Becoming a Professional Official and Maintaining Your Certification

Background information on becoming a professional information is available here and at USA Volleyball:

• How to Become a Certified Referee in the Ohio Valley Region and Vicinity
  
• Be an Official (at the USAV Web Site)
  

Registration

Ohio Valley Region – USA Volleyball memberships begin on November 1 and expire on October 31. Online registration for returning professional officials for the 2007-2008 season is open now, and all returning professional officials must renew their memberships by the end of October.

All individuals registering with the Ohio Valley Region, Inc. of USA Volleyball who will interact with juniors in any sanctioned activity, including officials, must consent to background screening. Complete details are available at www.ovr.org/register/background_screening.php.

Returning Professional Officials

To ease renewal and increase flexibility, we segmented registration for returning professional officials into the following three phases. If you're currently signed in, your status for each will be shown.

New Professional Officials

Individuals interested in becoming certified USA Volleyball officials should review the new officials' program and information at the following link:

Professional Officials' Clinics

Attendance at an OVR Professional Officials' Clinic is required of all existing and all new OVR professional referees. Failure to attend a clinic will result in removal from the list of certified officials. Clinics are free for returning officials and $25 for new officials, payable on arrival by mailing the clinic fee and New Official's Application to Brian Hemelgarn, OVR Regional Referees' Chair. Both returning and prospective professional officials should sign up online for a clinic.

Our Officials' Clinics Page also contains information on camps and clinics to enhance your USAV officiating experience.

Online Testing

To better accommodate folks who prefer to take the test after attending a pre-season clinic, the deadline for completing the exam (including corrections for missed questions) is February 15, 2008.

All existing officials must take the Form A exam online. Prospective officials must take the Form C exam online.

The USAV Form A exam may not be taken in conjunction with the PAVO exam,

Online testing requires a password. (Officials, sign in for the OVR password).

Online Testing for Professional Referees

Notes for the testing process:

• The online testing process relies on our honesty and integrity.

• If taking the referees' test, select Form A. (Existing officials should not select Form C: you'll have to go back and take Form A if you do!)

• When the exam form comes up, fill out the requested information completely. Make sure you select "Ohio Valley" as your region. Junior National and National referees must read and accept the testing guidelines.

• Brian Hemelgarn, OVR Regional Referees' Chair, will receive a copy of referees' test results automatically.
  Terry Miller, OVR Regional Scorekeepers' Chair, will receive a copy of scorekeepers' test results automatically.

Any questions or concerns with that system should be addressed to Tom Sweeney, NERVA Webmaster, at webmaster@yankee.org and/or Brian Hemelgarn, OVR Regional Referees' Chair, hemelgarn@ovr.org.

Online Testing for Professional Scorekeepers

Online exam information for scorekeeping will be distributed via e-mail when the exam website is open.

If you have specific scorekeeping questions, please contact OVR Scorekeeper Chair, Terry Miller (miller@ovr.org).

USAV-Certified Officials

• Certified Referees in the Ohio Valley Region
• ... in neighboring regions: [ Hoosier, Keystone, Lakeshore, Pioneer ]

Resources for Professional Officials

• Tournaments needing officials
• Extended Insurance Coverage for USA Volleyball Certified Officials
• Juniors Rating Form: rating form for Junior referees and scorekeepers