Happy New Year!I hope the season was filled with family and good cheer. Thenext two months are very busy and you should be ready foraction. Your evaluators will be looking for referees to place inplayoff games, provincial assignments and national assign-ments. Work hard in your games and good results usuallyhappen.Dick Vanderstam

President’s MessagePresident’s MessagePresident’s MessagePresident’s Message

FIBA RulesFIBA RulesFIBA RulesFIBA Rules

CIS Men recently decided that they will change to FIBA oneyear early—starting in September of this year. This means that allleagues serviced by ABOA will be adopting FIBA rules come Septem-ber. ABOA is encouraging all local Boards to contact other leagues(recreation or community) to be ready to change to FIBA in the fall of 2007.ABOA will be offering FIBA clinics this fall. Check the ABOAwebsite later this year for more details. For more information on FIBArules and mechanics manual go to the FIBA website at

http://www.fiba.com/pages/en/aboutfiba/downloads/regulations.asphttp://www.fiba.com/pages/en/aboutfiba/downloads/regulations.asphttp://www.fiba.com/pages/en/aboutfiba/downloads/regulations.asphttp://www.fiba.com/pages/en/aboutfiba/downloads/regulations.asp

A B O A

Alberta Basketball Officials AssociationAlberta Basketball Officials AssociationAlberta Basketball Officials AssociationAlberta Basketball Officials Association

JANUARY 2007JANUARY 2007JANUARY 2007JANUARY 2007

stripes

SPECIAL POINTS OFINTEREST:

•

ASAA ProvincialsASAA ProvincialsASAA ProvincialsASAA ProvincialsMarch 15March 15March 15March 15————17171717

1A Girls Foremost1A Boys Glendon2A Girls Peace River2A Boys LY Cairns, Edmonton3A Girls Rocky Mtn. House3A Boys Rocky Mtn. House4A Girls Jasper Place, Edmtn.4A Boys Jasper Place, Edmtn.

ABOA Points of EmphasisABOA Points of EmphasisABOA Points of EmphasisABOA Points of Emphasis

ABOA Interpreter Jake SteinbrennerJake SteinbrennerJake SteinbrennerJake Steinbrenner and ABOA Interpreter Morgan Mun-Morgan Mun-Morgan Mun-Morgan Mun-roeroeroeroe have placed the Points of Emphasis for 2006-07 on the ABOA websitehttp://www.refalberta.cahttp://www.refalberta.cahttp://www.refalberta.cahttp://www.refalberta.ca. I have attached a copy if you are receiving this News-letter by email.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

POINTS OF EM-PHASIS1ABOA SCHOLAR- SHIP2WINK WILLOX AWARD2ABOA EXAMS 4-6FIBA RULES 1PRESIDENT’SMESSAGE1JIM OLSEN LET-TER3ABOA AWARDS 4

Wink Willox AwardWink Willox AwardWink Willox AwardWink Willox Award

This past September at Su-perweekend, Jim Olsen Jim Olsen Jim Olsen Jim Olsen of Carstairswas presented with the CABO Wink CABO Wink CABO Wink CABO Wink Willox AwardWillox AwardWillox AwardWillox Award. What follows is thenomination information on Jim:

The Alberta Basketball Officials Asso-ciation would like to nominate JimOlsen for the Wink Willox Award.Jim is a rural official fromCarstairs, Alberta. Jim officiallystarted to referee in 1977. He hasbeen an active member of the Moun-tain View Officials Association for 29years.Jim has officiated at the Col-lege men and women’s level, Seniormen and women, High School menand women as well as at the Juniorlevel. He is always eager to refereethe younger players as he feels it im-portant to be a good role model onthe floor and make all players feelequally important. Jim often wouldtravel to Calgary to help when hewas needed to cover any level of game. Over his many years, Jimwas selected to work at numerousHigh School Provincial tourna-ments.Jim’s biggestattribute as an official ishis passion for the gameand to do what is neededfor each and every gameregardless of the level.He takes great pride inimproving his game andto teach younger officialswhat is necessary to do the games justice. A new official is quoted assaying; “Being a new referee thisyear I found Jim’s encouragementand experience to be instrumentalin helping me develop the skillsrequired to be a good official. Jimis extremely patient and always ledby example. He allowed me tolive or die with my whistles onthe court and would take theopportunity to discuss thesituation later. He is a con-stant joy and is extremely pas-sionate about thegame.” Jim can oftenbe found working agrade eight game with ahigh school athlete andhas recruited many of our young officials. Hehas taught many offi-cials the importance of professionalism on and off thecourt. As we watch him give100 percent every game itbecomes contagious at alllevels. Jim as an ultimateteam member and makeshimself available and is stillable to spend quality time

