A6 — BAKER CITY HERALD
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2021
SPORTS
Basketball referee
shortage feared
By JEFF BUDLONG
For EO Media Group
LA GRANDE — George
Gillette isn’t blowing the
whistle to signal a panic-level
problem when it comes to the
number of offi cials who will
call prep basketball games for
the upcoming season. But he
could be reaching for it soon.
The Blue Mountain
Basketball Offi cials Associa-
tion commissioner has seen a
steady decline in numbers for
decades, but the impact now
is being truly felt.
Last spring’s pandemic-
compacted fi ve-week season
tested offi cials across the
state and the Blue Moun-
tain Basketball Offi cials
Association — which is
based out of Pendleton and
handles schools from the
state line at Milton-Freewa-
ter to Boardman and south
to Ukiah through Pilot Rock
— was no different.
“We were extremely short
and we had less than half
of what we would normally
have during a regular sea-
son,” Gillette said.
The association usually
counts between 45 and 50
basketball offi cials able to
work games in its region,
but during the spring that
number dropped to 17. It was
further pared down to 12 by
the end of the season because
of injuries or overwork. It led
to a situation where games
were rescheduled or even
canceled.
Gillette said with the
varsity and JV schedules of
the 13 schools the association
is assisting this year, he is
trying to cover about 1,200
games. Schools are moving
games to different days, try-
ing to fi nd enough offi cials to
work the games, but that only
does so much.
Gillette is hoping the
number of available offi cials
increases before games tip off
Dec. 1.
It is not a basketball-
specifi c issue either. Football
games were being played on
Thursdays and Saturdays in
addition to Friday to try to
alleviate some of the offi cial
shortage.
“Moving games around
will help, but most of the
schools start games at 3 p.m.
and it is diffi cult to get people
to break away and be able to
be in a gym and toss a ball up
at that time,” Gillette said.
that could come into play on
the legal side,” he said. “(Cer-
tifi ed offi cials) have training
in case of injury, and we know
what OSAA policy is.”
Other associations across
the state are facing similar
situations and can rarely
send their offi cials to other ar-
eas to cover another associa-
tions’ games.
crews,” Gillette said. “That is
why peoples’ bodies started
breaking down when they
are working four and fi ve
nights a week. It doesn’t
mean in three-man that you
don’t run, but it is shorter
distances and your vision
and focus is greater.”
Getting involved
Becoming a certifi ed
offi cial begins with a simple
Disturbing trend
click of a mouse on the
Referee shortage is not
“Become an offi cial” button
just an Oregon issue but a
on the OSAA website. After
nationwide problem driven
choosing a sport, they fi ll out
by several factors, Gillette
an online information sheet
noted. It is a decline 30 to
40 years in the making with and the OSAA will reach
older offi cials getting out for a out to the proper association
variety of reasons and no one based on where the indi-
vidual lives.
there to take their place.
For basketball, registra-
“Young people watch
tion and a fee is required as
games growing up and see
well as a background check.
people in the stands going
Lingering issue
Individuals watch a video
Gillette held his fi rst meet- crazy, and really question
ing for this season Nov. 1 and whether they want to go out on warning signs when an
and subjugate themselves to athlete may have suffered a
had 25 offi cials attend, but
concussion, and there are six
there is a new problem he is being treated that way,” he
required meetings or at least
said.
having to contend with.
Gillette has been commis- 10 hours of instruction.
“We don’t have a lot of
“People also have to take
lower-level offi cials, and last sioner for 24 years, but has
a state certifi cation test that
spring basically all 16 offi cials been an offi cial for 52 years
is 50 questions,” said Gillette,
associations in Oregon were at the high school level. He
who said people get three
began as a 19-year-old and
shorthanded,” he said. “The
tries at the test.
(Oregon School Activities As- has continued on. Today’s
To offi ciate at the junior
sociation) allowed the schools athletes graduate and have
many other avenues to make varsity or lower level, people
to take the level of play at
only need to take the test.
the JV level to the JV2 level, money or spend their time.
A varsity-level offi cial must
“Trying to get people
which means they did not
have to use certifi ed offi cials involved is very diffi cult,” he score 75 or better. To qualify
for postseason assignments,
said.
to work those games.”
offi cials must have three
The lack of offi cials can
Gillette said he is fearful
years of experience and score
that could happen again this also have an impact on the
90 or above.
court with more games of-
season. It makes it diffi cult
The latest requirement
for schools to fi nd individuals fi ciated by two-man crews
is to supply a COVID-19
rather than the preferred
to referee the games.
vaccination card or apply for
three.
“The biggest issue is li-
a medical or religious exemp-
“Over half our games in
ability because if you have an
injury there are a lot of things the spring had just two-man tion.
David Zalubowski/Associated Press
Portland Timbers defender Larrys Mabiala (No. 33) kicks
the ball in for the winning goal past Colorado Rapids
defender Keegan Rosenberry, third from left, and
goaltender William Yarbrough, far left, in the second
half of a Western Conference semifi nal Thursday, Nov.
