Supporting principles of fair play and sportsmanship among all persons associated with interscholastic football, including players, school officials, coaches and spectators;

Conscientiously, fearlessly and impartially enforcing rules designed to promote player safety and sportsmanship;

Improving the administration of games through improved mechanics, and increased cooperation and understanding among officials, athletic directors, coaches, players, the press and spectators;

Developing and abiding by a code of conduct which will reflect credit upon individual officials and the

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP

Sec. 1 Eligibility tests and entrance requirements for applicants for membership shall be determined by the Board of Directors, hereinafter referred to as the Board.

Sec. 2 The membership shall be categorized into six (6) classes of members as follows:

Active Members: Persons who are currently carried on the roll as Active Members, and all others who have satisfied all of the following requirements:

Completed a regular application for membership;
Paid all dues and assessments;
Received certification by the Virginia High School League (VHSL) with a classification of “approved” or higher, attended a minimum of eight (8) local clinics in the current year and attended the most recent state rules clinic;
Served as an Associate Member for at least three (3) months;
Officiated at least ten (10) football games at the Middle School level or above;
Elected to Active Member status at a meeting called for this purpose at least one (1) week in advance, and which there was a proper

All persons considered for Active Member status shall have at least two (2) years experience and the recommendation of the Board.

Associate Members: Persons who are certified by the VHSL to officiate football and who have been approved by the Board, but who have not been elected to Active Member

Temporary Associate Members: Persons whose applications for membership have been approved by the Board, but who have not been certified by the

Honorary Members: Persons who have demonstrated an extraordinary interest in, but are not engaged in football officiating, and whose contribution to the sport is recognized by this classification, such persons having been recommended by the Board and elected by the

Auxiliary Members: Persons who have demonstrated and interest in, but are not engaged in football officiating, and whose primary contribution to the sport and association is to help with Clock and/or Chain Crew assignments, such persons having the approval of the Clock Operators would be required to take a VHSL Clock Operators Exam prior to receiving any Clock assignments.

Nonactive Members: Active Members who, for reasons satisfactory to the Board, request in a letter submitted to the Secretary and are granted a leave of absence of up to one (1) They may be reinstated as Active Members under the following procedures:

By approval of the Board at the officiating level determined by the Board in accordance with VHSL regulations, or
At the option of the Board, by the membership in accordance with 2a.(6) of this Article.

ARTICLE IV – ELIGIBILITY FOR VARSITY GAMES

To be eligible to officiate varsity games, an official must work at least two (2) scrimmages during the preseason or work one (1) J.V. game at no fee and fall into at least one (1) of the following categories:

Active Members of the PFOA
Previously active members in good standing of another football officials’ association with a current VHSL rating of “approved” or higher and the approval of the
Other members with no previous association with other officials’ organizations who have served a two

(2) year probationary period and have the approval of the Board.

Playoff Games: Received certification by the VHSL with a classification of “certified”, attended a minimum of 8 local clinics in the current year (as established by the Board) and attended the most recent state rules Waiver of the meeting requirements for extenuating situations, submitted in writing, will be reviewed by the Board on a case-by-case basis.

The preseason scrimmage requirement may be waived in individual cases with Board approval of extenuating circumstances.

ARTICLE V – OFFICERS

Sec. 1 The officers shall normally consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer; however, at the discretion of the Nominating Committee, the offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be combined into the office of Secretary-Treasurer.

Sec. 2 To be eligible for any office, a person shall be an Active Member and shall have been an Active Member for at least two (2) years.

Sec. 3 All officers shall assume their official duties on the day after the VHSL AAA Championship game and shall serve until the corresponding day of the following year, or until the installation of new officers if the installation occurs at a later date.

ARTICLE VI – BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Sec. 1 The Board shall consist of the Officers, three (3) elected Directors, and the (immediate) Past President.

Sec. 2 Each Director shall be an Active Member and shall have been an Active Member for at least two (2) years.

Sec. 3 At each yearly election meeting, one Director shall be elected to a three (3) year term, which shall commence on the day following the VHSL AAA Championship game. This Director shall replace the Director whose term expires at that time.

Sec. 4 The Board shall determine the policies and activities of the PFOA, except as provided by Article XIV, Sec. 4, and shall have authority to discipline members, approve the budget, establish the amount of dues, approve all expenditures and disbursements, receive and act upon recommendations of committees, and shall be entrusted with the general management of the PFOA.

Sec. 5 The Board shall meet at the call of the President. At the discretion of the Board, any member may attend a meeting of the Board.

