LBC Chief of Officials

Officialy Speaking

Chief of Officials Richard Ellis

Please contact the Chief of Officials, Richard Ellis, elrock98@yahoo.com if you or someone you know is interested in becoming a registered and certified judge, referee or timekeepers.

Sanctioning Policy

All sanction requests are to be submitted to the Chief of Officials for review and assignment. All members of the Virginia Association of USA Boxing that submit requests for a sanction, for amateur only contests, must do so no later than 30 days prior to the event.

All members requesting a Pro-Am sanction must submit there sanction no later than 60 days prior to the event. The deadline includes full payment of the required sanction ($350) and the $100 per bout fees (max $500).

Sanctions not submitted on time will not be approved unless authorized after consideration by the association board of directors and reserves the right to approve or disapprove all sanctions.

A fee of $50 will be charged for the use of the associations gloves for club events. Only registered clubs may use the gloves and the use is not authorized or allowed for Pro-Am events. Requests are to be submitted to the association president for consideration by the sanctioning deadline.

All fliers and posters for an event must state: "Sanctioned by the Virginia Association of USA Boxing." and the assigned sanction number.

2009 COO Report

Chief of Officials Report 2009

By last count our LBC held 36 sanctioned shows in 2009 including last minute support to PVAs Silver Gloves Tournament on 30 Dec at Leo Rossiter’s gym in Annandale. We also supported numerous other shows sanctioned by USA Boxing, the NCBA, ‘Smokers’ on military bases and all of the regional tournaments. In 2008 we held 22 shows, 15 in 2007, and 9 shows in 2006.

The coaches have really stepped it up promoting amateur boxing in Virginia and it’s paying off with the increased level of experience of our boxers in all classes and divisions and the proficiency of our officials who now get more work than ever. Officials were able to support three shows on the same day (though one was cancelled). This was not possible until this year.

Note 1: Mileage for Officials: According to the LBC bylaws, out of town officials need to be compensated for driving mileage at a rate of 25 cents per mile. This is a necessary expense of putting on a show. All coaches know this and the vast majority of coaches have done an excellent job of taking care of traveling Officials. Out of town officials are infrequently assigned to work shows out of their area to keep the promoters’ expenses down, but sometimes, especially for shows in Richmond, we must bring Officials in from out of town. As most coaches know, Officials often refuse to accept money for their travel, and this is their personal option. Most of the time however, our Officials request only a portion of the assessed cost of travel. But our bylaws do state that Officials will be compensated for mileage and meals (as required).

The acting Chief presents a voucher to the sanction holder during the show and the sanction holder is expected to pay before the end of the show. If Officials are not compensated for mileage as required, the sanction holder/coach will not receive another sanction until this debt is settled. There is presently one coach with outstanding mileage expense to the Officials who supported his show(s).

Note 2: Sanction fees: In order for a boxing show to be legal, the sanction fee must be received in Colorado Springs within one week before the show is held. Exceptions can only be made with the LBC President’s involvement and approval. With the increasing competition for boxing show dates, we have to track this more closely. Officials are typically assigned to shows two weeks before the date of the show.

Gail Jordan needs one week to process and send the sanction and fee to Colorado Springs. If she has not received the white copy of the sanction and the fee within 15 days of the show, the show will not be legal and will have to be cancelled.

Process flow: The Chief of Officials sends approved sanctions out 30 days before the scheduled show. The Chief will call Gail on the Friday two weeks before any scheduled Saturday show to ensure she has received the sanction and fee with sufficient time to send it to Colorado Springs so our show is legal. If she has the proper forms, I will schedule Officials to support the upcoming show. If Gail has not received the sanction and fee 15 days before the scheduled show, the Chief of Official’s next call will be to the coach to cancel the show. 15 Days. This is reasonable and no longer negotiable. Thank you for your outstanding support! Rich Ellis

Certificate of Insurance Requests For Events and Club Training

Certificate of Insurance Requests For Events and Club Training

When a certificate of insurance is needed for a club for training purposes or a sanctioned event, the LBC representative needs to sign and verify that the club is registered and the club representative is registered. Requests need to be made to the office at least two weeks before the event. Certificates of insurance are administered through our insurance company, American Specialty; the process usually takes 1-3 days to complete. We advise the two week time period in case there are changes that need to be made and to guarantee certificates will be prepared in time for the event.
Contact the Insurance Coordinator, Edith Smith (719) 866-2317 for certificates and more information.

