AZ high school referees to be fingerprinted
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Posted 6:07 PM 2/6/2012 : AZ high school referees to be fingerprinted
TUCSON - The game rules are getting tougher in Arizona for anyone who wants to referee high school sports. In the 2012-2013 school year all high school athletic officals will have to be fingerprinted if they want to call the plays.
The crackdown is in response to an arrest made in September in Phoenix. Police say a former softball empire sexually abused two runaway girls.
The Arizona Interscholastic Association, which oversees most high school referees, says the fingerprinting is in addition to periodic background checks. They will be compared with those of convicted criminals in the FBI database.
Referees like Kim Janes, who has been calling plays at games in Tucson for the past 35 years, will have to pay nearly $90 for the fingerprint and background check. However, the AIA has agreed to lower referee registration fees. Once a referee gets a fingerprint card, it will be good for six years. "Unfortunately in this day in age, you're forced to do it to protect our children and I'll do whatever I can to help," Kim says.
The athletic director at Salpointe Catholic High School, Phil Gruensfelder also welcomes the new rule. "I think it's a great policy because it falls in suit with all of us who are in education: teachers, coaches, etc."
There are about 500 AIA referees in Southern Arizona.
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