Sec. 6 The Board shall be authorized to appoint or remove any persons as Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner. The Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner, who need not be members of the PFOA, shall be subject to the direction and control of the Board. The Commissioner, and Assistant Commissioner, if appointed, are non-voting members of the Board.

Sec. 7 The Board is authorized to establish levels of compensation for the Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner and Treasurer, and other operating expenses as determined by the Board and to levy regular season assessments to all Members for that purpose. Assessments shall not exceed 10% of game fees.

ARTICLE VII – ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

Sec. 1 The election shall take place at a regular meeting of the PFOA, the purpose of which shall have been announced at least six (6) days in advance.

Sec. 2 At a regular meeting of the PFOA and at least two (2) weeks before the election meeting, the President shall appoint a Nominating Committee of at least three (3) persons. This committee shall submit nominations for the Officers and Director of the PFOA, and shall have general charge of the election, including the preparation, distribution, collection and counting of ballots.

Sec. 3 The Nominating Committee shall report to the general membership at least one (1) week before the election meeting and submit its list of nominees.

Sec. 4 At the election meeting, nominations may be submitted from the floor, provided the nominee is an Active Member and has been an Active Member for at least two (2) years.

Sec. 5 Voting shall be by secret ballot, and only those Active Members who are present may vote. Upon a motion duly made, seconded, and unanimously carried, the secret ballot may be waived and in lieu thereof, voting by either voice vote or show of hands conducted.

ARTICLE VIII – VACANCY IN OFFICE

Sec. 1 If the office of the President becomes vacant, the Vice-President shall succeed to the office. If a vacancy occurs in the office of Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, or Director, the Board, at a regular or special meeting, shall appoint an eligible Active Member to serve for the remaining term of office.

Sec. 2 If a vacancy occurs in the office of Past President, the next immediate Past President shall assume the office for the balance of the term. If he is unwilling or unable to serve, the President shall appoint another Past President to fill the vacancy, subject to the approval of the Board.

ARTICLE IX – DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Sec. 1 The President shall be the executive officer of the PFOA, and shall preside at all meetings of the PFOA and the Board. He shall be an ex-officio member of all standing and special committees, subject to the approval of the Board; and he shall be the official representative of the PFOA. He shall appoint all standing and special committees, subject to the approval of the Board, and he shall act to further the policies adopted by the Board and to implement the purposes of the PFOA; and he shall discharge all other duties assigned to him by the Board. On matters requiring a vote, the President shall not vote except in the event of a tie, in which case he shall be authorized to vote on any matter.

Sec. 2 The Vice-President shall, in the absence or disability of the President, assume all duties of the President.

Sec. 3 If approved by the membership, the offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be handled by one person. The Secretary shall preserve all records and be responsible for printing, publishing, and distributing all notices required by the Board. The Secretary shall receive and investigate all applications for membership, after which he shall present them along with his recommendations to the Board. The Secretary shall notify each candidate of his election or rejection, and shall furnish each member will all printed matter to which the member is entitled, including a copy of these By-Laws. The Secretary shall diligently investigate all complaints against members and shall, at the next regular meeting of the Board or at a special meeting called for this purpose, present to the Board all evidence he has procured on the complained. The Secretary shall be reimbursed for all reasonable expenses incurred by him in the performance of his duties.

Sec. 4 The Treasurer shall collect all fees and assessments imposed by the Board upon the members. He shall truly account for all moneys collected and shall deposit them into a Board-approved bank account, in the name of the PFOA, from which all disbursements authorized by the Board shall be drawn. The Treasurer shall provide to the Board a monthly report of the status of funds, showing all receipts and expenditures for the period.

ARTICLE X – POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD

Sec. 1 All business and actions taken by the Board shall be done upon a majority vote of the Board members present and voting, after a quorum has been established.

Sec. 2 The Commissioner, with the advice and consent of the Board, shall:

Make all game assignments,
Along with the Education Committee, be in charge of all training for both Active and Associate members,
Serve on all evaluation committees,
Negotiate contracts with local districts and schools,
Serve as liaison between the Association and all school representatives, as well as the Virginia, and
Remove any official from any position, or game, and substitute another official in his place.

Sec. 3 The Assistant Commissioner, if appointed, shall perform such duties as are designated to him, or her, by the Commissioner.

Sec. 4 The Board shall be authorized to entertain complaints against officials, coaches, or other persons in connection with the officiating of football games; to conduct hearings on alleged misconduct of any member of the PFOA, and to suspend any member whose conduct is deemed improper by the Board from officiating all football games for no more than one (1) month. In addition, the Board may refer any alleged misconduct of a member to the membership for the possible imposition of additional penalties; in which case, such matters shall be presented to the membership at a regular or specially called meeting, and the recommendation of the Board shall be given. Thereupon, the matter shall be acted upon by the membership.

