Sports officiating class inspires athletes

By: Rylee Palmer; contributing writer

Sports officiating students, Addison Reynolds, Tristan Staats, Samuel Boffa and Joshua Russell get started on their course work for the day.

The Sports Officiating class is a new course addition to Centralia High School(CHS) for the 2023-24 school year.  ​

 This class focuses on the skills and certification required to be a sports officiator.

Students who take this course, complete required course work and pass a MSHSAA test at the end of the year will receive their sports officiating license in their sport of choice. Students can also choose to get certified in multiple sports.  To be certified in multiple sports the student will need to take and pass the test specific to that sport. They will then be certified to officiate recreational league games like the ones held in Centralia and surrounding communities. 

Many students already have plans on when and where they plan to use their certification. Ramsey Webb, junior, shared, “I hope to use my referee certification in the next basketball season.”

Likewise, Logan Rosenfelder, junior, shared, “I plan to use my certification to ref basketball games because there is a lack of sufficient refs out there and I would like to be a good one.”

The class is taught by Mr. Ben Sontheimer, head track coach and assistant girls basketball coach. While Sontheimer has not officiated in his career he has worked very closely with them over his 29 years in the coaching profession. He is very optimistic of the outcomes to follow this new course. Sontheimer shared, “I hope the students will gather the confidence to attempt being a middle or high school sports official. I think it is a great way for an athlete to stay involved in their sport. In addition, there is a tremendous shortage in sports officials.”

This class has given CHS students the opportunity to be the future of sports officiating and make a difference in the sports they have played and loved for so long.