Issue 49, February 5, 2004
MACBOA Newsletter

In this Issue:

• Remarks from the Supervisor of Officials: Donnee L. Gray
• National Rankings
• Time Out Referee School
• Corporate Sponsor Contributing Article: IT'S TIME TO MEET WITH A FINANCIAL ADVISER WHEN . . .
• Member News & Information
• Order your MACBOA Logo Whistles
• Submitting Articles for MACBOA Consideration
• MACBOA Volunteers
• Newsletter Contact/Information

The MACBOA Newsletter is a periodic newsletter publication of the Mid-Atlantic College Basketball Officials Association (MACBOA). MACBOA provides basketball officiating services to several colleges and universities in the Maryland - Washington, DC area. The Association has a membership of approximately 200 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 usefulness and survival of this newsletter is going to depend on the participation of subscribers and professionals alike. Please help by submitting personal stories, experiences, and articles of general interest to the MACBOA community.

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

Remarks from the Supervisor of Officials: Donnee L. Gray

We are coming down the final stretch of the season. Let's go out and end on a high note ... putting into motion all of the rules and procedures we have discussed all year. Be on time; dress professionally; communicate with your crew (pre-game and post-game conferences); work together as a team; work with coaches and players; and, when necessary, take care of business. Above all, be a professional and do your very best.

Other reminders:

During the past several weeks MACBOA officials have improved their officiating of the points of emphasis.  When officials decide to concentrate on off-ball coverage and quit watching the ball, the quality of officiating post-play situations and officiating cutters without the ball rises dramatically.

Traveling:  Mostly on post players.  Center and Trail must help the Lead. Move to get the angles to see through players.  This takes effort and requires a higher level of intensity.

Bench decorum: We have to do a better job of adjudicating this. Situations may increase as conference races get tighter.  Be observant. Be fair.

I have seen good hustle from Trail to Lead.  Remember to hustle to get into position to accept the play. 
Many officials do not keep their eyes focused on the court during dead ball situations, especially when moving to a new position.  After a call by a partner, we have a tendency to drop our head while moving which can cause us to miss potential problems. Or we relax during a jump ball situation on the floor that may lead to havoc. Stay focused!

Officials: I am to be notified of any ejections or atypical situations.

Observers: Please keep in contact with Tommie Scott regarding your availability and to discuss officiating tendencies that need to be addressed. 

MACBOA will soon announce exciting developments related to the 2004 Men’s Maryland Junior College Basketball Tournament. Stay tuned.

Click here to access the most recent Men’s bulletin.

Click here to access the most recent Women’s bulletin.

NATIONAL RANKINGS

We are very proud of the institutions that are nationally ranked. See each men’s division national ranking below.

NJCAA Men’s Basketball Service Bureau – Division I
February 03, 2004

NJCAA Men’s Basketball Service Bureau – Division II
January 27, 2004

Other schools receiving votes

NJCAA Men’s Basketball Service Bureau – Division III
January 27, 2004

Other schools receiving votes

TIME OUT REFEREE SCHOOL

If you know anyone interested in being considered for MACBOA staff next season, or know of a young official who could benefit from attending camp, please contact or have them contact me at 301-283-6807 or via e-mail at dgray@macboa.org. The Time Out Referee School will be held at The American University (www.american.edu), Washington, D.C. The school/camp is tentatively scheduled for the second weekend in July. The Time Out Referee School includes lectures, demonstrations, films and video viewing of on-court officiating during top-level basketball competition. The staff will work with each attendee individually to provide team and leadership skills. After being observed at Time Out Referee School by various collegiate supervisors, participants of the school have been selected to work in several NCAA and professional leagues/conferences. Further details will follow. Officials returning to the MACBOA staff next season and selected to attend camp will be notified.

Corporate Sponsor Contributing Article:
IT'S TIME TO MEET WITH A FINANCIAL ADVISER WHEN . . .

                                    *1*
You're concerned about the economy and your investments. With all the media attention on the economy and financial markets, it's only natural to be concerned with the news is grim. However, your financial adviser can help you cut through the noise and focus on the reasons behind your investments. Chances are, your adviser has seen different market cycles and can help put the news in perspective. The worst thing you can do is panic.

                                    *2*
You're uncomfortable with risk in your portfolio. A lot of investors were happy enough to ignore the risk when the stock market was going up; but when it was down for three years, it's a different story. Before you take matters into your own hands, talk to your adviser. Your adviser can suggest strategies for reducing risk without abandoning your overall financial plan.

                                    *3*
There's been a significant change in your personal situation. Maybe it's a new baby, a new marriage, or a new job. In any case, the time to talk to your financial adviser is before you make any decisions about your will, your estate plan or your workplace retirement plans. Your adviser is knowledgeable about college savings choices, which can be complicated, and retirement plan distributions options, which have important tax implications. If you need additional legal or accounting resources, your adviser may be a good choice to quarterback the team you'll need to coordinate your overall plan.

