NY Metro ISOA News

2009 Chapter Meeting Schedule

The 2009 NY Metro ISOA meeting schedule is now available. Get the dates, times and locations for the NISOA fitness test, the annual mandatory rules clinic, awards dinner and business meetings. Read the rest of this entry »

ECAC Fees for 2009

Last month, the ECAC contacted several NISOA organizations, including our chapter, requesting endorsement of an officials’ fee freeze for 2009. Fees were scheduled to increase by $5 in 2009 according to our Memorandum of Understanding with ECAC. This initiative from ECAC was in response to requests from the conference commissioners served by ECAC based on the declining economy and budget cuts in all athletic and academic areas. The proposed fee freeze has apparently been extended to all sports assigned by ECAC.

Our Executive Board considered this request and told ECAC that it was unacceptable as presented. According to ECAC’s response to us, “your NISOA/EISOA colleagues in the other regions of our membership are enthusiastically supporting this freeze initiative. From the early feedback we have received, it appears the other officiating organizations within our ECAC officiating bureau will also endorse the fee freeze.” We have had subsequent discussions with ECAC and continue to maintain our position not to endorse the proposed fee freeze.

We expect imminent notification from ECAC to all soccer officials that fees for the 2009 season will remain at the stipulated 2008 fees. More details on this issue are available to registered members on the chapter message board.

2008 NCAA Rules Survey for Officials

The Executive Board received this message from Cliff McCrath, Secretary-Rules Editor, Men’s and Women’s Soccer Rules Committee and Director/Liaison of NISOA Communications:

Reference is made to the annual Rules Survey distributed to all college coaches and NISOA Officials. Our NCAA liaison, Teresa Smith, Assistant Director of Playing Rules Administration, informed me yesterday that her office has not yet received returns from any referees. I immediately contacted John Van de Vaarst and Ken Andres to obtain approval for sending this note asking that all able-bodied NISOA members take a few minutes – from what I know are very busy schedules – to help us out.

Please take a minute and fill out the online survey.

NISOA Executive Board Appointments

NISOA President Larry Dorsey announced the following appointments to the NISOA Executive Board:

• Cliff McCrath has been appointed the Director/Liaison of NISOA Communications.  Cliff’s primary responsibility will be to interface and serve as a liaison with our outside constituents such as the NCAA, NAIA, NSCAA, NCCAA, NJCAA, and others.
• John Van de Vaarst has been appointed Director of Operations.  He will be responsible for the day-to-day activities of NISOA as well as long range planning.  He will manage the budget and expenditures, maintain and update all NISOA publications and the Policy Manual, and oversee the web page.  He will respond to questions from chapter contacts and members, and coordinate agendas for the Executive Council and Annual Conventions.  He will be responsible for the logistical planning for the Annual Convention, the NSCAA convention and all workshops and training programs of the various Program Directors.
• Mario Donnangelo will continue as an Associate Executive Director, with additional responsibilities. He will handle all NISOA membership issues, coordinate the awards programs and be the primary contact with our insurance carrier and chapter contacts on insurance matters.

Action Photos

One of the first improvements to our web site was the addition of a photo gallery. Our own Lou Minutoli has taken this one step further with his own online photo web site. You will find a lot of familiar faces (probably your own as well) on Lou’s site. Lou produces outstanding, high quality action photos as well as pre-game officiating team photos. Check it out.

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.