PRESIDENT S MESSAGE JUNE 2017 2017 OABO SEMINAR & AGM SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 1 The OABO Executive is very proud to be serving as host for this year s annual event. It will be held at the Toronto Airport Marriott Hotel located at 901 Dixon Road. I want to express my sincere appreciation to Bruce Covert for taking on the role as Committee Chair. His experience at organizing these events is invaluable. On line registration is up and running. Thanks to those members who have already registered. Please go to our website www.oabo.ca and click on the top right hand corner titled AGM WEEKEND and then click the first link to register for the Seminar. You can also book your accommodation by clicking on the second link provided. The cost per night is $130.00 plus $5.00 for parking. There is also a link provided to review what the hotel offers in the way of amenities. We are very excited to announce our Wall of Fame Dinner will include a Comedy Improv performance from two outstanding Canadian Comedians Colin Mochrie and Deb McGrath. Pricing for the Seminar up to September 1 is as follows: FULL WEEKEND PACKAGE $175 (Includes Friday & Saturday Hospitality Room, Saturday Educational Sessions, Saturday Buffet Lunch, Wall Of Fame Dinner (Plated Meal) - Please note price will increase to $250 after September 1 st. SATURDAY SESSIONS $100 (Includes only Educational Sessions and Buffet Lunch).- Please note price will increase to $125 after September 1 st. WALL OF FAME DINNER - $75 Plated meal. Full Menu is on OABO website. - Please note price will increase to $100 after September 1 st. HOSPITALITY ROOM FOR FRIDAY NIGHT ONLY - $50. - Please note price will increase to $100 after September 1 st. HOSPITALITY ROOM FOR SATURDAY NIGHT ONLY $30 - Please note price will increase to $50 after September 1 st. GOLF Friday, September 30 $120 which includes Green Fees, Cart and Lunch. Tee off 8:30am at the Woodbridge Country Club - Please note price will increase to $150 after September 1 st. Please make all cheques payable to OABO and mail to Secretary/Treasurer Don Thorne at 563 Westheights Drive, Kitchener, Ontario N2N 1M6
SEMINAR PROGRAM AD BOOK You will find attached to my report the listing of prices to purchase ads for the Seminar Booklet. We would appreciate any support Local Boards can provide. At this time I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the Toronto Board for their sponsorship funding of $1000 and to the York Region Board for their sponsorship funding of $500. OCAA As reported in my Presidents message in the recently published Spring Edition of The Whistle the feedback and results of the survey from the final report of the Regional Assigning Committee showed support for continuing with the OCAA Regional Assigning for 2017-2018. The OCAA passed as well a formal motion at their AGM in early May to continue with Regional Assigning for 2017-2018. There is no doubt there is still more work to do. I have asked Michael Foubert in his role as Chair of the Regional Assigning Committee to work with his fellow Committee members in order to present a formal report at our 2017 OABO AGM to address the following: 1. Observers Cost Sharing Program. 2. Feasibility of a Multi-Year Agreement with the OCAA. 3. Detailed Job Description of the Co-ordinator (formerly Facilitator). OABO DEADLINES As already published in the Spring Edition of The Whistle by Don Thorne this is reminder of important deadlines that need to be met by Local Boards. Please review them carefully as these deadline dates are extremely important. Next year s rule book orders must be sent to Don Thorne no later than Friday, July 1 st. The OABO Executive encourages all members to purchase the IAABO FIBA Handbooks. Please note IAABO members receive the FIBA handbook as part of their IAABO Membership. Nominations for OABO Award of Merit will be accepted by Don Thorne up to midnight July 1, 2017. The OABO Award of Merit nomination must come from Local Boards and are presented annually to OABO Members in recognition of their contribution to a Local Board. The OABO Executive can select up to 2 per year. Please take the time to nominate members of your Local Boards that are deserving of this prestigious award. Local Board Reports are due no later than Tuesday, August 1 st. Please email them to Don in either Word or PDF format. Reports should include the names and contact info
