Football Officials, Recruitment and Training
๐ Check out our meeting dates!
MSHSAA 11-Man Football Registration Deadline for Fall 2025 is August 2nd, 2025.
You must apply to become a certified Football Official at the MSHSAA website.
Training Opportunities
Explore our training schedules and locations to kickstart your officiating career.
We Need Football Officials
Do you want to become a football official? You’ve come to right place. The JFOA assigns both Junior High and High School Football officials throughout the southwest region of Missouri. Our association is one of best football associations in Missouri that is responsible for turning out championship officials. Association meetings are well-attended and provide for some of the best training you can receive as a recruit and continuing throughout your officiating journey.
“The New Recruit”. Registering with MSHSAA and Joining the JFOA.
- You must go to www.mshsaa.org and click on become an official and Apply to become and 11-man football official and pay ~$65. We want to get you interested and setup in becoming a football official!
- Print off and fill out the JFOA application on this website and bring it with you to a meeting. Click here for the MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION. New applicant/recruit fees are waived for your first year.
- Your approximate money outlay in getting started in football officiating looks like this: (Relax, you won’t have to pay this all at once)
- $65.00 – MSHSAA registration for 11-man football. www.mshsaa.org
- $0 .00 Fees first year in the JFOA, then $45 annually.
- $150.00 – Uniform – Pants, shirt, whistle, belt, black watch, down indicator, chain clip, patch, flag, bag, booklet, hat, shoes, and athletic undergarments. You will need your uniform for the “mechanics” meeting, and obviously for all MSHSAA sanctioned games assigned by the JFOA.
- $20 Peewee fees to assignor if you wish to officiate Peewee.
- Learn more about MSHSAA Official Registration direct from MSHSAA.
There are many questions that I am sure you may have at this point. Yes, every official has another job in which they are working and schedules may run into certain conflicts and issues that arise. Our ASSIGNORS will take care of you and know of the many curve balls life can throw at you.
The JFOA utilizes an online scheduling system located at www.arbitersports.com which will be accessible to you after joining the JFOA. Through this scheduling system, YOU PICK AND CHOOSE the dates that you are available and then you can block any other dates that you are not. The assignors will then give you games based on your experience and place you with JFOA leadership and experienced members working those games in order to provide you with support as you learn the profession of football officiating. Football is one of the most EXCITING and challenging sports to officiate. We look forward to meeting you soon, and thank you for your interest. When you officiate, you truly are giving back to the students and great sport of football.
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Joining the Joplin Football Officials Association has been a transformative experience for me. The support and guidance I received throughout the certification process was invaluable. The training sessions were well-organized, and the “officiating” community is incredibly welcoming. I feel more confident officiating games now, and I appreciate the emphasis on continuous improvement. I highly recommend JFOA to anyone interested in becoming a football official!
Scott M. Cranford
Joplin Football Officials Association
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