Article 9: OFFICIALS

Section 1. REGISTRATION OF OFFICIALS

1. The registration fee for approved Baseball, Basketball, Field Hockey, Football, Gymnastics, Hockey, Lacrosse, Winter and Spring Track; Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Volleyball and Wrestling officials shall be $12.00 plus the cost of the rule book for the respective sport.
2. Rules as approved by the Committee shall be the rules followed in all contests of the RIIL.
3. The fee is waived for probationary officials.
4. Registered officials are entitled to free admission for themselves only to all contests of member schools in the sport of which they are a registered official upon presentation of their Registration Card. (with the exception of RIIL Playoffs).
5. All officials must register and pay all applicable fees in the online registration system prior to each season. Officials are not eligible to be assigned to any RIIL games unless they have completed the online registration and paid all applicable fees.
6. All new registered officials are required to have a Criminal Background Check.
   1. The RIIL requires all RIIL officials to undergo a background investigation conducted by the Bureau of Criminal Identification of the Department of the Attorney General for the State of Rhode Island. Should the BCI investigation indicate the existence of disqualifying information (a list of disqualifying information is available through each official’s association), the individual shall be deemed “disqualified” for assignment in this capacity as an official. In the absence of disqualifying information (and consistent with Article 9) the individual shall be cleared for employment.
7. PROCEDURE
   1. New Officials:
      1. All new officials will be given a copy of this policy by their association to review in advance of completing step (b.).
      2. Officials shall complete the BCI disclaimer form and present it in person to the Bureau of Criminal Identification for fingerprinting and processing.
      3. The Local and Federal BCI results will be forwarded to the Officials Assigning Board (Association) for review.
   2. Should the BCI investigation indicate the existence of disqualifying information (a list of disqualifying information is available through each official’s association), the individual shall be deemed “disqualified” for assignment in this capacity as an official. The Officials Assigning Board (Association) will then provide the RIIL a list of all officials one week prior to the start of the season who have complied with all requirements. No new official will be authorized to officiate until cleared by the Officials Assigning Board (Association).
8. All officials serve at the pleasure of the RIIL.
1. All RIIL approved Officials are employed as independent contractors, and not as an employee of the RIIL, or of the school districts or high schools competing in an interscholastic athletic competition event.
10. Each sport’s official organization must annually certify that all registered officials are members of the NFHS Officials Association.

Section 2. ASSIGNMENTS

1. Assignments will be made by the Executive Director/Assistant Executive Director or the Director of the Sport with the assistance of the designated representative. Notification of all assignments will be made through the Arbiter online system.
2. No official shall be assigned to the game until his/her registration, fee, and the list of available dates has been received by the RIIL office.
3. A new official shall not be assigned for any contest whether or not under the jurisdiction of this Committee, unless such new official has had a criminal background check, had no felony convictions, and is on the approved list of officials of the RIIL. After the initial BCI requirement is met, any official convicted of a felony (a list of disqualifying information is available through each official's association) shall not be assigned for any contest.
4. The Director of each sport has the right to negate or withdraw assignments from officials who withdraw from assignments without just and proper cause or failure to enforce the Rules and Regulations of the RIIL. The Director of each sport involved shall determine just and proper cause. An official may appeal to the Executive Committee of the sport involved for redress.
5. Officials will be assigned in accordance with the terms stipulated in the agreement with the Board. Official unable to fulfill an assignment must notify the Executive Director/Assistant Executive Director and/or Director of the Sport in a timely fashion.
6. Assignments of all officials to RIIL and RIIL-sanctioned contests shall be made through the RIIL office.
7. F Non RIIL Schools requesting the use of RIIL Officials will be accommodated provided officials are available.
8. Playoffs: Assignment of officials to all RIIL play-off games will be made by representatives of each RIIL sport committee. This committee includes the RIIL Sport Director(s) and representatives including officials (1), coaches and athletic directors.

Section 3. FAILURE TO COMPLETE ASSIGNMENT

1. If an official fails to notify the proper authorities of his/her inability to work a game, unless due to unavoidable circumstances, that official shall be suspended for a period to be determined by the Sport Director.

