Issue 4, February 22, 2000
Welcome to the MACBOA E-mail Newsletter

The MACBOA E-mail Newsletter is a periodic (twice a month during October through March and monthly there after) publication of the Mid-Atlantic College Basketball Officials Association (MACBOA). The Mid-Atlantic College Basketball Officials Association provides basketball officiating services to several colleges and universities in the Maryland - Washington, DC area. The Association has a membership of approximately 150 men and women officials. Our membership consist of men and women who work Divisions I, II and III basketball. We pride our Association on providing quality and professional service. The Guiding Principles of MACBOA include taking pride in the quality of our work, teat people with respect, focus on customer needs and expectations, encourage improvement, embrace change, and act with integrity.

The MACBOA E-mail Newsletter is made possible by the kind support of our sponsors. I thank our sponsors for making the newsletter possible. Please visit our web site at http://www.macboa.org. As always, please visit our sponsors and thank them for keeping MACBOA operational.

Donnee L. Gray, Coordinator of Officials
Email: Donnee.Gray@macboa.org

Highlights in this issue include:

• Message form the Coordinator of Officials, Donnee Gray
  
• A candid interview with Ron Mann, Athletic Director at Prince George's Community College
  
• Article on Flexibility Facts from Montrose Physical Therapy
  
• Membership News

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From the Coordinator of Officials to Officials
Officials are reminded to send their written permission to have their pictures published on the MACBOA web site. Officials who have not sent in their picture, please send the picture along with your written consent to the MACBOA office no later than 2/28/2000.

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An Interview with Ron Mann, Athletic Director, PGCC
MACBOA is pleased to have the opportunity to visit with Ron Mann, Athletic Director, Prince George's Community College. This interview occurred as Prince George's Community College is preparing to host the Maryland JUCO Women's Tournament, Friday, February 18 through Sunday, February 20, 2000.

MACBOA: What attracted you to a career in athletic administration?
Mann: I originally went into athletics to coach. This is my 39th year in athletics as a coach and administrator. I feel that as an administrator I can have an influence on the total athletic program at the school as opposed to just the programs I coach.

MACBOA: Please give a brief summary of what Prince George's Community College (PGCC) is all about?
Mann: Prince George's Community College offers more than 50 areas of study and over 1,000 courses every semester. Courses are available at every academic level—from developmental to honors. Students find PGCC convenient because the college offers extension centers, telecredit courses, and weekend courses, and childcare facilities are nearby. I feel the most important part of athletics is for the student to realize they are more importantly here for an education along with the athletics. I feel the women's programs are as important as the men's programs and that bowling and tennis are just as important as basketball and baseball.

MACBOA: Please comment on the coaches you have on staff, especially Coach John Wiley.
Mann: I am very happy with my staff. I feel they all place education first and athletics second. I have known John Wiley for 30 years. I was coaching when he started playing here then went to George Mason University. John is very dedicated to our students and spends many long hours working with them and placing them in four (4) year institutions.

MACBOA: What are your thoughts on athletics today?
Mann: I feel they are still very important today and that discipline is more important. Many schools do not stress discipline. We DO stress this and feel that in many cases this is the only discipline they receive.

MACBOA: What areas need change in order to assist the student-athlete today?
Mann: We could have more qualified coaches and additional funding would help. I feel today's athletes should not have everything handed to them or receive special treatment. They should be made to have satisfactory grades and not be pushed along because they are athletes.

MACBOA: What is Maryland JUCO Region XX?
Mann: Maryland JUCO is an athletic conference composed of all community colleges in the state of Maryland. The Region XX is composed of Maryland, West Virginia, and the western part of Pennsylvania.

MACBOA: Being a former President of the Athletic Director's of Region XX, what was your legacy?
Mann: I was inducted into the Region XX Athletic Director's Hall of Fame and am currently the Region XX Assistant Director and President of the National Junior College Soccer Coaches. I hope that the region feels that I always enforced the sportsmanship policies (I currently Chair the Standard and Ethics Committee). I feel they know I support women's athletics on an even par with the men's programs. I work hard at the national level on many committees to promote sports nationally and also to support our Region.

MACBOA: What improvements need to be addressed today?
Mann: I feel there should be a strong emphasis placed on the young kids to have proper coaching and facilities for them to play. The value of athletics needs to be stressed and tied in with the importance of athletics. There should be stronger rules regarding the conduct of athletes at the college level and if they are not followed, they should not be permitted to play.

Hometown: Prince George's County – Oxon Hill, MD
Occupation: Taught in Prince George's County, MD, for 39 years.
Currently in 32nd year as Athletic Director at Prince George's
Community College
Education: Master's Degree, George Washington University, Washington, DC and
Bachelor's of Science, Frostburg State University, Frostburg, MD
Other: Former President, Maryland JUCO. Currently Asst. Region XX Director,
President of national Soccer Committee, Chair- Standard and Ethics Committee;
currently on several national committees and over the years has received
numerous coaching and Athletic Director awards.

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Contributing Articles/Sponsors

Flexibility Facts (Rene Bates MSPT, CSCS)

Ok, alright. Everyone talks about stretching. There are many myths out there that cause good efforts to improve flexibility and decrease injury to fail. Let's get right to the facts. When you stretch after you warm up, you are improving mobility of the connective tissue and stimulating your muscles to prepare for activity. You are not going to obtain long term flexibility from a pre-stretch.

