The new Sports Officiating class at DHS started as a pilot class at the beginning of the 2024-25 school year, only available to select students. (However, DHS was not the pilot school; Taunton beat us to it in 2023.) There have only been two classes, each with less than five students enrolled. However, in the 2025-26 school year, it will be an option for all students.
The class’s officiating courses are created through Ref Reps, an online officiating course curriculum. The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) is funding the courses for Dartmouth. These training courses, as the class is structured now, will be combined with real referee experience at the middle school and, on smaller scales, in high school gym classes.
The idea is that students will get certified to referee three sports in the semester-long class: soccer, basketball, and volleyball. DHS Athletics Director Andrew Crisafulli hopes this experience will extend beyond the classroom. “Our long-term goal is for this initiative to inspire students to continue officiating after graduation, ensuring a consistent supply of qualified referees,” he said in an email. “Additionally, by offering local training, DHS can better serve the needs of the community, making sports programs more sustainable and accessible. Ultimately, the Ref Reps training course offers a practical solution to the officiating shortage, benefiting both students and local sports programs.”
The officiating shortage he is referring to is occurring countrywide. Its causes include low pay, demanding hours, and rowdy parents, coaches, and athletes. Ref abuse has always been an issue, but in recent years it has gotten far worse, especially from parents.
In April of 2024, an East Longmeadow boys’ volleyball game was stopped due to safety concerns after a team member exploded at a referee for one of his calls. And in January of 2025, a Taunton mother was alleged to have assaulted hockey referees after a game. Even in DHS sports broadcasts there are often commentators questioning the referee’s calls.
Basically, by offering the training for free through a class that qualifies as a P.E. credit, students will (hopefully) be more motivated to become referees in the future.
Another hope for the class is that it will decrease the rising disrespect towards referees. “By involving students in officiating, DHS can foster a greater understanding and respect for the important role referees play in sports,” Crisafulli wrote.
I’m currently taking this class, and in my opinion, it is a long-needed alternative choice for upperclassmen who need a wellness credit. To the Wellness Department’s credit, DHS does offer a wide variety of fitness classes for juniors and seniors, including Walking for Lifelong Wellness, Sports and Group Games, Intramural Sports, and Fitness Activities and Weight Training.
In all honesty, sports have never been my strong suit, and I prefer to exercise on my own time after school, without being watched or judged by a peanut gallery. Fellow junior Kelsey Reilly is on the DHS Girls Tennis Team. That means if she has her wellness class in semester 2, she’ll take a gym class for an hour during school, then leave school to run around a court hitting a ball for another couple hours.
While team sports are an important component of many students’ physical and mental health, some may prefer to focus on the ones they do after school. This class allows students to work together learning about the technical aspects of sport while not being physically draining, and inclusive to students who may not enjoy traditional P.E. classes.
Be warned, though, this class isn’t just an “easy A” class to take when you don’t want to take another sport. It does require teamwork, focus, and adaptability. Refereeing is a fast-paced responsibility, and this class prepares students for that. A lot of information is given every class, and it is expected you retain the information. Mohammad Hijazi, a fellow student in the class, says, “I took the class because my brother was a referee, and I wanted to have the option to get a job in reffing as well. The class is fun; I honestly just didn’t want to take Intramural Sports. I like it.”
The class does take hard work, but it gives back the effort that is put in, in the form of refereeing job opportunities and fulfilling teamwork.
