The Southern Minnesota Wrestling Officials Association (SMWOA) has recently expanded into Southwest Minnesota.
The SMWOA started almost 35 years ago in southeast Minnesota. This organization is comprised of a group of independent contractor wrestling officials that work together to form a wrestling officials association to promote the sport of wrestling. The SMWOA does this by maintaining the original mandate to train younger officials and grow the wrestling officiating talent in Minnesota.
Rick Rud, who serves as the association’s director, describes the SMWOA as an association that maintains a strong belief in a style of consistent wrestling officiating that is a result of dedicated internal and external communications among other officials, associations, states, and coaches. “The SMWOA focuses on consistency and keeping the sport aggressive while maintaining the rules and points of emphasis,” states Rud. SMWOA’s model of encouraging the development and growth of younger officials has resulted in approximately 40% of its members officiating at the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) State Wrestling Tournament.
SMWOA will continue to serve southeast Minnesota and since last spring has undergone this exciting expansion into the southwest area of Minnesota. Rick is pleased to introduce Cami Snobl as the Assignment Secretary for this southwest expansion. While assisting with the expansion, she is working with schools and coaches in the area to introduce the services of SMWOA to southwest Minnesota.
When southwest Minnesota schools are in need of wrestling officials, they can contact Cami, and she will assist in serving schools by assigning officials within the association to meet the wrestling officiating needs within district events. There is no cost to schools for this service. Several existing independent officials in southwest Minnesota have become a pivotal part of the SMWOA. In addition, SMWOA is in the process of recruiting and mentoring new officials from the southwest corner of this great wrestling state.
Cami is excited to work with the officials, the MSHSL, other wrestling officials associations, area athletic directors, area wrestling coaches, and the entire wrestling community to grow the sport of wrestling and the number of quality wrestling officials throughout the entire southern Minnesota region through growth of the SMWOA. For further information regarding SMWOA, visit their website at www.smwoa.com. If you are interested in becoming an official, feel free to contact Cami at [email protected], Rick at [email protected], or the MSHSL at mshsl.org.
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