Long term flexibility improvement can only come from holding your body in appropriate alignment while performing your daily activities i.e. like sitting, sleeping, and standing. It is also maintained by using your body while maintaining alignment i.e. lifting, moving from sit to stand, getting out of bed, brushing your teeth etc. The adage if you don't use it you loose it applies here. For example when you where 15 or 16 years old you would bend at your hips to put your shoes on. Now most of you bend at your low back. Because of the change in how you move most people loose flexibility in the hips. Other areas people commonly loose flexibility are their Latissimus dorsi, pectoralis major, hamstrings, hip flexors, hip abductors, hip external rotators. Basically around their hips and shoulder girdle is where most people loose flexibility.

Once your hips and shoulder girdles tend to loose flexibility then bad changes occur in your spine. You see, if the body looses flexibility in one area then another area has to move more to make up for it. In this case it will be your spine. Typically, degenerative changes occur in your neck and your low back. These areas are forced to move more and they wear out from being over stretched.

One last note to consider. Not everyone has the same flexibility issues, in fact each person is different. Therefore not all stretches are good for everyone. If you read a magazine with ten stretches in it, five you may not need, two may help you and three may hurt you. The bottom line is do not waste your time doing exercises and stretches you are unsure of, get help from a professional. Stop and ask for directions. Exercise should be safe, efficient and rewarding because you want to achieving your goals. Stay tuned for more information on how to stretch once an area of muscle shortening has been identified. If you have questions please go to our web site http://www.Montrose PT.com or call us at Montrose Physical Therapy at (301) 770-5884.

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The Official's Choice is a proud sponsor MACBOA. The Official's Choice carries a wide selection of officiating equipment and accessories. Officials' Choice can be reached at 800-480-4477.

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Steps To Greater Decisiveness (Ike Relacion)

• Carefully consider all the facts and options
  
• Pay attention to your gut
  
• Once you make a decision, don't second-guess yourself
  
• Act, knowing that you'll probably make more good choices than not-so-good ones
  
• Anticipate success, but don't be afraid to fail. Ask yourself: What will happen if I don't act? And if I do?

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A Thought: Communication is key! (Ike Relacion)
There are many aspects to the officiating experience; however, the most important is clear communication between partners. The common thread of communication is central throughout the process. It begins with the confirming an assignment, making of travel plans, moves into the pre-game conference, continues throughout the contest and runs on into the post-game conference.

Be open and empathetic. Be uplifting in your communication with your partners.

Be honest and to-the-point. Not that any of us set out to be dishonest with our partners, but we sometimes do not tell the complete truth in order to avoid conflict. If a partner asks you a question and the answer may not be what they want to hear, say it anyway. If, as a crew chief, you need to approach a certain situation or subject, make sure your overall approach is as constructive as possible.

Be constructive and supportive. If you compare the relationship between partners to a skyscraper, you see a structure that must have the proper foundation. The more constructive our comments are and the more support, verbal and non-verbal, we lend our partners, the more stable the overall situation will be.

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Call for Contributors: We would be pleased and honored to include contributions from our readers who would like to share tips, techniques, resources or opinions on appropriate topics which focus not just on officiating, but on balancing life and work issues. If you or someone you know would like to contribute, please email irelacion@aol.com

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Membership News
MACBOA congratulates Jim and Amanda Schmitt on their new addition to their family, baby girl Amanda.

Belated birthday wishes to Willie "L.A." Jones and Judge Jackson

Keep your thoughts and prayers to Melvin Johnson, Observer and Terry Glass, Official. Melvin went through a series of cardiac screenings last week. Terry is recuperating from a minor knee injury.

Keep your thoughts and prayers for Pearl Yard, sister of Clayton Singleton, Official.

Trish Maltagliati, Official, would like to thank the membership for all the thoughts and prayers for her father. He is doing well and is getting better each day.

Ike Relacion wants to thank Tommie Scott for his time this week. It is not always about basketball officiating. Thanks Tommie for all you do!

MACBOA wishes to thank George Toliver for his contribution to the last issue of the newsletter.

If you haven't read the March, 2000, issue of Referee magazine, check out the 2-page interview with our own, Donnee Gray, Coordinator of Officials. With a membership base of over 30,000, Referee magazine is the official magazine of the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO). Members receive Referee as a membership benefit.

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Letters from the Members
Please send in your personal stories, experiences or questions; other readers can reply to you via this newsletter or directly (provide your contact information). Contributions should be sent as e-mail, attachments to e-mail will not be accepted. Please take the time to reply if you can help someone.

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MACBOA Newsletter Information
The MACBOA, INC provides the MACBOA newsletter. MACBOA is a nonprofit organization providing information about membership news. The MACBOA.ORG Newsletter's contents may be quoted and reused as long as attribution is included with the reprinting and/or posting.

Neither MACBOA nor its guest contributors shall be liable or responsible to any person or entity for any loss or damage caused, or alleged to be have been caused, directly or indirectly by the information or ideas contained, suggested, or referenced in this newsletter.

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