The History Of The
Broward Football
Official's Association

Based on the records and recollections of Dr. R L Landers one of original
charter members, that started our association in 1957.  A lifetime BFOA
member, and inductee into the FHSAA Hall Of Fame as an official.
 

During the late 1940's and early 1950's there was only one high school football officials association in South Florida and
that was in Dade County.  There were only a few football officials in Broward County.  Officials from Broward had to travel
each Monday night to Miami for meetings and assignments.

High schools were segregated, there were four white high schools in Broward County that were part of the Florida
High School Athletic Association and those were:
 
  Fort Lauderdale High School - located at Broward Blvd. and U.S. 1
  South Broward High School - located on U.S. 1 in Dania
  Central Catholic High School - located at N.E. 9th Ave. and 2nd street (St. Anthony Church)
      which later moved and became known as Saint Thomas Aquinas High School
  Pompano Beach High School - known as the "The Beanpickers"

There were also three black high schools in Broward County they were:
 

  Blanche Ely High School in Pompano
  Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale
  Attucks High School in Dania

Before integration these black schools had their own official's association the Florida Interscholastic Athletic Association .  Some of their officials were: Chester Smith, Ron Braynon, Carl Jefferson, Frank Scruggs, Frank Robinson, Zebedee Wright, George Brown, Herb Burrows, Ozzie Davenport and Artis Hall.  Eventually the two organizations combined.

In the mid 1950's the county began to grow and more schools were built.  Because of the travel distance to meetings and games (no travel pay) a group of officials decided to form their own organization.  After the 1956 season ended some of the Broward officials met at the home of Bill Munsey to discuss the possibility of a new organization in Broward County.  Some
of those present were: Bill Munsey, Cliff Rubicam, Clarence Alfonse, Bud Marcum, Howard "Beans" Stephens, Bill Weber
and R. L. Landers.  The group decided to proceed with a new association and to draw up a constitution and by-laws.
 

At the first official meeting held at Pine Crest School (located on east Broward Blvd.) the following decisions were made.

  1.  The name of the new organization would be ''Broward Football Official's Association" (BFOA).

  2.  Constitution and by-laws approved.

  3.  Dues would be $3.00 per year.

  4.  Bill Weber elected president.
  5.  R. L. Landers elected commissioner (no pay, but was exempt from the $3.00 membership dues).

  6.  The 19 members forming the association will be ''Charter Members".
 

The membership in 1957 totaled 21 members, nineteen (19) were classified as Charter Members.

In 1960 the membership rose to 44 officials and the schools serviced were: Fort Lauderdale, Stranahan, South Broward, McArthur, Pompano Beach, Central Catholic, and Pine Crest. The Fort Lauderdale Knights semi- pro team became the
Fort Lauderdale Tigers and continued to use our officials.

There were ten (10) Junior High Schools, and yes, there was Junior High School football. The schools were: Deerfield, Everglades, McNichol, Olson, Parkway, Henry Perry, Pompano, Rogers, Sunrise and Driftwood.  The coaches were

permitted a scratch list of officials but the commissioner made the assignments using the scratch list. The scratch list
let the coaches rate each official as: P - Preferred to work games, W - Will accept and to be used as 2nd choice.
The other officials would be will not accept.

In 1961 the membership was 46, Central Catholic High School became Saint Thomas Aquinas High School and moved
to the present day location. One new high school was added, Northeast High School and one new Junior High School
joined, New River Junior High.

In 1962 the membership was 50 and new schools included Cardinal Gibbons, Chaminade, Hallandale, and Florida Military Academy.  The president was F. L. Dew, and the commissioner was R. L. Landers.

In 1963 the membership was 46, Plantation and Nova started football and Riverside Military Academy requested officials
for their games.  Riverside was a military academy from Georgia that came to Hollywood each winter and was located on
the last (west) circle on Hollywood Blvd.  Rickards junior high started football. 

For the next 10 years the BFOA continued to increase membership:

Additional schools were also built during this period and included, Cooper City, Boyd Anderson, Coconut Creek, Piper
and South Plantation.  In 1971 the game fees increased:
 

Women have also played a part in high school football officiating. The first female to join the BFOA was Pat Carter (Dinger) who was a member from 1975-1977.  Margaret Wendal joined in 1977 and worked for 5 years.  Annice Canady 1993-2001 - 9 years and Marion Ashley Carmichael 1995-2004 - 9 years have the distinction of the longest tenure of service in
the BFOA for women.  Close behind is Dorothy Hill who joined in 1997 and worked for 8 years.  Some others to be mentioned Include Marilyn Wall, ECO - 6 years, Sebrina Philpart, 1996 - 4 years and Gwendolyn Smith, 1996 - 4 years.
This is only a few of the women that can be found in the BFOA membership list.

During the past decade the membership grew so large that there were not enough games for all officials. In fact,
some of the veteran officials began to complain that the better officials were not being used as the association had
promised the coaches.  So, in 1978, the association split into 2 groups, the original BFOA and a new group, the
Varsity Football Officials of Broward (VFOB).  The VFOB would work the top tier 3A and 4A games and the BFOA
would work all other games including youth football.  Some officials belonged to 1 association and others belonged to both.
 

This did not work as there was much complaining and discontent, this lasted 2 years. The officials began to get dictatorial
about game fees, travel and assignments for games.  If the officials did not receive certain concessions they threatened
to strike.

So, in 1980, Clarence Noe, Broward County Athletic Director, decided to form his own group and take control of the officials in all sports played in the public schools. He took over the football officials for 3A and 4A county schools.  They would have an executive board run by Clarence Noe, and hire a commissioner of assignments, R. L. Landers. 

This new group would be called the Broward County Athletic Association (BCAA). This would mean that there would be 3 football officials associations in Broward County.  In October of 1980, R.L. Landers attempted to explain the current state of officiating in Broward County to Fred Rozelle the director of the FHSAA at the time.  The text of that document follows:

This system worked for 5 years, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1984, with the BCAA gradually gaining more control.
During this period the game fees increased:

In 2000 the association's name changed again for consistency with all the other Broward sports officiating associations
to the Broward County Athletic Officials Association - Football (BCAOAF).  Jim Mulchay is appointed BCAOAF Commissioner by the BCAA.

At the end of the 2004 season the association's name was changed back to it's original name the Broward Football Official's Association (BFOA).

The BFOA expanded to 17 (five man) varsity crews for the first time, in order to service the 29 public schools and
16 private schools that play football  in Broward County.  The current game fees are:

Note - This history has been compiled by Dr. R.L. Landers from each year's membership list as reported to the Florida High School Athletic Association, and the BFOA's association membership list.  It is not certified to be perfect, but it is the most factual record that can be reported.  Details on recent history have been added to R.L. Landers'  core information by Vince Mundo.  Any comments and additional information or photographs that can be contributed will be greatly appreciated.