Become a Member
Piedmont Valley Football Officials Association is always looking to recruit new individuals to join our organization. We’re committed to providing exceptional officiating services and promoting sportsmanship for the games our members are involved with, which involves a comprehensive training program conducted by our top senior officials.
The first step to becoming an official is to reach out to our association using the button below!
The second step is to complete the 8 FREE courses listed below. These courses are provided FREE by the National High School League Learning website.
*Please email completed Certificates to Walter Trainum and/or Chris West
Free Officiating Courses
**New Officials** - Below you will find a list of 8 FREE classes that you can complete on your own time. Please email completed Certificates to Walter Trainum and/or Chris West
Walter Trainum: wtrainum@yahoo.com
Chris West: cpw3duva@gmail.com
Interscholastic Officiating
Course #1: Required
In the NFHS Interscholastic Officiating course, we will cover the introductory skills and concepts you have used or will need to learn as an official. We’ll cover officiating basics, the Science behind good Officiating, the art of officiating, and how you can combine these skills into a satisfying vocation. We hope the content we provide gives you a solid base knowledge of what to expect and how to improve yourself as an official.
Officiating Football
Course #2: Required
Officiating Football has been developed for new game officials as well as experienced high school game officials. The course explains principles and practice of good football officiating, through rules knowledge and professionalism. The course discusses risk minimization and its potential impact on injuries. It teaches legal blocking and legal catches, and shows how to identify both.
Heat Illness Prevention
Course #3: Required
Exertional Heat Stroke is the leading cause of preventable death in high school athletics. To help you minimize the risk of heat illness at your school, this course has designed to provide the fundamentals of a strong heat acclimatization plan and guidelines for limiting activities to account for changing environmental conditions and other contributing risk factors. It highlights the importance of an appropriate hydration plan and establishing an Emergency Action Plan in case of a suspected exertional heat stroke.
Sportsmanship
Course #4: Required
Sportsmanship is the foundation for interscholastic sports and activities. In this course, you will learn the definition of sportsmanship and highlights of what good sportsmanship looks and sounds like. Appropriate conduct and behavior will also be discussed, as it is at the core of creating and providing a positive interscholastic experience. Coaches, officials, parents, and fans all have a role in creating a positive environment for young people and understanding those roles is critically important.
Concussion in Sports
Course #5: Required
The NFHS has teamed up with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to educate coaches, officials, parents and students on the importance of proper concussion recognition and management in high school sports. This course highlights the impact of sports-related concussion on athletes, teaches how to recognize a suspected concussion, and provides protocols to manage a suspected concussion with steps to help players return to play safely after a concussion.
Officiating Workshop
Course #6: Required
Implicit biases are the automatic reactions we have toward other people based on our past learning and expectations. Studies show that Implicit Bias affects the experiences of students in school athletic and activity programs. The NFHS has partnered with Project Implicit to bring you this course, Implicit Bias. Studies support that there is a relationship between implicit bias and real-world behavior, which highlights the importance of being aware of and managing your bias.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Course #7: Required
Sudden Cardiac Arrest is the number one cause of death in the United States for student-athletes during exercise. Caused by a structural or electrical problem associated with the heart, Sudden Cardiac Arrest happens when the heart unexpectedly stops beating and pumping blood. This is why the National Federation of State High School Associations, in partnership withSimon’s Heart,has developed the course Sudden Cardiac Arrest. This course will help you learn and recognize the warning signs and symptoms of Sudden Cardiac Arrest.
The Collapsed Athlete
Course #8: Required
This course will teach you the importance of developing Emergency Action Plans and practicing them, including assigning responsibilities to team members. You’ll discover the three H’s; HEART, HEAT and HEAD and their relationship to potentially fatal injuries and illnesses. When your athlete collapses and you need to act, you will know an action plan designed to take you step by step through the process of helping the collapsed athlete. You will be prepared when any emergency arises.
Bullying, Hazing and Inappropriate Behaviors
Course #10: Optional
Protecting students doesn’t happen just on the court or on the field. More and more, news media and criminal investigations are documenting examples of inappropriate relationships, sexual harassment, hazing, and bullying. In a fast-growing world of electronic and social media, these issues are becoming more prevalent and, in some cases, more severe.
