Preble, East, and Southwest High Schools are offering a new course this year that revolves around officiating and coaching. The course hopes to fill a need that goes beyond the community.
“The lack of officials is a problem, a huge problem,” said Robert Gaulke, the physical education department chair at Preble High School. “It’s a problem in the entire state, and maybe the entire nation.” Gaulke has seen this firsthand as he serves as a WIAA certified official and is also an assistant coach for Preble’s varsity football team.
Last year, high school students nearly lost the opportunity to play games due to the lack of officials. The Green Bay Officials Association (GBOA) is currently about 100 members short of where it would like to be for staffing games with as many officials as possible.
“If I wanted to, I could work six nights a week as an official,” said Gaulke. Luckily, there has been a positive reaction from students toward the new course offering.
Students at Preble High School decided to take the class knowing its long-term benefits. “I want to be a ref. It’s a good opportunity to make more money in the winter,” said junior Evan Holm. He believes it’s “pretty likely” that he will pursue officiating, and coaching is not out of the question either.
While the course focuses on officiating and coaching, principles such as leadership, strength training, and nutrition are also covered. Additionally, students are offered CPR/AED training because it is a WIAA rule that all coaches must be certified.
The course is new to the District and Gaulke hopes this begins a trend across the state. “I’ve been teaching for 27 years, so the opportunity to put something like this together is exciting,” said Robert Gaulke.