Sec. 5 The Board shall be authorized to establish attendance requirements of all except Honorary Members and, after timely promulgation of the requirements and penalties, to establish and impose appropriate penalties for non-attendance.

Sec. 6 All officials nominated and placed on crews must be Active Members and meet all requirements for varsity games as defined in Article IV of these By-Laws. Crews established by the Board shall remain in place until modified in accordance with these By-Laws.

Upon recommendation of the Commissioner, the Board shall review and approve appointment of Crew Chiefs. The Board shall review the performance of Crew Chiefs annually with input from the Commissioner and his evaluation committee, making any changes deemed necessary on or before March 1^st. Appointment or removal of a Crew Chief shall require consent of a majority of the Board.

Once all Crew Chief assignments are finalized, Crew Chiefs will review the make-up of their crew. Crew Chiefs shall notify the President and Commissioner in writing (e-mail is acceptable) on or before April 1^stif any member(s) of the crew will not be returning. Crew Chiefs shall meet with the Board and Commissioner to explain why the person will no longer be with the crew. A majority vote by the Board will determine whether the Crew Chief’s recommendation is accepted or not. If accepted, replacement will be conducted in accordance with this Article.

The Crew Chiefs, with advice from the Commissioner, shall nominate at least one official to fill each vacancy on their crew. The Board shall review these nominations and approve all crew changes. When the same official is nominated for multiple crews, the Board shall make selections while trying to balance the quality of officials on all of the crews.

If a new crew is to be established, the Board, with the advice of the commissioner, shall appoint the new Crew Chief. The Commissioner and new Crew Chief shall work together to recommend the other members of the new crew to the Board for approval. Their recommendations may include pulling members from existing crews if needed to maintain a reasonable skill balance among the crews. The Board shall review and approve these nominations after considering the effects on all crews. A majority vote of the Board will be required to approve or reject these nominations.

If during the course of a season, a crew member becomes unavailable for further assignments due to illness, injury, ineligibility for playoff assignment, etc., the Crew Chief shall notify the President and Commissioner of the circumstances and, with the advice of the commissioner, nominate a replacement. Board approval shall not be required; however, the official shall be considered an interim crew member. If the official that becomes unavailable is a Crew Chief, the Board with input from the Commissioner shall select an interim Crew Chief. If the interim Crew Chief was a member of that crew, he shall nominate his replacement from the list of Active Members in accordance with this Article. If the interim Crew Chief is from another crew, that Crew Chief shall nominate a replacement from the list of Active Members in accordance with this Article.

ARTICLE XI – MEETINGS

Sec. 1 Regular membership meetings shall commence on the day, time and place designated by the Board of Directors and shall continue thereafter until the regular football season ends.

Sec. 2 Special membership meetings may be held upon not less than two (2) days notice issued by the President (and/or his designees), or by action of the Board upon a request of at least five (5) Active Members directed to the President and stating the reasons for the request.

Sec. 3 The Board shall meet at the time and place designated by the President or upon the request of any three (3) members of the Board directed to the President, whereupon the President shall call the meeting for not later than seven (7) days after receipt of the request. The Secretary shall make a reasonable effort to give notice of the meeting to all members of the Board. Fifty-one percent (51%) of the total membership of the Board shall constitute a quorum for all Board meetings.

ARTICLE XII – COMMITTEES

Sec. 1 Educational Committee: This committee shall provide a regular course of instruction designed to develop greater knowledge and comprehension of the rules, mechanics, and rules interpretations for the season. The Chairperson shall also serve as the PFOA Rules Interpreter.

Sec. 2 Nominating Committee: A Nominating Committee appointed by the President will carry out the duties spelled out in Article VII – ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS.

Sec. 3 Audit Committee: Not later than October 15, the President shall appoint at least three (3) persons to serve as an Audit Committee. This committee shall audit the financial records of the PFOA and make a report to the Board no later than the May regular meeting of the following year.

Sec. 4 The President is further authorized to appoint any other committees that he deems necessary and proper for the conduct of the business and affairs of the PFOA.

ARTICLE XIII – ORDER OF BUSINESS

In the absence of a motion duly made, seconded, and carried, to dispense with the regular order of business, the regular order of business shall be as follows:

Roll Call

Announcements

Commissioner Report

Assistant Commissioner Report

Treasurer Report

Old or New Business

ARTICLE XIV – VOTING AND VOTING QUORUM

Sec. 1 Active Members shall be eligible to vote on all issues brought before the membership.

