Apply: Supervisor of student officials at Special Olympics USA Games

NIRSA is looking for two supervisors of student officials—one for basketball and one for flag football—for the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games taking place June 5-12, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. Supervisors will work with the NIRSA-selected student officials and officiate games within the Unified division at the games. Apply online by Monday, April 12!

Volunteering for the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle as Supervisor of Student Officials and as a flag football official is a highlight of my NIRSA involvement. The Special Olympic USA Games showcase 20 Olympic-style sports and 30 events for 5,500 athletes from all 50 states and the Caribbean. It is simply a magical experience.

NIRSA officials work alongside a wonderful group of officials from around the country who are passionate about Special Olympics and serving their athletes to ensure that they get the best experience possible by having high caliber officiating. The 2018 USA Games were the first time that NIRSA had the opportunity to partner on officiating flag football and the first Collegiate Unified Division for the sport. While only four student officials were present for the 2018 USA Games, we’re excited to expand the number of NIRSA officials who will be present for the 2022 USA Games in Orlando: eight for flag football and six for basketball.

Serving as the inaugural Supervisor of Student Officials allowed me to be a liaison between the director of officials for flag football and the NIRSA students. It also allowed me to befriend many of the other officials. We had a full schedule of officiating for the games, but also had some opportunities for social activities and exploring the surrounding areas. There is an energy surrounding the games—a joy in working with athletes in this inclusive environment—as well as a sense of fulfillment from volunteering. There may also have been some ibuprofen in the mix as I was not used to working as a tournament official anymore.

Much like NIRSA tournaments, the officiating crew worked to learn, develop, and improve each game. I hope many of our members will consider applying to be Supervisor of Student Officials for basketball or flag football for the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando. This is not only a development opportunity, but an opportunity to positively impact others. Apply today!