The Push for More Female Football Officials in Pennsylvania
2024-11-22
Sonya Essis stands out as one of the few female football officials in Pennsylvania. With only 19 out of 2,176 officials being female, she emphasizes the untapped potential. “They don’t realize it’s something they could actually do. It might be the rules or because they believe that since they never played football that they just can’t do it,” Essis said. But she is proof that one doesn’t need to have played the game to officiate it. In fact, she didn’t play any sports when she decided to pick up a whistle. “Curiosity. I wanted to learn the rules. A friend of mine was an official, and he said, ‘Why don’t you come to our free class and learn?’ So, I did. After the class, he said, ‘Why don’t you take the test?’ And I did, and here I am,” Essis shared. Seven years later, she is fully integrated with her crew. “I enjoy being part of the crew, and I also enjoy being part of Friday night lights,” she added.
The Lancaster-Lebanon League’s Need for Female Officials
This year, the Lancaster-Lebanon League had no female officials in football, a situation that recruiter and official Bob Resch aims to change. “It’s a vast untapped market. We have 50% of the population. I’d love to have interest. I’d love to be involved with getting the first female official starting in Lancaster, Lebanon county,” Resch expressed. Manheim Township football coach Mark Evans also supports women joining the league’s officiating ranks. “I think it’s pretty cool to turn on a football game on a Friday night, a Thursday night or an NFL game and see female officials,” he said. Getting women in the game would help address the officiating shortages that have led to games being moved to Thursdays and Saturdays. “We’ve managed to keep our head above water, and hopefully, if we can continue to bring out new people, we can continue to stay on Friday nights,” Resch stated. The L-L League saw an increase of eight football officials this season, showing some progress. “We all have to be concerned. We have to be concerned for the future generations,” Evans emphasized.
The PIAA’s Efforts to Promote Officials
The PIAA has promoted official appreciation weeks to counter the bad behavior that has driven some officials from the game. “We’re all in this together. Without one particular group, we can’t have games,” Resch said. With the addition of more girls’ sports in high school, there is a need for more officials across the board. However, football poses a unique challenge. “It’s probably one of the hardest jobs you’ll ever have. You don’t always know everything. You’re always learning. Every snap you learn,” Essis noted. But she wouldn’t trade this experience. “I joined a brotherhood of men, and now we become a great family of officials. I can’t thank them enough for it because I love it,” she concluded. The hope is that more women will become part of that football family. If you want to learn more about the job or apply, go to the PIAA’s site.
