5th annual NJFOA Football Officials Clinic

A few days ago, I had the opportunity to attend the 5th Annual NJFOA Pre-Season Football Clinic at Raritan High School. More than 300 football officials from across New Jersey came together with one goal—to become better officials before the 2026 high school football season kicks off.

Throughout the day, we learned from an outstanding lineup of clinicians, including NJSIAA State Assignor Mark Bitar, Rules Interpreter Mike Bartram, retired NFL Down Judge Ed Camp, retired ACC Side Judge Jim Corpora, ACC Referee Jerry Magallanes, AAC Umpire Patrick Oldham, ACC Side Judge Jerry Walter, and several other experienced instructors who shared their knowledge and passion for officiating.

Today's episode isn't simply a recap of the clinic. Instead, we're going to dive into the lessons that mattered most—the rule changes every official should know, mechanics that can immediately improve your performance on the field, expectations from the NJSIAA, and the mindset it takes to continue growing in this profession.

One thing that stood out to me throughout the day was that the best officials never stop learning. Whether you're entering your first season or you've been working games for decades, there's always something new to take away from opportunities like this. That's what makes clinics like these so valuable.

So, if you couldn't attend the clinic—or if you were there and want to reinforce what you learned—you've come to the right place.