                                    *4*
You’re beginning to think seriously about retirement. The countdown to retirement needs plenty of time. Most financial experts recommend that you begin to reallocate your investments assets at least five years before you actually retire. You may need up to two years of planning to bring your accounts and paperwork together, review your retirement plan distribution options and weigh the tax implications of your decisions. Social Security recommends that you apply nine months to a year in advance for benefits.  And, you'll want to set aside at least six months to put a final income plan in place and have it ready when you clean off your desk and put the whistle up for the final time.

                                    *5*
Taxes are eating away more of your investment returns, Although the federal income tax rates come down, some state income tax rates have risen and recent changes in the tax law are expected to make more Americans subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax, an alternate tax system that ensures that everyone pays at least a minimum amount of taxes. If taxes on your investments earnings are a concern to you, talk to your adviser about ways to save.

Of course you don't need one these reasons to contact your financial adviser. Your financial adviser is a valuable resource for all your financial concerns.

Last year I had the opportunity to meet with one your fellow referees. He was concerned about taxes against his referee income as well as the returns he experiencing with his investments. We were able establish a tax shelter for his referee income and reallocated his investment portfolio. He saved over $3000 in taxes. We increased investment portfolio from $25,000 to $30,000 in one year.

If you haven't met with your adviser in the past calendar year, it's time to pick up the phone. If you don't have an adviser, it's time to pick up the phone and call me!

Kenneth J. Royster, CLU, ChFC
Senior Financial Planner

Member News & Information

Our deepest condolences go to Larry Levin whose father past away in Chicago last week. He was 89 years old.

Order your MACBOA Logo Whistles!

Be the first to receive your MACBOA logo Fox-40 Classic Whistle while supplies last!

Send your payment of $5.00 for each whistle ordered to Ike Relacion, c/o MACBOA Logo Whistle, 21112 Archstone Way, Unit 101, Germantown, MD 20876-6996.

Submitting Articles for MACBOA Consideration

Thank you for your interest in submitting an article for consideration on www.macboa.org.

We accept well-written features, how-to articles, "how I did it" success stories, tips and hints, motivational articles and other articles that will help our audience gain knowledge and succeed in their officiating avocation.

We do not accept articles that are primarily advertisements. However, you may place a biographical section at the end of your article. It should be no more than 30 to 40 words in length. It would be nice if you could include a 60x60 picture of you in .gif or .jpeg format.

Below are instructions for submitting your article to the MACBOA.org web site. We ask that you read the terms of your Agreement with MACBOA.org carefully.

Please note: We only accept submissions from the original author of the articles or a publicist hired by the copyright owner to submit material here. By submitting material, you acknowledge that you are legally entitled to distribute the work and to allow it to be redistributed. (If you are a book publisher or public relations firm with copy to distribute, please include a note to that effect at the top of the article you submit.) We do not pay for articles, and do not accept articles that are primarily advertisements. However, you may place a brief resource box and contact information (but no ads) at the end of your article.

To send your article, click on the "Article Submission Form" and answer the questions and then copy and paste your submission into the space provided. We have provided a copy of the form below. Please be sure your by-line appears below the title of the article. Click on the submit button to complete the process and or cut-and-paste the completed form and your article to macboa1@aol.com.

Reward, challenge, appreciation, stimulation, writing, reading...rarely thanked or noticed.

These are some of the attributes of the well hidden job of MACBOA Newsletter Volunteer. Are you interested in working behind the scenes (screens?) to help get information to members? MACBOA is looking to grow our ranks by a couple of folks and thus, we're soliciting volunteers.

What do you do? Read postings. Write articles, membership news, coordinate interviews, cultivate sponsor relations, etc. Write e-mail back and forth amongst us to establish communication, and guidance to keep this list as valuable as possible for our membership. Although we're virtual, our presence is sensed, we hope...and appreciated, although rarely acclaimed.

We haven't a job description, nor do we know what knowledge, skills, and abilities are required, but some that will come in handy are:

• having the ability to write
  
• being thick skinned, not thick headed
  
• being able to express your opinions, while being open minded
  
• having at least a free hour or two a week caring for the membership
  

Please respond directly by e-mail to: irelacion@aol.com

HOW TO CONTACT THE NEWSLETTER COORDINATOR

MACBOA welcomes and encourages news and information for the periodic newsletter. Please submit all materials to address letters of comment, article proposals and queries, or news items to:

Ike Relacion, (240) 686-0104
E-mail: irelacion@aol.com

MACBOA Newsletter Information

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.

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

MACBOA does not share its email lists. We value and respect your privacy.

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