Section 4. REPORTS FROM OFFICIALS

1. Officials assigned to RIIL games may be required by the Executive Director to file with the RIIL immediately after each game a report on the conditions of the contests.
   1. Any official who ejects a player from a game must notify the RIIL Office by phone no later than 9:00 A.M. of the following day. An official who fails to make such notification within the prescribed time may be suspended from one half the normal assignments given in that particular sport. If necessary, the suspension will extend into the next season of the same sport.
   2. Prior to the start of any RIIL authorized contest at the pre-game conference, the Head coach shall notify the official (Head Official/Chief Umpire) that s/he is the only coach or s/he identify additional certified assistant coaches of the team authorized by the school. In the event a head coach is ejected from a contest and there is no certified assistant coach who had been identified to the officials prior to the start of the game, the game will end and the opposing team shall be awarded victory by forfeit. A coach who is ejected shall leave the vicinity [out of sight and sound] of the playing area immediately and shall not return to the playing area during the remainder of the contest. Further, the ejected coach is prohibited from any further contact (direct and/or indirect) with the team or any team member for the remainder of the contest and not until both teams have left the playing area. Any coach determined to being violation of this provision may be subject to an additional period disqualification as defined an Article 6, Penalties.

Section 5. NOTIFICATION OF POSTPONEMENT

1. Officials are entitled to one-half fee in the event they report to the facility ready for duty and no game is played. Schools, which have made an attempt to communicate with the officials before they leave for the game, are exempt from this charge. Such notification must be made not less than two (2) hours before game time or in accordance with the Official’s Association Agreement. The home schools' responsibility rests primarily in reaching the official by telephone. The postponement also will be made online. Postponed games retain the original fee regardless of date.
2. After the official has been notified of the postponement, it is the responsibility of the official to contact the assignor if s/he cannot work the rescheduled contest date/time. The assignor will then replace the official as necessary.

Section 6. OFFICIAL FEES

1. The fees for officials in Baseball, Basketball, Cheerleading, Field Hockey, Football, Gymnastics, Hockey, Lacrosse, Winter Track, Spring Track, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Volleyball, and Wrestling are contained in each signed agreement:
   1. BASEBALL:
      1. Two umpires required, except in cases of unusual circumstances approved by the RIIL or emergencies.
      2. If one of the assigned umpires fails to appear and one Board member umpires the game, that umpire shall receive one and one half the regular contest fee.
   2. BASKETBALL:
      1. Two officials required, except in cases of unusual circumstances approved by the RIIL or emergencies.
      2. If one official fails to appear and one official referees the game, that official shall receive one and one half the regular contest fee.
   3. CHEERLEADING:
      1. 1. Officials assigned will be determined by the RIIL/Director.
   4. CROSS COUNTRY:
      1. Officials assigned will be determined by the RIIL/Director.
   5. FIELD HOCKEY:
      1. Two officials required, except in cases of unusual circumstances approved by the RIIL or emergencies.
      2. If one official fails to appear and one official referees the game, that official shall receive one and one half the regular contest fee.
   6. FOOTBALL:
      1. Four officials required, except in cases of unusual circumstances approved by the RIIL or emergencies.
   7. GYMNASTICS:
      1. Two officials required, except in cases of unusual circumstances approved by the RIIL or emergencies.
   8. HOCKEY:
      1. Two officials required, except in cases of unusual circumstances approved by the RIIL or emergencies.
   9. LACROSSE
      1. Two officials required, except in cases of unusual circumstances approved by the RIIL or emergencies.
   10. WINTER TRACK:
       1. Three (3) officials assigned as determined by the Director.
   11. SPRING TRACK:
       1. Officials assigned will be determined by the Director.
   12. SOCCER:
       1. Two officials required, except in cases of unusual circumstances approved by the RIIL or emergencies.
       2. If one official fails to appear and one official referees the game, that official shall receive one and one half the regular contest fee.
   13. SOFTBALL:
       1. Two officials required, except in cases of unusual circumstances approved by the RIIL or emergencies.
       2. If one official fails to appear and one official referees the game, that official shall receive one and one half the regular contest fee.
   14. SWIMMING:
       1. Three officials required, except in cases of unusual circumstances approved by the RIIL or emergencies.
       2. If only two officials work the meet, each official shall receive an additional fee per rate published in the RIIL Rules Book.
   15. VOLLEYBALL:
       1. Two officials required, except in cases of unusual circumstances approved by the RIIL or emergencies.
       2. If one official fails to appear and one official referees the game, that official shall receive one and one half the regular contest fee.
   16. WRESTLING:
       1. One official required.

