The Chris Haugen Crew
One of the best ways to develop as an official is to learn alongside experienced officials who are willing to teach, encourage and share what they have learned.
The Chris Haugen crew recently provided exactly that opportunity as they prepared to work a varsity high school football game with Amanda B Simpson joining the crew as a mentee.
Pictured from left to right are Mark Rahja, Amanda B Simpson, Paul Print, Chris Haugen, Carolyn Derksen and Nick Rathmann.
For Amanda, the game provided an opportunity to learn firsthand from an experienced crew — from pregame preparation and communication to positioning, mechanics and the many little details that go into working a varsity football game.
Mentoring opportunities like this are an important part of developing officials. Classroom training, rules study and mechanics instruction provide the foundation, but working alongside veteran officials gives newer officials an opportunity to see those lessons applied in a live game environment.
The Minneapolis Officials Association appreciates officials such as Chris, Mark, Paul, Carolyn and Nick who are willing to invest their time and experience in the next generation of officials.
And for Amanda, every game and every conversation is another opportunity to learn.
That is what officiating mentorship is all about.