Headgear

by Dr. George Palmer / May 04, 2009

Of all the safety equipment required by the International Boxing Association (AIBA) and USA Boxing, the value of headgear may be the most misunderstood. Some say, "the pros don't wear them so why should amateurs?"

To protect themselves from injuries, pros do wear headgear when they spar. They see no advantage to taking unnecessary risk. Boxers and coaches know that an injury in training can be just as serious as, and have the same consequences as, an injury during a bout . A cut during sparring can cause delay or cancellation of an important match, involve the same risk of infection and the same degree of scarring.

The most visible injuries in boxing occur to the face, either from punches or headbutts. Although most of these facial injuries are minor, such as bruises and nosebleeds, some can be serious enough to stop a bout and require sutures. Because the skin on the face is thinnest over the bones around the eye, that area is the most likely to sustain lacerations. Should one occur, the boxer will be unable to compete. That can cause elimination from an important tournament and may not allow an athlete to box or spar for weeks while the injury heals. An infection during that time can delay healing and increase scarring. Scar tissue is weaker than uninjured skin, so it will always be more likely to reinjure.

Properly worn headgear can help a great deal to protect the face and prevent scarring and bout-stopping injuries. The headgear must be worn down to the eyebrow and firmly secured with the chinstrap to properly serve its optimum protective function. That position will provide protection from the most common facial lacerations and still won't obstruct the boxer's vision.

Don't take an unnecessary risk. Properly fitted and secured headgear while sparring or competing can help prevent injury that will stop or cancel a bout.

Getting A Ringside Physician

Getting Doctors for Amateur Boxing Events
by Dr. George Palmer / January 14, 2009
In a recent post on the USA Boxing Website entitled "The End of an Era", Mr. Jim Millman wrote about meetings he had with LBC officials and the difficulties they expressed. Number one on the list was getting doctors to participate. From a physicians viewpoint, and remembering back to when I first started with amateur boxing, I would like to offer some suggestions.

When you visit your doctors or see one socially, encourage them to participate or at least attend an event. Give him or her contact information and invite them to an event. Tell them why you participate. Emphasize how amateur boxing benefits the community and youth and how important their contribution would be. Emphasize the demographics of our boxers. All the experience some doctorss have with boxing is watching bloody professional bouts on TV (think Gatti v. Ward I). Tell them how amateur boxing is different. Be enthusiastic. Enthusiasm will encourage them to give you their attention.

Once you get them to an event, educate them and ask them questions. Take full advantage of and welcome the unique knowledge and experience a physician can contribute to an event. An official may have more knowledge about boxing and the doctor may have more knowledge about recognition and treatment of injuries. Mutual education benefits all the participants.

My first experience with amateur boxing, I had no guidance from the officials. I guess they just assumed I would know what to do. I was lost.

Treat the doctor the same way you would any other new official. Introduce them to other officials and any other ringside doctors that might attend. Show them you value their opinions and unique contributions.

Ringside doctors are no more or less important and valuable than any other official. Doctors need the same education, encouragement and interaction that would be given to any new official. A new official is given considerable information and guidance from those with more experience. When you have a new official, you teach them. Do the same with a new doctor. Don't assume that he or she knows USA Boxing rules or what to look for in the passbook. Tell them what you look for when deciding to stop a bout. Tell them what is expected of them. Our Arizona officials have taught me more than I could ever teach them. Sometimes that teaching has come about through conversations and sometimes by my just watching them. Teach!

Two unique concerns that physicians have about participation in amateur boxing are the AMA position on boxing and malpractice suits.

In 1987, the American Medical Association published a position paper that called for the banning of boxing, both professional and amateur. The original position paper admitted that amateur boxing was safer than many other sports and distinct from professional boxing. However, that document has since been revised and amateur and professional are lumped together and equally condemned. Both documents also discourage physicians from participation in any form of boxing.

