Football Staff

2007 Procedures To Register As A Member Of The SICOA Football Staff

Welcome!

This page will help you properly register with our football association and give you information about SICOA.

Our History

SICOA was founded in 1997 due to a need for youth league officials in Pop Warner football in Hillsborough and Sarasota counties. Twelve officials made the first roster. In subsequant years, more youth programs came on board and the need for additional officials became evident. SICOA started their C.O.R.E. training program which is still utilized today. C.O.R.E. stands for Continued Officiating Review & Education. Other associations around the country have modeled their training after this very successful program.

In 2002, SICOA became a member of the Florida High School Athletic Association and started working interscholastic high school contest's. In that same year, the association received accolades from the FHSAA as we led the state in student/official registrations.

In 2003, the FHSAA awarded a state football officials field clinic to SICOA and the Lake Region Officials Association. The clinic attracted over 150 officials state wide and was a huge success.

In 2004, SICOA retained their first collegiate program and became a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

Supervisor of Officials John Walters oversees a staff of over 130 officials within SICOA's football staff, and is also the Supervisor of Officials for the 18 team Southern States Football League, minor league football conference. He also books the Independent Women's Football League and the four Florida franchises in the National Indoor Football League.

Today, SICOA services 26 youth football organizations in eight bay area counties. The high school and collegiate programs are also flourishing.

From the original staff of 12, Walters, Jeff Merrin, Chip Lugo, Lance Sweat and Dean Davis are all still active members.

Getting Started

First, you have to decide if you are mentally and physically ready to officiate. Officiating is not for everyone. It is demanding. You will be criticized and openly harrased. But you are in a family of those that put on the uniform to enforce the rules of the game and make use fair judgement. It is rewarding. It is fun. And it is the game we all love.

SICOA Membership & FHSAA Registration

1. You must complete a 2008 SICOA membership application. Complete all areas and mail it with a $35.00 membership fee to the address on the form. Once received and approved, you will be contacted by e-mail.

2. You then will register with the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA). The 2008 fee is $34.00. If you are currently a high school student, the fee is $10.00 (student-official). Your FHSAA membership enables you to receive 2008 rule books, insurance and membership with the National Federation of State High Schools Officials Association. Registration opens each year by mid to late June. Please do not try to register until notified by SICOA of the official starting date for on-line registration.

http://tech.fhsaa.org/

This is an on-line registration process. Follow all directions. You must have a VISA/Mastercard or check card to use for on-line registration.

MANDATORY BACKGROUND CHECK

All SICOA officials shall be required to undergo a a Level 2 background screening. A level 2 screening is a check of a person's background against state and national databases to ascertain whether the individual has been convicted of a crime(s) and its/their nature. It requires you to file with the district school board a complete set of fingerprints taken by an authorized law enforcement agency or an employee of the school or school district who is trained to take fingerprints. The fingerprints are submitted to the FDLE for state processing and to the FBI for federal processing. If you have been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude you cannot be employed, engaged to provide services, or serve in any position requiring direct contact with students. This includes officiating athletic contests.

> Student Officials are exempt from this rule.

> Officials that do not intend to officiate FHSAA junior varsity or varsity contests will not be required to undergo a Level 2 screening.

> Officials will still undergo SICOA screening which includes a statewide background check.

What is the cost and who pays it? The minimum cost of each screening, according to FDLE, is $61. The exact cost, however, is determined by each school district and may vary from county to county. Each school district must decide who pays the cost of each screening. FDLE has stated that it also may assess an annual $6 retention fee in future years. Again, it will be the decision of each school district to determine who pays this annual fee should it be assessed. The FHSAA will reimburse officials up to $32.00 of their initial fee.

FAQ:

Must I undergo the level 2 screening each school year?

No. Once you submit to the level 2 screening you are permanently entered into the state's automated fingerprint identification system. Your fingerprints then are annually compared to all arrest fingerprint cards. If an arrest record matches your fingerprints it will be reported to the appropriate district school board.

Additional information will be submitted to officials during the next few months. It will be the sole responsibility of each official to assure they take and complete this procedure prior to July 15, 2007.

Uniforms & Equipment

Honig's Southeast is the official supplier to SICOA & The SSFLOA. Please contact Fred Collura for your youth uniform ordering needs. You will find the Honig's information on the related links page on this website. Make sure you mention you are with SICOA. Fred has a great starter package available.