New Email Address
CAOA President, Jeff Spedoske is
using a new email address for all CAOA business. The AOL account
was compromised. The CAOA apologizes if you have received spam
email from that account. Any email regarding CAOA business for
Jeff Spedoske should be sent to
caoaofficials@gmail.com.
2009-10 CAOA Theme: A More Fit CAOA
At the most recent CAOA Board
Meeting, the board decided on a theme for the 2009-10 season.
This year, the CAOA will be putting an emphasis on getting in
shape and eating right in order to be at your best on the field
or court. Every CAOA meeting during 2009-10 will have a fitness
component incorporated into the meeting.
5K Run/Walk
As part of the fitness theme for
'09-'10, the CAOA will be sponsoring a 5K run. We are
encouraging our membership to train for and complete the Women
Working Wonders 5K Run/Walk, Sunday, September 13. The event
takes place at Hawk Island in East Lansing. The 5K kicks off at
9:30 am and will be followed by a CAOA cookout. Every CAOA
member who completes the 5K will receive a meeting point. We
will be sending out more information at a later date but you
might want to start training as soon as possible! Here is a link
to the race web site:
http://www.sparrow.org/foundation/runwalk/event.asp
2009-10 Meeting Schedule
The 2009-10 Meeting Schedule is
almost completed. The majority of this year's meetings will be
held at the MHSAA Building, 1661 Ramblewood Drive, East Lansing.
Our first meeting night will be August 10, Football from 6:00 pm
to 7:00 pm, General Meeting from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm, and
Basketball from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm. The entire meeting schedule
will be posted on the web site as soon as it's finalized.
Membership in Good Standing
Now is the time to check your MIGS
status, do not wait until the season starts! If you are a
football crew chief, please check on your entire crew as soon as
possible. You can see your status with on our web site,
www.greatlakesreferee.com, and by logging into the MHSAA site.
IF YOU HAVE NOT REGISTERED WITH THE MHSAA FOR 2009-10, WE CANNOT
MAKE YOU A MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING UNTIL YOU DO SO. Please
register with the MHSAA as soon as possible so we can complete
our good standing roster. Any questions regarding MIGS status
should be directed to Membership Director, Dan Carmichael, at
jendan10@att.net.
CAOA Dues
CAOA Dues should be paid
immediately. You will not be included on the MIGS list until
your dues are up to date. CAOA dues are $40 per year ($20 for
students). Click here for a registration sheet:
http://www.greatlakesreferee.com/highschool/caoa_membership.pdf
Any questions regarding dues should
be directed to Treasurer, Eric Wills, at
ewills@loeye.com.
CAOA Football Clinic
The CAOA football leadership is in
the process of planning the 2009 CAOA Football Clinic. The
clinic will run over two days. The first day will be classroom
sessions and the second day will be on field training. The on
field training will run in conjunction with local high school
scrimmages. The CAOA Clinic will be worth two meeting points for
your current Membership in Good Standing Status. This clinic
will be the only clinic for which football meeting points will
be awarded. Look for more information to be posted on the web
site soon.
ADT Open
The 2nd Annual ADT Open was played
on Monday, June 22, at Arbor Hills Golf Course in Jackson. The
ADT is memorial outing funding scholarships in the names of Art
Willard, Don Edwards, and Tony Payne. Over $6,500 was raised at
the event! Special thanks to the following CAOA members who
serve on the ADT Committee: Bruce Keeling, Mike Conlin, Eric
Wills, and Nichole Tilma. Other CAOA members who participated in
the outing include Marty Kolka, Mike Maisner, Mark Uyl, Dick
Kalahar, Mark Larson and Jeff Spedoske. Mark your calendar now for Next
year's ADT! It will be held on Monday, June 28, 2010.
CAOA Mentor Program Job Description
Did you
have a veteran official that took you under his or her wing when you
were just starting out or did you wander aimlessly through this maze of
officiating without any guidance or support? In either case, we have a
way to give back and help a new official avoid those same pitfalls.
The CAOA is starting a Mentor Program
for new or inexperienced officials. Our hope is that by pairing up a
less experienced official with a seasoned CAOA member, we can help new
members avoid the pitfalls that often lead to discouragement,
disillusionment, and ultimately disinterest in officiating. If you are
a CAOA member in good standing with a positive attitude regarding
officiating and the CAOA, please consider being a CAOA Mentor.
Mentorship is not only for our most
experienced or accomplished members. In fact, an official with just a
few years experience may be more adept at guiding a new official through
today's myriad of issues.
A Mentor would be expected to be
available to the mentee for guidance, be willing to occasionally work
with the mentee on sub-varsity assignments, give both positive and
constructive feedback on performance, etc.
Again, we are looking for mentor's with
a POSITIVE attitude towards both officiating in general and the CAOA
specifically. If you qualify and are interested in becoming a CAOA
Mentor, contact me, Jeff Spedoske, by email at
CAOA1@aol.com.
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| CAOA presented a check for $5000 at the 2006 Boys
State Finals at the Breslin Center. |
|
Officials for Kids originated in Lansing, Michigan in 2003 to support
the local fundraising efforts of Coaches for Kids and Athletes for Kids
whose goal is to construct a dedicated pediatric emergency room &
waiting room at Sparrow Hospital. Now, Officials for Kids has built a
positive image and is ready to go across Michigan to help kids in all
our communities. This initiative is a great way to become actively
involved in supporting the future of children's healthcare in Michigan.
The CAOA initially raised $1,000 toward their goal and the
figure has grown exponentially since that time. The 2007 - 08 totals
stand at $4,000, bringing the grand total raised to $13,277.
"This is a great way for officials in the capital area to give back to
the community," stated Jeff Spedoske, CAOA President. "We are very proud
to be one of the leading officials associations in the state of Michigan
to support this cause."
Officials For Kids "Give a Game" Form Now Available
The Officials for Kids program originated in
Lansing in 2003 with a goal of raising funds
for the construction of a dedicated
pediatric emergency room and waiting room at
Sparrow Hospital. Now CAOA members can
easily donate a game fee or more toward this
purpose using our printable form. All
donations are tax-deductible.
Click here
to view and print the form. You can also
read more about this project on the
Sparrow Foundation website. |