Most personal malpractice insurance does not cover boxing. Even though USA Boxing has liability coverage, it covers little of the financial cost a physician may incur in the case of a lawsuit and none of the emotional cost.

In summary:

Be enthusiastic.
Take full advantage of the doctor's knowledge and experience.
Teach!
Understand the unique concerns physicians have about participation in amateur boxing.
I hope this is helpful.

George Palmer III, DO

Common Fouls and Clean Boxing

by Suzanne Grassel / April 23, 2009

by Krysti Rosario, Kevina Franklin and Christy Halbert

Recently, Coach Christy Halbert, Chair of the USAB Women's Task Force, had a conversation with two national-level officials who also serve on the USAB Women's Task Force; Kevina Franklin, Level III official from Atlanta, Georgia, and Krysti Rosario, Level III official from Los Angeles, California.

CH: What are the three most common fouls you see on the local level?
KR: I'd say slapping, holding, and pushing.
KF: I agree, I see various holding maneuvers, slapping and pushing most often.

CH: Are these different than the most common fouls you see on the National level?
KR: On the National level, the boxers are more experienced, so there's not as much fouling. However you still see fouls. Hopefully the boxers are cleaner.
KF: I still see harm fouls like low blows, hitting on the back of the head and behind the back. Holding and slapping are also seen. Pushing is less common. It seems like the higher you go the more strictly rules are observed. I think coaches and boxers learn that you have to tighten it up on the national level.

CH: You both alluded to less fouling on the National level. Why would this be important? When refereeing, how are you affected by a boxer who fouls a lot?
KR: Well, as a referee it's nice to have a clean bout where you can focus on the bout. If you have a lot of holding, low head, low blows, and the boxers do things because they are out of shape or are out-matched, it's ugly and the referee can't get control. Then it looks bad and it's harder to judge.
KF: I've learned that harm fouls often occur when less-serious infractions are not immediately addressed; boxers rely on the referee. Boxers and coaches and officials are all part of the same team. When the boxers and coaches feel they aren't being treated fairly, it's the official's job to make sure rules are followed for equality. In the ring, the referee rights wrongs; and if the referee doesn't, many times boxers try to handle it with a slap or a push themselves. Part of the referee's job is to make sure things go smoothly in there.

CH: Krysti, you mentioned that the bout is harder to judge. How might a judge be affected by a boxer who fouls a lot?
KR: For me, it's so nice when boxers are clean and advanced, and you can watch the bout and see each blow. As a judge, it makes me more confident on who the winner is. But then again this is not always realistic and, as an official, I need to be ready to judge any kind of bout with the correct winner as the outcome.
KF: Yes, and when a boxer fouls a lot it's heart-breaking. If you are holding and throw a blow, even if you knock someone down, you don't get the point. Fouling makes a boxer's punches obsolete. A lot of effort goes into the match, but if a boxer is fouling, they aren't competing to the best of their ability.

CH: Sometimes coaches and spectators get irritated when fouls are called. Why is it so important to call fouls against a boxer who is breaking the rules?
KR: First of all, I think all coaches and boxers should be up-to-date on the rules. If there is a low blow, and we stop the bout for an eight-count, many times we are booed for this because people don't understand that the eight-count is only to give the injured boxer time to recover from the harm foul, and does not reflect on him/her.
KF: That's right; a lot of spectators don't realize that in amateur boxing the referee's primary responsibility is to ensure the safety of the boxers. There is a difference between a regular compulsory count and a harm foul's standing-eight count. A boxer who fouls puts the other boxer in jeopardy.
KR: Basically, it's important to give cautions and warnings, to keep the boxing safe. Safety is #1 when you are refereeing. I would also add that it's not fair for boxers to foul, and it's not fair when a boxer wins because he or she was fouling. On the national level, boxers should know the rules, and know how to box cleanly.
KF: From a referee's standpoint, a tiny problem, when handled immediately, will make things go smoothly in the bout.
KR: Yes, the bout is for the boxers, an opportunity for the boxers to showcase their talent. The bout isn't for the referee, and over-refereeing can interrupt the flow of the bout.
KF: I agree. The referee is part of the dynamics. There is a fine line between doing a good job as a referee and over-/under-officiating.

