Ab Orton, a referee with OSAA, walks off the field after a game between La Grande and Vale on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021.

LA GRANDE — A shortage of football referees is looming ominously as the start of high school football season in Northeastern Oregon approaches.

The Northeast Oregon Football Officials Association, which provides officials for high school and middle school varsity and junior varsity games in Union, Wallowa, Baker and Grant counties, has just 19 people available to officiate this season, seven short of the minimum needed, according to Pete Caldwell, commissioner of the association.

“It is the lowest number we have had,” said Caldwell, who has been with the Northeast Oregon Football Officials Association for about 25 years.

Caldwell attributes the decline to the fact that many members have been retiring.

“I don’t know why more younger people are not getting involved in officiating. It is a mystery,” said Caldwell, noting that the average age of his association’s members is now 61.5 years.

He said that unless the Northeast Oregon Football Officials Association is able to recruit more people to officiate, it will face the prospect of requesting schools on some occasions to change their schedules so that all games can be played. For example, on Fridays, when there are a high number of games scheduled, schools may be asked to move some contests to Thursday or Saturday to reduce the logjam, making it possible for officials to be provided for all of them.

Caldwell, who noted that rescheduling had to be done several times in 2021 when there was also a shortage of officials, said it is not easy.

“It is a huge headache,” he said.

Doug Hislop, of La Grande, an official with the Northeast Oregon Officials Football Association for the past 52 years, said rescheduling games is not an ideal alternative. He said he fears that the complications created by the process may lead some schools to cancel some contests.

Caldwell is hoping people will step forward to serve as officials to reduce the shortage. Previous officiating experience is not needed.

“We can teach anyone to be an official,” he said.

Caldwell said those starting out may first be assigned to middle school and junior varsity games before officiating varsity contests. This will allow them to develop their skills in a less pressure-packed environment, he said.

Caldwell said many people who serve as officials are driven to do so because they want to help youth.

“They want to give back to the community and kids,” he said.

Hislop said this is a motivating factor for him, noting that he will never forget how referees made it possible for him to participate in athletics as a youth growing up in Idaho.

“I had the opportunity to play football and wrestle because we had officials,” he said.

Others are drawn to officiating because of their love of a specific sport — football, for example.

“It gives people a chance to be part of the game,” Caldwell said.

Officials are paid on a per-game basis, making $73.50 for officiating Class 4A games. Officials are paid a little less for officiating varsity games involving schools in the 3A, 2A and 1A classifications for smaller schools.

People interested in serving as football officials for the Northeast Oregon Football Officials Association should call Pete Caldwell at 541-910-7020.