My Fellow Officials,
The year is at an end and with that is also the end of my extended term as president of TASO Football. Cooper Castleberry, our newly elected president, will start his two year term January 1st. I’m sure along with me you all wish him good luck and success. Coop will do an excellent job directing the TASO Football division and represent us as a TASO Board member.
The resumption of the presidency was something I did so gladly but under the circumstance, did so with a saddened heart. It came at a time just prior to our annual meeting. With the efforts of our Board, our new Executive Director Mike Fitch, the TASO staff, and the large number of volunteers from the Dallas and Fort Worth chapters our meeting went off with great success. I appreciate all our members who attended.
TASO’s ongoing litigation realized a number of successes for the Football Division, the high school coaches, and student athletes of Texas. With these victories officials were not forced to make a hard decision and wonder as to whether they would be allowed to finish the regular season. They could possibly have been prevented from working their previously scheduled games. The federal judge with his decision also allowed the coaches of Texas the opportunity to choose the best available officials from the TASO Football Division all the way to the State final games. This was another victory for our members.
That being said, I wish to extend my congratulations to all the post season officiating crews. An overall excellent job was done by all. We were fortunate to have two games where coaches opted for seven man crews, including one of the finals. Hopefully this will be the start of a trend. Let’s also be clear that no matter what “hat” was worn every official represented TASO Football with dignity and professionalism, again well done.
With the New Year, training will continue to be our priority. The continuation of the programs I started and the new fresh ideas President Castleberry will initiate are going to be exciting. Keep going to our blog, http:tasofb.wordpress.com and the web page http:www.TASO.org where more videos, mechanic discussions, and rule interpretations will be ongoing during the offseason.
Our state annual meeting will be in July in San Antonio. Check the web page and blog for dates and agenda to be posted soon.
As to the TASO lawsuit, it is Coop’s and my intention to continue toward a reasonable, just and binding settlement that both sides will feel is equitable and just. Our hope is that this can be done without having a trial.
I would like to make a final point I wish all you would consider. This year was the first time in our history that you as a member in good standing could vote for the officers of our organization online from anywhere, with no need to attend a state meeting to do so. Only a small percentage of the membership opted to do so. This apathy puzzles me. Please consider in the future to exercise your right to have a say in the leadership of this organization.
In closing, I wish to thank all of you for the support I have received these past seven months. I still believe TASO and TASO Football is the largest and greatest independent officiating organization of its kind. I also believe we should remain as an independent entity and will fight to keep it so. I wish all of you felt the same.
My wish for this New Year is that no matter where the good Lord takes us we always officiate every game as though it is the Super Bowl, that we always continue to learn, and that in every game we always work so that the student athletes of Texas have an equal opportunity to succeed.
Blessings to you and your families for this coming New Year.
Bill Fecci
