UHSAA debates referee pay, mileage reimbursement

MIDVALE — The struggle to retain officials has become more difficult thanks to skyrocketing fuel prices.

With the number of officials in soccer and volleyball critically low, the Utah High School Activities Association is struggling with how to compensate officials for increasingly expensive mileage. In the past, the group has paid only one of the two or three officials mileage after 50 miles. Officials in basketball and football are willing to travel, but volleyball and soccer referees are more reluctant, according to UHSAA staff.

The concern about mileage compensation was raised during a discussion of changing the pay of basketball officials who work three-man crews. Instead of paying two officials $55 and one official $30 with the promise of a junior varsity game for about the same amount, the UHSAA wants to pay each official $50. That means a net increase of $10 per game for the 5A schools involved in the one-year pilot program.

Alta principal Mont Widerberg said other principals in the classification should be allowed to voice their opinions on the proposal before the group votes on whether to impose an additional cost on all 5A schools.

"We have a couple of schools that are really struggling," Widerberg said. "We just want the chance to discuss it."

It was during that discussion, on the compensation officials receive, that changing mileage rates was discussed. The UHSAA is already committed to a two-cent increase from 34 cents to 36 cents per mile, but it's only paid after 50 miles.

With the increase in the cost of fuel, Cuff said officials are declining distant games because they know they'll get to work closer to home.

"We're already hearing about mileage," he said. "We've had some say, 'I can't keep doing this. I'm spending my whole check just to drive there.'"

Craig Hammer, Region 9 representative, said the group should come up with a proposal to mitigate the expenses for officials.

"We want good officials and we want to keep them," he said, suggesting changes like reducing or eliminating the 50-mile provision. "Maybe we can do something just to show them we care about them."

Ben Lomond principal Ben Smith said the group should approach any increase in costs to the schools with caution.

"We've got to be pretty careful of adding expenses back to the school," he said. "Some of us are getting killed. Some of us are drowning and can't make it as it is. I have 70 percent of my students on fee waivers."