of your Executive Committee, number of officials, number of games assigned, accomplishments of the members of your Board, i.e. OFSAA or OCAA Championships etc. and anything else you want to include preferably on 1 page maximum 2 pages. Any proposed changes to the Constitution must be submitted to Rick Parnham no later than Saturday, July 15 th. The Constitution Committee will send back all proposed changes which Don will send to Local Board Presidents and Secretaries by email on or before Thursday, August 31. IAABO I am pleased to announce that Executive Director Tom Lopes and Assistant Director Donnie Eppley will be part of our List of Guest Speakers at our 2017 OABO Seminar. We will release our full list of Speakers in the near future. BASKETBALL ONTARIO In conjunction with our Memorandum of Understanding with OBA we are working together on a Recruiting Video to assist all Local Boards in their annual quest for New Officials. 2017 LOCAL BOARD PRESIDENTS MEETING The meeting for the first time in 20 years was conducted by Conference Call on Thursday, May 11. Agenda Items discussed were as follows: 1. OCAA Regional Assigning 2. Provincial Evaluators Clinic 3. 2017 OABO Seminar 4. 2017-2018 OFSAA FIBA /Modifications 5. NOCP Certification Levels 6. 2017-2018 IAABO/FIBA Handbook 7. OABO Development Camps 8. Demonstration of New OABO website 9. New FIBA Rule on Headgear The feedback received on this new concept was very positive and saved a substantial amount of funds. There were 21 of 31 Local Boards that took part. The goal in 2018
will be to have all 31 Boards participating. Minutes of the meeting will be provided by Secretary/Treasurer Don Thorne in the near future. LOCAL BOARD ELECTIONS I know the majority of Local Boards have had their 2017 AGM s. It would be greatly appreciated if you could send an email to the OABO Executive updating any changes in your Executive(s) and as well please make the necessary changes on the OABO Admin System. OFSSA We had hoped OFSAA would look towards eliminating some of their FIBA modifications for the 2017-2018 season with the goal towards moving to full FIBA rules for the 2018-2019 season. OFSAA advised us they were very happy with the FIBA modifications that are currently in place now. As a result of this decision there was much discussion amongst Local Board Presidents on the Conference Call on next steps. To that end a motion was drafted to be considered for further discussion at our OABO AGM on October 1 as follows: (My thanks to Paul Johnson for drafting it). Whereas OFSAA has moved to FIBA rules with some modifications for their Provincial Tournaments and Whereas Ontario basketball officials are educated and trained exclusively on the FIBA rule set THEREFORE IT BE RESOLVED That the Presidents of the Local Boards of basketball officials in Ontario communicate to their Local Boards that the expectation is that all high school games will use FIBA rules and that the President of OABO provide a copy of this resolution to OFSAA. The motion in itself as mentioned on the Conference Call maybe somewhat symbolic in nature but would allow for further dialogue with OFSAA especially when our contract is up for renewal as of this month.
NOCP LEVELS The OABO Executive as part of our National Officials Certification Program is actively looking to promote officials not only at our Provincial Championships but as well at our OABO Development Camps. The OABO Executive in conjunction with OABO Camp Director Bruce Covert and his Camp Staff used the recent 2017 OUA Prospect and Elite Camps to evaluate NOCP Level 2 Officials to look at promoting them to NOCP Level 3 status. These recommendations will need to be formally approved at our July 16 OABO Executive Meeting. A reminder to all Local Boards you can apply Levels 1 and 2 at the Local Board Level. We have found at both Pre-Elite and Elite Camps this year that officials have not been assigned any Level and currently sit at a Zero. For those officials that attended either of the two Camps in that situation we have recommended a Level 1 or 2 in order to rectify their current situation. CLOSING REMARKS It is great to see all of our OABO Development Camps full. I attended both the Pre-Elite & Elite Camps in May and plan to do the same for the U12 s and U14 Camps in the month of July. My next Presidents message will be send out on Monday, July 3 rd. Yours Truly Jaime McCaig President, OABO
2017 OABO FALL SEMINAR PROGRAM AD BOOK Toronto Airport Marriott Hotel September 29/October 1 Name: OABO Board Name/Business Company Address: City Postal Code: Phone: Fax: E-mail AD Size: Please circle one No.1 No.2 No.3 No.4 No.5 Full Page Half Page ¼ Page Business Card Patron s Page $125.00 $75.00 $50.00 $35.00 $25.00 All ads should be submitted in black and white and camera ready. Business cards will be accepted and enlarged to fit ad size if requested. ADS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY AUGUST 31, 2017 Submitting your ad today will ensure the success of the Hospitality Suite & Educational Sessions CHEQUE PAYABLE TO: ONTARIO ASSOCIATION OF BASKETBALL OFFICIALS & ON THE CHEQUE PLEASE REFERENCE: OABO FALL SEMINAR 2017 PLEASE MAIL TO THE ATTENTION OF THE OABO TREASURER DON THORNE AT: 563 Westheights Drive, Kitchener, Ontario, N2N 1M6 Questions regarding the AD book may be directed to: Jaime McCaig at jaimemccaig@gmail.com Receipts are available upon request. The Organizing Committee thanks you for your generous support to help defray the costs of the OABO 2017 SEMINAR & AGM.