Section 7. SPORTSMANSHIP AND OFFICIALS’ RESPONSIBILITY

1. The Committee believes that the ideals of good sportsmanship, ethical behavior, and integrity permeate our culture. The values of good citizenship and high behavioral standards apply equally to all activity disciplines. In perception and practice, good sportsmanship shall be defined as those qualities of behavior, which are characterized by generosity and genuine concern for others. Further, awareness of the impact of an individual's influence on the behavior of others is expected. Good sportsmanship is viewed by the RIIL as a concrete measure of the understanding and commitment to fair play, ethical behavior, and integrity.

If you examine the standards of conduct required in high school athletics compared to the major college and professional levels, you will conclude that the older the athlete is, the more immature that person is allowed to behave.

Routinely, high school athletes will be penalized and ejected from contests for antics that are praised and emulated at higher levels. This is to the everlasting credit of those who lead, coach, officiate, participate in, and watch interscholastic athletics. It is this challenge that the contrast between educational athletics and so-called higher levels becomes even more obvious as we raise the standards of what is expected and tolerated in school sportsmanship.

The problem of decaying sportsmanship at all levels of competition is a major concern that needs to be addressed. Misconduct in athletics is a high-profile reflection of the general acceptance of disrespect in society. It is a social problem and sports are a microcosm of that problem.

The Rhode Island Interscholastic League formed a Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct Committee for the purpose of addressing the issue of sportsmanship and ethical conduct. The Committee, with the approval of the Principals’ Committee on Athletics, developed a packet and recommended that all schools adopt and adhere to the expectations.

The Committee was particularly concerned about "taunting." The Principals’ Committee on Athletics passed a recommendation of the Sportsmanship Committee to broaden the definition of "taunting" and make it a disqualifying foul in all sports. As a result, officials will be expected to eject players and bench personnel (including coaches) for taunting; and the Rhode Island Interscholastic League tournament supervisors will be expected to eject from the premises any spectator who engages in taunting.

2. The definition of taunting is this:
   1. "Any actions or comments by coaches, players, or spectators which are intended to bait, anger, embarrass, ridicule, or demean others, whether or not the deeds or words are vulgar or racist. Included is conduct that berates, needles, intimidates or threatens based on gender, ethnic origin or background, and conduct that attacks religious beliefs, size, economic status, speech, family, special needs or personal matters."
   2. Examples of taunting include:
      1. "Trash Talk"
      2. Physical intimidation outside the spirit of the game.
      3. References to sexual orientation.
      4. "In the face" confrontation by one player to another.
      5. Standing over or straddling a tackled or fallen player.
      6. Noticeable improvement in school sportsmanship will require concerted effort.
3. Good sports don't need to wait for other's actions. Good sports already know what is offensive, and what has no more place in school sports than it would have in a school classroom. This is educational athletics. We must maintain the highest education standards in all facets of the athletic arena.
4. OFFICIALS RESPONSIBILITY: Officials assigned Rhode Island Interscholastic League contests MUST enforce the rules regarding sportsmanship without tolerance for abuse. The only warning to participants and coaches regarding sportsmanship should come at the beginning of the contest. Once the contest begins, penalties not warnings, must be assessed for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Rhode Island Interscholastic League expects that officials will eject any coach who protests an unsportsmanlike conduct call provided by the rules of the sport.
5. Each official at a Rhode Island Interscholastic League sponsored event will be provided with a card with the following statement which MUST be read to the Captains and Coaches and/or teams together at EVERY contest prior to the beginning of the contest:
6. “The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and your state association require officials to enforce sportsmanship rules. High school athletics emphasize positive values. All of us have worked hard to create a sense of teamwork, respect, responsibility and perspective. We remind you that we expect good behavior and will quickly penalize misconduct. We encourage and appreciate your help. Let this competition reflect mutual respect among all participants, coaches and officials. Coaches please certify that your players are legally equipped and uniformed according the NFHS rules. Good luck and have a great contest!”