The Fruit Belt Officials Association aims to solve a serious local need by offering a great opportunity for interested local residents.

The need is for a growing number of conditioned, ambitious, well-trained sports referees and umpires to officiate area middle school and high school athletic contests. The opportunity for those interested takes place at the upcoming Berrien County Youth Fair.
“Our aim is two-fold at the county fair,” says Freddy Krieger, Trustee of the FBOA, a local approved officiations association. “Our primary purpose is to portray a positive image to the community, that we sports officials are in it to provide a valuable service in support of our area students, athletes, and schools. But we also want to attract the interest of others who want to become registered sports officials, to explain what all’s involved and how to take that first step to become a trained, qualified referee or umpire.

“The state sets the expectations, but we, on the local level, provide the free training and personal support so that the avocation of officiating is a satisfying and rewarding activity for all officials who get involved.”
To undertake this ambitious effort of community awareness and recruitment, the Fruit Belt Officials Association is sponsoring a fair booth at the Berrien County Youth Fair, Aug. 15-20. Located inside building 37, just off the west end of the grandstand, members of the association representing six sports will greet interested men and women of all ages and invite them to learn more about becoming registered sports officials.

As a MHSAA sanctioned local approved association, the Fruit Belt Officials Association sponsors free training programs for six sports, basketball, football, baseball, softball, wrestling and volleyball.

Contact with the association can be made at the fair, or by email at info@fruitbeltofficials.org. More information is available at their website at www.fruitbeltofficials.org.