The document summarizes Pat Geigel and Rick Schwarz's experience officiating at the National Special Olympics games in Princeton, New Jersey from June 14-20. It describes their arrival and meeting with other officials. It discusses the start of games on Monday and championship rounds later in the week. It highlights watching the Wisconsin volleyball team win gold. It describes the camaraderie and hospitality shown by New Jersey officials. It concludes that Pat and Rick received personal satisfaction from participating in the Special Olympics event.

1. Submitted by: Pat Geigel and Rick
Schwarz
Last fall, the National Special
Olympics chose Pat Geigel (former
MCSOA Member), Rick Schwarz
(current MCSOA Member) and
three other basketball officials from
Wisconsin to officiate at the
National Games in and around
Princeton, New Jersey, from June
14-20. On Saturday, June 14,
because of a flight delay, Rick and
Pat arrived for an officials' meeting
at Rider University. They also had
a chance to meet the other 24
basketball officials. At the
informational meeting, the two
were briefed on the basketball rules
installed for the games. Officials
traveled to Newark, New Jersey
on Sunday to witness the opening
ceremonies, staged similarly to the
Olympics.
With the start of pool play games
Monday, officials, athletes and
organizers had a chance to get
accustomed to each other, with
championship rounds taking place
on Thursday and Friday. The
emphasis all week was to call the
games similar to other non-Special
Olympic games with slight mod-
ifications based on ability. For
Rick and Pat, this was something
they were used to because of their
25 years experience officiating at
the Wisconsin State Special
Olympic games. During the week,
officials were assigned to all levels
of play.
The games contained a multitude of
sports. One of the highlights of the
week was watching the Wisconsin
Volleyball Team compete (and
winning) for the gold medal. As
always, Pat and Rick enjoyed the
camaraderie among
participants. The officials from
New Jersey were especially helpful
in making sure rides to various
sites were arranged, taking the
group to the campus of Princeton
University for a walking tour and
extending their hospitality.
As with any Special Olympics
event, Rick and Pat received the
personal satisfaction that money
cannot buy.
Congratulations to these MCSOA
members. Thanks for representing
not only the state of Wisconsin, but
the Manitowoc County Sports
Officials Association as well.
Member at National Special Olympics
Website Updates
In the coming weeks, the MCSOA
website will be getting a different
look.
Our current website is outdated and
becoming obsolete. In discussions
with Wisconsin Web Writer, it was
in our best interest to redesign our
site to bring it up to date.
This process has begun and we will
be updating you as things progress.
Currently, there is nothing “live”
that we are showing, but it is
coming!!!
Continue to use the current website
as we have in the past. This is key
to keep your schedules up to date
because this site is still used by
officials and athletic directors.
Thanks to Mike Cummings for
being our technical advisor on this.
He has a background in working
with website and creating them and
he will help with keeping the site
updated.
Looking for a
Replacement?
• Check the web-
site…..you pay for it, so
why not use it??
• Are they certified for the
sport?
• Is the individual ready
for the specific level?
• Don’t always take the
first response you get!!
We Do Great Things
M A N I T O W O C C O U N T Y S P O R T S O F F I C I A L S A S S O C I A T I O N
Volume 3, Issue 1
August 2014
Scholarship Brat Fry
Follow Up
2
Same Schools, New
Faces
2
Time to Give Back 2
NASO Membership 3
Association Outing 3
We Need Officials!! 3
Warm Up 4
Inside this issue:

2. Our association has already reached
out to these individuals to keep an
open line of contact and a great
working relationship with these
schools.
We continue to keep these great
relationships with these new athletic
directors.
Ryan McCulley—Reedsville
rmcculley@reedsville.k12.wi.us
Dave Steavpack—Manitowoc steav-
packd@mpsd.k12.wi.us
Jeff Schlender—Brillion jksch-
len@brillionsd.org
Stan Diedrich—Hilbert
diedrichs@hilbert.k12.wi.us
This summer we continued with our
Brat Fry Fundraisers. These two
events again showed how members
come together for the betterment of
our local high school student athletes.
At our events this year, we were able
to raise $1, 100 for our scholarship
fund.
We are going to be making these an
annual thing. They have been fun
events to work and be a part of. Even
if grilling is not your thing, there are
other things we need help
with….serving food, money person,
grocery runner, etc…..so please
consider this when the events are
announced for next summer.
We are also taking suggestions for the
brat fry locations. If you have any
place you know is a GREAT location,
feel free to pass it along to Steve
Walsh.
rules update and refresher course before
play begins. Contact
g_meidl14@hotmail.com (Gene Meidl) to
volunteer and for more details. Games
begin at 9am and last game beginning
approximately 1pm.
Oct. 4 in Neenah – State Flag Football tour-
nament at Shattuck Middle School. For
info, contact:
Bob Kilas rkilas@sbcglobal.net
Submitted by: Doug Day
You don’t have to be a football official to
use your skills for Special Olympics flag
football! So come on out and join us in
giving back to sports for those who truly
play for the love of the game. Two
opportunities are coming up!
Sept. 6 in Manitowoc – Special Olympics
flag football tournament at Manitowoc
Lutheran High School. There will be a short
Home phone: 920-725-6963
Cell phone: 920-915-2232
Special Olympics – “"Let me win. But if I
cannot win, let me be brave in the
attempt."
Same Schools, New Faces
Scholarship Brat Fry Follow Up/Fundraising
Time to Give Back—Special Olympics Flag Football
Every year there are changes in the
education community that go
unnoticed. This year there are chang-
es that we will ALL see though….new
athletic directors.
This year there are a number of new
athletic directors in our area. Here
are the new faces you will see at your
games. Feel free to reach out these
individuals if/when needed.
Page 2 We Do Great Things

