by Per Tim Stried of the OHSAA
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) has designated the week of Oct. 6-12 as Fall Sports Officials Appreciation Week.
Officials Appreciation Week is part of the OHSAA’s Respect the Game program, which encourages sportsmanship among student-athletes, coaches, officials and spectators, and is held in conjunction with the National Federation of State High School Associations’ (NFHS) National High School Activities Month.
Athletic administrators are encouraged to utilize an OHSAA-provided public address script before all home games during the week and use their social media accounts to show appreciation for contest officials.
“We appreciate each and every one of the nearly 15,000 contest officials in the state of Ohio,” said OHSAA Director of Officiating Beau Rugg. “These individuals spend countless hours in clinics, rules meetings and professional development during the offseason to prepare for their roles, and we are grateful for their ongoing service to Ohio’s student-athletes, coaches and member schools.”
Future appreciation weeks are set for Jan. 12-18, 2026 (winter sports) and April 6-12, 2026 (spring sports).
More information:
Respect the Game: https://www.ohsaa.org/Respect-the-Game
Officials Appreciation Week: https://www.ohsaa.org/Respect-the-Game/2025-26-OHSAA-Officials-Appreciation-Weeks
NFHS National High School Activities Month: https://nfhs.org/stories/national-high-school-activities-month-celebrates-value-of-programs-in-nation-s-schools