ABOA ScholarshipsABOA ScholarshipsABOA ScholarshipsABOA Scholarships

Page 2

JANUARY 2007

This past summer the ABOA sent outinformation to all local boards relat-ing to a CABO camp scholarshipavailable to all officials. Two scholar-ships in the amount of $250 eachwere available, one to the four majorboards (EBOA, CABOA, CBOA andSABOA) and one to the remaining boards. Six applications were re-ceived, all from officials in the fourmajor boards. I am happy to an-nounce that the winners of theawards were the following:Matt RowanMatt RowanMatt RowanMatt Rowan - EBOA - a collegeofficial from Edmonton, Matt at-tended the Canada West camp inVancouver BC this past summer.Matt aspires to one day officiate atthe CIS level.Keith UtheKeith UtheKeith UtheKeith Uthe - CBOA - a college offi-cial from Calgary, Keith has at-tended a number of officiating camps over the years. This pastyear, Keith attended two camps inthe United States.Our congratulations go outto both of the camp scholarshipwinners. A special thanks to CABOfor making the funds available to ourprovincial association to present toour members.Kevin HamelKevin HamelKevin HamelKevin HamelABOA SupervisorABOA SupervisorABOA SupervisorABOA Supervisor

I also want to thank you personally for your influence. You have been such a positive influence in ourlocal area. To me, it is individuals like you who should be receiving this award. The thing that I appreciate mostis how you have accepted me and the other officials from our area as fellow officials and not just as ‘rural refe-rees’. Thank you!

Please pass along my thanks to ABOA. It does mean a great deal to me.

Jim OlsenJim OlsenJim OlsenJim Olsen

AAAA

LetterLetterLetterLetter

from Jim Olsenfrom Jim Olsenfrom Jim Olsenfrom Jim Olsen

Hi Jake,I just wanted to send you a message and let you know that I really doappreciate receiving the J.A. Wink Willox award. Basketball has been very goodto me and I have thoroughly enjoyed the past 28 years refereeing basketball. Ihave been so fortunate to have many great experiences and work with so manygreat officials. Receiving this award took me totally by surprise and I was totallyunprepared to respond to it at the time. Most of all I thank my wife and chil-dren for sticking by me and allowing me the opportunity to participate. Next, Ithank ABOA for the many programs and opportunities so that I could referee atthe levels that I have been able to work. There are so many individuals thathave influenced me that I do not want to mention them as I know that I willmiss some. However, I do need to mention the officials from my local associa-tion, Mountain View Basketball Association. Back in 1983 when I sent off theletter to Larry Nowak, then President of ABOA, to form our association, I did notthink that we would progress to where we are now. It has been truly gratifying to see many of our members progress and referee at the college and universitylevel. Wanda is a tremendous leader and I thank her and Mark for putting for-ward my name.

“There are somanyindividuals thathave influencedme that I do notwant to mentionthem as I knowthat I will misssome”

Page 3

STRIPES

Wink Willox Award cont’dWink Willox Award cont’dWink Willox Award cont’dWink Willox Award cont’d

with his family and be a valued teacher at his local high school.In addition to Jim’s skills and leadership on the court Jim has served as a leader as a president, secretary andeducation officer on the local board. Jim has always fought hard to make sure that a rural official was not overlookedbecause they did not officiate in the city. He has high expectations for himself and is always willing to learn moreabout the game. Even after thirty years of dedication to the game he has made every effort to keep himself in greatphysical condition and continues to lead by example. Jim is now beginning to work as a provincial evaluator. His back-ground as an educator gives him great people skills and relates to all participants of the game in a calm and easy de-meanor.Jim has made many contributions to officiating in Alberta and for those of us who have benefited directly fromJim’s knowledge, work ethic enthusiasm and mentorship we are truly proud to nominate him for the Wink Willox Awardfor 2006.

ABOA Evaluation Chair Jake Steinbrenner Jake Steinbrenner Jake Steinbrenner Jake Steinbrenner received the following letter from Wink Willox Award Winner JimOlsen. Jake has asked me to share it with you.