25 in Commerce City, Colorado.
Timbers beat
Rapids on late
goal to reach
MLS West fi nal
COMMERCE CITY, Colo.
(AP) — Larrys Mabiala scored
in the 90th minute and the
Portland Timbers beat the
Colorado Rapids 1-0 on Thurs-
day, Nov. 25 to advance to the
Western Conference fi nal.
Portland will face the
winner of the game Sunday
between Sporting Kansas
City and Real Salt Lake.
Yimmi Chara’s corner kick
was defl ected high into the air
and Cristhian Paredes headed
it into the 6-yard box for Ma-
biala to knock home. Mabiala
hadn’t scored all season before
connecting in consecutive
playoff games.
Portland star playmaker
Sebastian Blanco left early in
the second half with an appar-
ent leg injury. As he tried to
run to a forward pass, Blanco
went to the ground, grabbed
the back of his taped left leg
and immediately signaled for
a substitution.
Portland will be without
Dairon Asprilla for the confer-
ence fi nal after he received a
straight red card for violent
conduct in second-half stop-
page time.
Baker County
CHURCH
DIRECTORY
SEVENTH-DAY
ADVENTIST
CHURCH
Saturday Worship
11:00 am
www.bakercitysda.com
17th & Pocahontas, Baker City
541-523-4913
THE CHURCH OF
JESUS CHRIST OF
LATTER-DAY SAINTS
Sunday Worship
First Service 8:30 am
2nd Service & Sunday School
10 am
Jr. High & High School Youth
Tues 6:30 pm
Youth Pastor Silas Moe
675 Hwy 7, Baker City • 541-523-5425
9-11 AM - Baker City 2nd Ward
11:30-1:30 PM Baker Valley Ward
2-4 PM - Baker City 1st Ward
Everyone Welcome
Open to all patients,
family and friends for
reflection and prayer.
Family History
(541) Center is open again -
Everything Free - Masks required
Tues & Fri 1-4 PM
Wed & Thurs 10 AM -1 PM
Wed Evenings 5-8 PM
St. Alphonsus Hospital in
Baker City
2625 Hughes Lane, Baker City
541-523-2397
FIRST
PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
Sunday Worship Service
10:30 am
SAINT
ALPHONSUS
HOSPITAL CHAPEL
Third & Broadway
541-523-3891
10
9
Sundays
Worship Service
am Sunday School
Thursdays
am
1995 4th Street, Baker City
541-523-5201
5:30 - 6 pm
Free Community Dinner
6:15 - 8 pm
firstpresbaker.blogspot.com
Celebrate Recovery
CHRISTIAN
SCIENCE CHURCH
Elkhorn Baptist
Church
Sunday Service
10:00 am
Sunday School 10 am
Morning Worship 11 am
Evening Worship 6 pm
Discovery Kids Worship
6:30 pm
3520 Birch St, Baker City
541-523-4332
www.ChristianScience.com
3rd & Washington, Baker City
541-523-5911
bakercalvarybaptist.com
Everyone
Welcome
St. Stephen’s
Sunday Worship
9:45am
Sunday School
8:30am
United
Methodist
Churches
Episcopal
Pastor Troy Teeter
Services at 9 am
1st & 3rd Sundays, Holy Eucharist
2nd & 4th Sundays, Morning Prayer
5th Sunday, Morning Prayer
1250 Hughes Lane, Baker City
(Corner of Cedar & Hughes)
541-523-3533
www.bakernaz.com
2177 First Street • Baker City
Entrance on 1st Street
Corner Church & First Streets
541-523-4812
Coffee is 9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
Baker & Haines
Currently meeting via Zoom only
Worship 10am Sunday
Please join us
Join Video Zoom Meeting
https://greaternw.zoom.us/j/5415234201
Meeting ID: 541 523 4201
669 900 6833 US (San Jose) (audio only)
Or follow us on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/BakerUMCOregon
https://www.facebook.com/Haines-United-
Methodist-Church-Oregon-291208291510986
ST. BRIGID’S IN THE
PINES COMMUNITY
CHURCH
11:30 a.m. Services
1st & 3rd Sunday
Holy Eucharist
East Auburn Street, Sumpter
541-523-4812
A Mission of St. Stephen's Episcopal
Church in Baker City
FIRST
LUTHERAN
CHURCH
Service at 11 am
Live Streaming on
Facebook
1734 Third Street, Baker City
541-523-3922
firstlutheranbakercity@gmail.com
AGAPE
CHRISTIAN
CENTER
Sunday Services
10:00 am & 6:30 pm
South Highway 7,
Baker City
541-523-6586
The church directory is published once monthly. Information for this directory is provided by participating churches, please call 541-523-3673 for more information.
Thank you to the participating churches and these sponsors:
Cliff’s Saws & Cycles
Whelan Electric, Inc.
523-5756 • CCB 103032
2619 Tenth • 523-2412
1950 Place • 523-4300
1500 Dewey • 523-3677