Sec. 2 On issues identified as special by the Board, Associate Members shall be eligible to vote.

Special issues shall not include election of Officers or any person to Active Member status.

Sec. 3 The presence of fifty percent (50%) of the Active Members shall constitute a quorum for all votes by the membership.

Sec. 4 After a quorum has been established or declared without challenge, a simple majority vote of those members present and voting shall determine any issue except the following, in which case a two-thirds (2/3) majority shall be required:

Amendment of these By-Laws.
Election of any person to Active Member or Honorary Member

ARTICLE XV – DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERS

Sec. 1 All members shall reply promptly to all inquiries from the Secretary.

Sec. 2 All members shall promptly pay all dues and assessments imposed by the Board.

Sec. 3 No member shall assist a coach in the selection of any officials for any game. This prohibition shall not apply to the Commissioner who, at the request of any coach, principal, or other school athletic official may make such recommendations to the Board.

Sec. 4 No member shall solicit recommendations or assignments from coaches, school officials, or persons who have the authority to recommend or assign officials to games.

Sec. 5 At all times, officials shall maintain proper bearing and demeanor. At game sites, they shall be attired in a clean uniform as prescribed by the VHSL and shall be governed by the latest edition of the “Football Officials’ Manual”, except for modifications adopted by the PFOA.

Sec. 6 Officials shall be punctual in arriving at game sites. Except in circumstances beyond the control of officials, the requirements shall be as follows:

ALL games: Be on field in uniform at least thirty (30) minutes before the game time.

Sec. 7 No official shall make any statement to coaches, school officials, or members of the press, concerning any ruling or play of a controversial nature. Upon inquiry by either head coach, a short and courteous explanation of any ruling shall be given during a game or intermission, with due regard for the orderly and timely conduct of the game. Officials shall not engage in prolonged discussions or arguments with school officials or coaches.

Sec. 8 If, in the opinion of the referee, there occurs a ruling or play situation which is likely to cause adverse comment by school officials, coaches, or members of the press, the referee shall notify the Commissioner not later than twelve (12) hours after completion of the game, and provide an explanation of the ruling or play situation. All official inquiries or statements concerning the game shall be issued by the Commissioner.

ARTICLE XVI – COMPLAINTS AND DISCIPLINE OF MEMBERS

Sec. 1 Complaints against members shall be forwarded to the President of the Association.

Sec. 2 Upon receipt of a complaint, the President shall bring it to the attention of the Board at the next regular Board meeting or at an earlier special Board meeting called for this purpose.

Sec. 3 At such meeting, the Board shall consider the complaint and make appropriate determination. If the Board finds that the conduct in question constitutes a breach of the rules of conduct as stated in the “Football Officials’ Manual” or these By-Laws, or is otherwise likely to bring discredit upon the PFOA, then the Board shall take disciplinary action which it deems consistent with the gravity of the offense. The Board shall be authorized to administer such penalty, as it deems appropriate, up to the suspension of the offending member from officiating all football games for no more than one (1) month. The Board is also authorized to refer the matter to the membership for possible imposition of additional penalties.

ARTICLE XVII – PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

All matters coming before the PFOA shall be handled substantially in accordance with the parliamentary procedure established in “Robert’s Rules of Order”.

ARTICLE XVIII – AMENDMENT OF BY-LAWS

All proposed amendments to the By-Laws shall be presented in writing to the Board for its review. Thereafter, they shall be presented to the membership at the next regular meeting of the PFOA. The proposed amendment shall be read at a regular meeting of the PFOA, at which time the President shall provide the membership with the recommendation of the Board. The proposed amendment shall be voted on at the next regular meeting of the PGOA following the one in which the proposed amendment was read. (See Article XIV, Sec. 4 for voting procedure).

ARTICLE XIX – DUES

At the end of each season, the Treasurer shall withhold from the game fees due any member an amount set by the Board to be equal to the anticipated sum of the VHSL dues and PFOA dues for the succeeding season. If any member determines that he is not going to officiate during the succeeding season, he shall communicate that fact to the Treasurer and the Treasurer shall not withhold any dues for the succeeding season. The annual VHSL and PFOA dues for all other PFOA members except Honorary and Auxiliary Members must be paid to the Treasurer not later than July 1. Should any member fail to pay his VHSL and PFOA dues by July 1, then upon certification of this fact by the Treasurer to the President, that member shall be ineligible to receive any game assignments. The member may have his eligibility reinstated after paying his dues and meeting with the Board for review of the circumstances surrounding his failure to pay on time.

