High school class offers path for students to become sports officials
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Jeremy Dietz Jr. has spent a little less than a year officiating junior high school sports, and he aims to move up to refereeing varsity sports soon.
As a lifelong basketball player, the 18-year-old said, he appreciates the opportunity to “stay around the game.”
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When he learned that his alma mater, Conemaugh Valley High School, offered a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association referee certification in place of a gymnasium credit, the choice was clear.
Dietz, a 2025 graduate, said he took the class his senior year and was thrilled by the education and the support he received from Vicki Markiewicz and Jason Moschgat.
“It takes a while to get used to,” Dietz said. “You never really realize how much referees do for the game until you’re on the other side of the ball.”
Conemaugh Valley has offered the officials class for roughly two years, high school Principal Brian Randall said.
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The first cohort had about five students enrolled, with nearly the same number last year. For the 2025-26 academic term, nine students are signed up to learn how to officiate.
Students enrolled in the class are met with a relaxed atmosphere more akin to college. They meet in the lobby of the high school building and study the Ref Reps curriculum, which is primarily video-based.
Each student then picks at least three sports they want to train in. For example, Emily Shetler is studying wrestling, softball, track and field, and girls’ lacrosse.
“Our goal is to have one fall sport, one winter sport and one spring sport,” Randall said.
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Shetler, an 11th-grade wrestler in the school’s cooperative agreement with Central Cambria High School, is signed up for the class this year and has earned her certification to officiate her sport. When she got her schedule this year and saw the officiating class, she was intrigued.
“This could be fun,” Shetler recalled thinking.
Since engaging with the course, she has enjoyed it and even has referee jobs lined up for December. She has an elementary wrestling dual meet and a tournament that she will officiate.
“I think it will be a lot of fun to be the official,” she said, adding that the money isn’t bad, either.
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Randall said the high school class grew out of a need to find referees for sporting events. The dwindling and aging pool of officials can sometimes make it hard to find refs for games, he noted.
By being able to create their own PIAA officials, it revitalizes the group, Randall said. For example, Dietz refereed a junior high game at the high school Tuesday and will be back for more.
Since graduating and becoming a PIAA-regulated official, Dietz said he’s had a positive experience. He’s still getting used to the pace of the games, but enjoys the new perspective on basketball.
“You really just have to make the best call that you can and go from there,” Dietz said.