I hope you are all having a great summer! It’s hard to believe we are already into August and turning the corner toward September.
In today’s game of basketball, there is really no off-season. Several leagues are running throughout the summer, keeping some referees on the floor all year round.
Your MABO Board has also been busy preparing for the busier fall and winter season. The Board bids farewell to Matthew Rosgen, who has served six years on the MABO Board as Vice-President. We thank Matthew for his time, commitment, and contributions. Please take a moment to thank him, when you see him, for his service to MABO.
As Matthew steps down, we welcome Corey McCarthy, who will be filling the Vice-President role. Corey is new to the MABO Board, and we look forward to the energy and perspective he will bring. Welcome, Corey.
The past two years as your President have been rewarding. I committed to leading a Board that works hard for you with transparency and accountability as our pillars, and I will continue to do so. Starting this season, I will be providing a monthly email with a quick overview of “what’s happening” in MABO. I am also always available to connect—I value hearing from our membership.
A major focus this “off-season” has been recruitment and education.
In the spring, MABO launched the March to 100 campaign, aiming to grow our senior membership by 100 new officials certified to referee high school basketball this fall. This campaign is ongoing, and I encourage each of you to help—invite a family member, former teammate, or neighbour to get involved in officiating. It’s the best part-time job around.
The game is growing faster than our membership, and we need your help. If you know someone interested in becoming a referee, have them email recruiting@maboref.com. You can also share my email or phone number with potential recruits.
On August 1, we launched our new registration platform, RAMP, which has been running smoothly so far. If you have not registered for a clinic, please visit the Manitoba Association of Basketball Officials website.
We have also updated our certification clinic structure to better serve our membership. Led by Clinic Director Jason Glowasky, we have identified a need to focus more on officials with less than five years of experience, providing them with a half-day of in-gym education. Senior members will transition to a Zoom-based education format this season. Please make the most of this training—our experienced officials are needed more than ever to mentor newer referees.
As part of our ongoing commitment to education, all members will also participate in an anti-racism course this fall. Details will be available during registration.
MABO has also transitioned to a single assigning platform—Horizon One—for all officials in the province. Your supervisors will provide further details, and you can reach out to them with any questions.
As you can see, there is already a significant change within MABO, with more to come. I encourage everyone to embrace these changes.
The 2025–26 fall/winter season is fast approaching. Please take time now to prepare yourself physically for the season, rather than using the first games to get into shape. The teams deserve physically capable officials on the floor from day one.
That’s all for now. Enjoy the rest of the summer, and feel free to reach out anytime!
Reid Kenyon
President
(204) 997-6455