ARTICLE XX – HALL OF FAME

Sec 1. The Peninsula Football Officials Association (“PFOA”) Hall of Fame is established effective October 31, 2017.

Sec.2. Eligibility for Induction to the Hall of Fame shall be limited to those former members of the PFOA with a minimum fifteen (15) years of service as active members, and who made extraordinary contributions to the PFOA both during their period of active membership and subsequently.

Sec 3. A Hall of Fame Committee is hereby established. The Committee shall consist of a Chairman appointed by the President of the PFOA for a term of five years and three additional Committee members selected by the Chairman. For the initial composition of the Hall of Fame Committee, the Chairman shall appoint one Committee member to a full term of three years, one Committee member to a partial term of two years and one Committee member to a partial term of one year. At the expiration of the term of each initial Committee member, the Chairman shall either appoint a new Committee Member or reappoint the former Committee Member to a new full term of three years. All Committee members shall be current or former active members of the PFOA, each having at least fifteen (15) years of service as active members.

Sec 4. The 2017 President of the PFOA shall appoint the initial Chairman of the Hall of Fame Committee for a term of five (5) years. The initial Committee Chairman shall then select the initial three Committee members. If the position of Chairman becomes vacant before the completion of the Chairman’s term, the then current President of the PFOA shall appoint a new chairman for a term of five years. Any other future Committee vacancies shall be filled by the then Chairman of the Committee.

Sec 5. The Chairman and Committee members may be reappointed for successive terms.

Sec. 6. Nominations to the Hall of Fame may be made to the Hall of Fame Committee by any past or current active member of the PFOA with at least fifteen years of service as active members. As a general guideline, nominees shall be retired from on-field officiating for a minimum period of five (5) years prior to being eligible for consideration for induction; however, if circumstances warrant, candidates with obvious exceptional contributions to the PFOA, who have not met the five year retirement guideline, may be considered on a case-by-case basis, at the discretion of the Hall of Fame Committee Chairman.

Sec 7. To be inducted into the Hall of Fame, a Nominee must receive 75% approval of the Hall of Fame Committee.

Sec 8. The initial class of Inductees to the PFOA Hall of Fame shall not exceed four inductees. Subsequent classes shall not exceed two inductees.

Sec. 9. There is no requirement that the Committee select Hall of Fame inductees on an annual basis, as selections should only be made when there exists distinguished and meritorious candidates.

ARTICLE XXI – CHRIS OWENS AWARD

Sec 1. The Peninsula Football Officials Association (“PFOA”) Chris Owens Award is established effective with the 2019 football season

Sec.2. Eligibility for this award shall be limited to Associate and Active Members with no more than four years of service to the PFOA.

Sec 3. A Chris Owens Award Committee shall be established annually by the President and shall consist of a Chairman appointed by the President of the PFOA and four additional Committee members selected by the Chairman. All Committee members shall be current active members of the PFOA, each having at least five years of service as active members.

Sec 4. Nominations for the Chris Owens Award may be made to the Chris Owens Award Committee, NLT a date established by the committee, by any current active member of the PFOA with at least three years of service as active members.

Sec 5. To earn the annual Chris Owens Award, a Nominee must receive 4 of 5 of the Chris Owens Award Committee members’ approval and further approved by the PFOA Board.

Sec 6. The Chris Owens Award is intended to recognize new football officials (4-years or less) who are committed to officiating and have demonstrated outstanding football acumen, ability, professionalism, mechanics, hustle and appearance.

Sec 7. The award will be presented to the new official who has, in the judgment of the Chris Owens Award committee, shown ‘the most promising outlook for potential advancement within the PFOA and greater football officiating avocation.

Sec 8. The recipient of the Chris Owens Award will be announced at the end of season banquet. The recipient will receive a recognition award and the following year’s PFOA dues paid in full, courtesy of the PFOA.

Revised November 2019

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ARTICLE I – NAME

This organization shall be known as the Peninsula Football Officials’ Association, herein referred to as the PFOA.

ARTICLE II – PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES

The PFOA shall endeavor to promote the quality of interscholastic football by:

Encouraging the development and maintenance of a membership of capable and dedicated football officials of unquestioned integrity;

Developing and implementing a course of study of football rules and mechanics to promote a high degree of competence among the membership;

Supporting principles of fair play and sportsmanship among all persons associated with interscholastic football, including players, school officials, coaches and spectators;

Conscientiously, fearlessly and impartially enforcing rules designed to promote player safety and sportsmanship;

Improving the administration of games through improved mechanics, and increased cooperation and understanding among officials, athletic directors, coaches, players, the press and spectators;

Developing and abiding by a code of conduct which will reflect credit upon individual officials and the