3. a social outlet to relax in.
More information will come in
the future, but if this is some-
thing you would like to partici-
pate in planning, contact Steve
Walsh for more details.
920-242-9122 or
swalsh@kiel.k12.wi.us
Our association is one of many throughout
the state and the nation that has a value of
officiating different levels of athletics.
There are many ways these association can
work, but most are there to educate and
distribute games to officials. Ours is no
different.
One way to received education is through
your own personal educational advances
through camps, meetings, seminars, ect, but
also through the National Association of
Sports Officials or NASO. This is a great
organization to belong to. You receive
many advantages of being a member.
Our association is looking into joining NA-
SO on the association level to gain more
opportunities for educational materials to
provide during our meetings.
There are benefits to joining for both the
association and all of our members ad indi-
viduals. First, we need to know how many
members are currently a member of NASO
or how many members are thinking about
joining NASO.
Please keep an eye out for an email survey
regarding this. This survey will be coming
to your email in mid-September.
Please respond by October 1st.
Thanks for your help in this matter. We are
looking to make this a better association
with more opportunities!!!
you knew the whole basketball rule book,
but really didn’t so you wanted to get out of
working basketball, so you switched to
softball.
We all do sports for different reasons, but it
probably comes back to being involved for
the kids and working with these athletes.
Currently, we are in NEED of more officials
What was the reason you started officiat-
ing? Love of sports, added income,
flexible scheduling? Which do you think?
For most officials it is all of the above, but
the #1 reason would be for love of the
game. We started working the sports we
enjoy the most. You may have started
umpiring baseball, but soon realized that
football could be fun too! Or, you thought
for a number of sports. Football and
volleyball are very low. Baseball and
softball are there as well. Track...now that
is one that is almost non-existent!!!
Look at yourself and if you are a one sport
official, could you begin working another
sport? Contact crews and go along to see
what it is like.
There is a need, you could help.
Remember it’s for the kids.
Association Outing
WE NEED OFFICIALS!!!!!
In years past we have discussed
how to get members more en-
gaged along with having more
social opportunities. Our Execu-
tive Committee is looking at dif-
ferent possibilities to have a fun
day/night with members of our
association so we can get to
know each other better and have
Page 3
National Association of Sports Officials (NASO)

4. Manitowoc County Sports Officials Association
heating pads, massage, or anal-
gesic cream DOES NOT warm up
the muscles and should never
take the place of warming up.
2. Active/General warm up like
jogging or calisthenics helps
reduce the risk of injury.
3. Active/Specific warm up that uses
movements that are part of the
activity are EXCELLENT ways to
warm up.
4. Active, general activities should
proceed specific warm up
activities.
5. Always do active general
activities before stretching.
Each year we discuss the importance
of a good warm up and stretching be-
fore we work games. The following
tips come from the Iowa High School
Athletic Association (IHSAA).
The warm up should last 5-15 minutes
depending on the intensity of the
activity. The more intense, the longer
your warm up period. One should
break a sweat warming up, but not
working hard enough to breathe
heavily. A good warm up will remain
effective for up to 45 minutes after it is
completed.
Here are 10 helpful hints for your
warm up.
1. Passive Warm up—The use of
warm showers or whirlpools,
6. Stretching should result in mild
tension. Pain is counterproductive.
7. Hold each stretch for 30-60 seconds
8. NEVER bounce when stretching!!!!!!
9. Stretching after games will help
alleviate possible muscle soreness
and help with flexibility.
10. To prevent possible injury, consult
a medical professional before
stretching when injured. It may
effect your recovery time.
By following these helpful hints, you will
not only be ready for your game but it
will help with your overall flexibility.
Physical Fitness Tip
C/O Keith Bonde
1320 S. 10th Street
Manitowoc, WI 54220
President—Steve Walsh
1st Vice President—Dave Nickels
2nd Vice President—Eric VantHul
Secretary/Treasurer—Keith Bonde
Past President—Steve Sanders
Games Coordinator—Tom Frieder
We are on the web!!
Visit us at
www.manitowoccountysportsofficials.com