting of that year.”

to:

“Elections shall take place at a scheduled business meeting. Nominations shall be brought to the floor at the business meeting immediately prior to the elections.”

This notice satisfies the requirement for written notification to the membership. These proposals will be discussed at the September 10, 2008 business meeting and, if approved, voted upon at the September 23, 2008.

Other Chapter Fitness Tests and Rules Meetings

Thanks to John Leavy for providing the following nearby NISOA chapter testing schedule:

• NJ Metro ISOA - August 9, Saturday – Drew University, Madison, NJ – Physical fitness test and Interpretation meeting – 8:00 am registration, 8:30 start.
• ISOA-NJ – August 9 – Mercer County College – Fitness test at 8:00 am. Interpretation meeting follows the fitness test.
• Eastern PA and Delaware - Saturday, August 16, Saturday – Villanova University – 7:30 am start for the fitness test. Interpretation meeting follows the fitness test.
• Westchester/Rockland ISOA - Rules Interpretation information is here.

NY Metro ISOA members who attend these (or any other non-NY Metro ISOA) rules interpretation meeting are required to attend three of the four scheduled business meetings to meet the NISOA requirement to attend 3 business meetings.

2008 NISOA Refresher Test

The 2008 NISOA Refresher Test is now available for download. This year, members will submit their answer sheet online. Answer sheets must be submitted before the annual rules interpretation meeting on August 23, 2008. All active members (including new members) are required to submit an answer sheet to maintain their good standing status. The procedure for taking the refresher test is:

1. Download the test from our website. We recommend printing the test and writing your answers on the test itself.
2. Log on to the web site and fill out your answer sheet. You do not have to fill out the entire answer sheet in one session. When you click on the ’save and submit’ button, your answers will be saved. You may come back and finish at any time before August 23, 2008.

As always, you may use the NCAA Soccer Rules Book as a reference when you take the test. Please post any questions in the comments section.