CH: Both of you have a great deal of experience in local, regional and national bouts. What brought you to Olympic-style boxing in the first place?
KR: I was a boxer, first. When I stopped boxing I still wanted to be involved closely in the sport. I had that competitive spirit, and wanted a way to feel the excitement while also helping affect the sport positively. I referee and judge. I prefer to referee.
KF: I grew up around it, watching my parents officiate. I saw how they held so much respect and love for the sport itself, and the way they did their job was so inspiring to me, that I wanted to try it. I love the technical aspects of the sport as well as inspiring others -- and of course, being with my family!

CH: We need more officials in the sport to continue to improve our ranks and assist other volunteers. Do you have any ideas about recruiting officials into Olympic-style boxing?
KR: At shows and tournaments someone could announce that we need officials, and tell people that there are many opportunities to get involved. Also, when they know there's a clinic, announce for people to come to the announcer's table and get more information.
KF: I encourage all (boxers, coaches and spectators alike) to download and read the Official's Rulebook from USABoxing.org. I also like the idea of introducing people to the sport through promotional materials that we can hand out during career week in high schools and middle schools. We can talk about what we like about the sport. Conversation is the main thing, and back that up with documented materials. We can let people know about educational opportunities through clinics, and I would recommend officials going to coaches' clinics. Here at shows in Georgia, we sometimes invite people from the audience to sit next to an official to mock-judge, watch the timekeeper, or watch the clerk. They learn a little about the job and we encourage them to become involved in the sport, and they can talk to other spectators a little about what the officials do. I think that helps develop the team environment.

CH: It seems we can agree that when boxers understand the rules of the sport they can better score points and avoid losing points, and enjoy the sport more fully. Thank you, Krysti and Kevina, for your thoughts on fouls and officiating. I hope to see you both at U. S. Championships in June.

The Standing Eight Count - The Friend of Amateur Boxing

by Julie Goldsticker / April 02, 2009

By: David Zawacki

This edition of articles emphasizes safety concerns, and is in honor of the late award winning actress, Natasha Richardson, who recently died from what initially appeared to be a minor blow to her head in a skiing accident, and to her surviving husband actor Liam Neeson who as a teenager was the youth heavyweight amateur boxing champion of Northern Ireland:

The standing count can serve as a means for the referee to assess the condition of the boxer's situation in the ring. This tool of the referee is readily available and is routinely initiated as a result of a blow or from a series of blows. These eight seconds give the referee an up close opportunity to evaluate and focus on the boxer. While the referee is administering the eight count, the referee has plenty of time to assess the boxer's physical condition by assessing his/her: stance, muscle tone, and the eyes. Within those precious eight seconds, the referee determines if the boxer is capable to continue, or if the bout should be stopped. At the end of those eight seconds, the referee should either command the bout to continue, or stop it. Compliments of Ray Silvas, Vice-Chair AIBA R/J Commission; past Technical Committee Chair and National COO of USA Boxing.

Second impact syndrome. Referees who have issued RSC-Hs and who have signed a restriction Affidavit and/or those Officials who perform practice judging, and/or who referee sparring in the gyms should pay particular attention. All the guidelines focus on the question of when is it safe for the boxer to return to competition after suffering a concussion. Several serious risks are associated with a premature return to boxing. The most serious is the second impact syndrome. This syndrome was first described in 1973 and it occurs in athletes that return to competition before the symptoms of the first concussion have completely resolved. A second blow to the head, even a minor one, can result in loss of auto regulation of the brain blood supply. This in turn can result in brain injury and possible death. All coaches and boxers should also be made aware of this risk. Many injuries usually can occur in unsupervised sparring sessions. Therefore, close supervision during sparring sessions should be given to the boxers at all times. If there are any questions, it is always better to keep the boxer from any further competition/sparring until a physician examines that person. Compliments of Robert Voy, MD, LBC 49 Nevada ringside physician; past member AIBA medical commission; and past President of USA Boxing