Celebration of Life for Steve Halberg
We lost a very good friend and fellow official recently. Steve Halberg was a Football, Basketball and Baseball official. Please keep the Halberg family in your thoughts. He will be missed.
Steven Halberg, 69, dedicated husband, father, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend – passed away suddenly on Sunday, October 20, 2024. Steve was born to Max and Dorothy Halberg in Princeton, IL on October 24, 1954. He graduated from Princeton High School in 1972 before attending the University of Illinois and graduating in 1976. In 1991 he went to Benedictine College for his MBA. Steve and Mary were married on October 13, 1979 and welcomed their son, Mark, on January 13, 1988.
2024 Basketball Division Meetings
Meetings this year will once again be on Thursday evenings starting on October 3 and going through November 14. With Halloween being on a Thursday this year, we have decided not to have a meeting that night and due to large events at York HS on a couple of nights this year, we will have two meetings at Willowbrook HS. Our dues structure remains the same as 2023. If you haven’t renewed your membership and paid dues, head here to do that now. Below are our schedule, locations, and speakers:
| Date | Location | Topic | Speaker |
| 10/3/24 @ 7:30PM | York HS | Rule 4/Rule 10 — Warnings and Techs | Dave Romano |
| 10/10/24 @ 7:30PM | York HS | Rule Changes (Joint Meeting with WBOA) | Fred Allman |
| 10/17/24 @ 7:30PM | York HS | Coaches Observations On Officiating | Joe Spagnolo |
| | | | |
| 10/31/24 | No Meeting – Happy Halloween | ||
| 11/7/24 @ 7:30PM | Willowbrook HS | On-Court Positioning & Mechanics | Jeff Rutledge & Don Williams |
| 11/14/24 @ 7:00PM | Gullivers Pizza & Pub 17W517 Roosevelt Rd Oakbrook Terrace | Part 1 Rules Test Review | Randy Wilson |
2024 Football Division
Meetings will be on Thursday evenings. No change in 2024 membership fees from 2023. Membership in one division $50 join more than 1 AOA division AOA Football is only $40. New to AOA Football 2024 fees will be waived unless you want clinic credit, Rates are available for single or multi-sport AOA Division memberships. If you belong to multiple AOA Divisions take advantage of the multi-division membership discount.
| Week | Date | Location | Topic | |||
| 1 | 7/25/2024 | Online | New Rules/officials Manual/Mechanics | |||
| 2 | 8/1/2024 | Online | Redzone/Goalline Mechanics | |||
| 3 | 8/8/2024 | York HS | Rick Karhiliker – Head Clinician | |||
| 4 | 8/15/2024 | York HS | Passing Game/Game Management | |||
| 5 | 8/22/2024 | York HS | Test (First Half Review) | |||
| 6 | 8/29/2024 | Online | Test (Second Half Review) | |||
| 7 | 9/5/2024 | York HS | Week #1 Game Review | |||
AOA Awards Banquet
Sunday, May 19th, 2024
10:00 AM
Courtyard Banquets
3S200 State Route 59
Warrenville, IL 60555
630-393-3130
All you can eat brunch buffet – $15.00
Hall of Fame Induction
Moscardini Award
Please RSVP by May 14th, 2024
All divisions are included! Drinks are included!
Celebrate with fellow officials from all divisions!
State Championship Officials
The AOA Basketball Division would like to congratulate Craig Davelis and Randy Wilson for representing the AOA at the girls state basketball tournament held Feb. 29 through March 2 at Illinois State University. Craig officiated two state semifinals (Class 1A and 3A) and the Class 4A state championship. Randy officiated one Class 3A semifinal, the Class 2A third-place game and the Class 1A state championship. Congratulations to both on a job well done.
2024 Softball Division
Questions? Contact Diane Bryniarski at burnegerte [at] aol [dot] com
2024 Baseball Division
All meetings will be held on Zoom and will take place on:
6:45 PM on 2/7, 2/14, 2/21, 2/28, 3/6, 3/13
New to the IHSA – Free
New to AOA – $15.00
Returning members – $25.00
- 2/7/2024
- Opening Remarks – Pat Weber
- Teachable Moments – Tim McCaffrey
- Live Ball/Dead Ball – Steve Harms
- Base Awards – John Hobscheid
- 2/14/2024
- Umpire’s Inner Voice – Jenn Hughes
- Working the bases – Greg Johnson
- MLB Umpire Discussion – Dan Bellino
- 2/21/2024
- Game-Ending Situations – Jenn Hughes
- Game Within the Game – Rob Hacker
- Video Plays – Tim Cordill CBUA
- 2/28/2024
- Mechanics – Bill Mushrush
- Professionalism – John Cyr
- Conflict Resolution – John Cyr
- 3/6/2024
- Definitions – John Hobscheid
- Infield Fly – Steve Harms
- Batter is out When – Pat Weber
- Officer Nominations – Pat Weber
- 3/13/2024
- Rules Changes and POEs – John Cyr
- Working the Plate – Greg Johnson
- NFHS Part 1 Exam – John Cyr/Greg Johnson
2023 Basketball Meetings
2023-24 AOA Basketball Division Meeting Dates & Schedule
All meetings will begin at 7:30 PM at York High School except for Week 6, which will be held at Shoeless Joe’s Ale House and Grille at 1480 W. Lake Street, in Addison
- Week 1 – Oct. 5: Tim Loughnane will discuss new business, introduce all of the Hall of Fame members and introduce new members. Jeff Rutledge will provide a new rules presentation and points of emphasis. There also will be AOA Camp testimonials from individuals who attended the camp.
- Week 2 – Oct. 12: Dave Romano will have a presentation about free throws and in-bounds. Eddie Burns will have a presentation about professionalism and NFHS rule No. 2
- Week 3 – Oct. 19: Sal Vasta will discussion Arbiter, camps and the IHSA Website. John Marino will provide a mechanics presentation.
- Week 4 – Oct 26: Former referee and AOA President Joe Spagnolo returns to present his observations after spending last season as an assistant coach at Hinsdale Central. He will provide his perspective with video support.
- Week 5 – Nov. 2: Tim Loughnane will provide a presentation about traveling, identifying the pivot foot, and closely guarded situations. Don Williams will provide content about the different types of fouls we experience throughout games.
- Week 6 – Nov. 9: Part 1 IHSA Test Review at Shoeless Joe’s Ale House and recognition of Rich Parson for his recent introduction into the AOA’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
2023 Football Meetings
The registration and dues payment page is now open and receiving registration and 2023 dues payments. Dues response has been terrific, keep up the great work.
This season we’ll be a hybrid of virtual meetings and in-person meetings. Virtual meetings will kick-off (of course pun intended) on July 20th. 7:00pm. A zoom link will come out closer to the day.
SOME THINGS STAY THE SAME AND SOME THINGS CHANGE:
- STAY THE SAME:
- To be eligible to vote or hold office one must be a member in good standing. That means paid your 2023 AOA Football Division Membership dues, had a dues waiver request approved, and attended at least 4 of the 6 regularly scheduled meetings.
- CHANGE LEVEL 2 CLINIC CREDIT:
- to receive Level 2 Clinic credit, one must pay your 2023 AOA Football Division Membership dues and attend BOTH the August 3rd and August 10th in-person meetings at Fenton High School
Here is a tentative schedule of topics and presenters for the 2023 Season’s meetings:
- July 20,: 7:00 PM Zoom – Player Conduct – State Final Official Tim Loughnane
- July 27, 7:00 PM Zoom – New Rules – State Final Official Ted Lepucki
- Aug 3, 7:00 PM In Person Fenton HS. Auditorium Mechanics Changes for 2023 – Football Official of the Year Jeff Conrad
- Aug 10, 7:00 PM in Person Fenton HS Auditorium OPI/DPI Pick Plays – State Final Official Tim Loughnane
- Aug 17, 7:00 PM Zoom Test Review – Football Board Nominations Open – Game Management/Clock Management – AOA HUDL Coordinator Craig Reges
- Aug 24, 7:00 PM Zoom Test Review – Football Board Nominations Close – Goal Line Plays – TBD
Zoom meetings beginning on July 20th
2023 AOA Banquet Photos
