A message from our Instructional Chair Jon Stein —

Happy New Year! I am excited and honored for the opportunity to serve as your Instructional Chair for the San Fernando Valley Football Officials Association. Together, we will build upon the strong foundation that defines our unit. 

Please take a moment to read through the below email, as there is a lot of information regarding the upcoming year and what to expect.

Join or Continue on the Instructional Staff

If you are interested in joining the instructional staff for the 2025 season—or continuing your service — I would love to hear from you! The instructional staff plays a vital role in shaping the success of our unit.

Express Your Interest in Joining or Continuing on the Instructional Staff

Key Details:

Only individuals who complete the form will be considered, barring unforeseen circumstances.

Submitting the form does not guarantee placement; selections will be based on the needs of the instructional program.

Instructional staff meetings will likely occur every other month during the offseason and monthly during the season. Staff will also meet 30 minutes prior to in-person meetings to ensure materials are organized and ready. Please do not complete the form if you do not feel you can commit to this.

General Instructional Updates

We’re hard at work planning a productive and exciting year of education and development. Plan is to have the calendar approved by the Board during its January meeting and a tentative schedule posted to the website in February. Here’s an outline of what to expect:

Spring Zoom Meetings: Focus on skill building by position; Expect to have guest instructors join us to share a wealth of valuable knowledge. Greg Truex’s CFOA zoom meetings every last Tuesday of the month (always @ 7pm PT) are happening as well – use this link for all of them: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84340914984?pwd=tkXa7kre0rGaiDxYlZ71W0zG3H5d5y.1 (Feb. 25th)

Summer Passing League Opportunities: Last year, we worked the Saugus and Verdugo Hills passing league tournaments. Discussions are in the works to do this again and expand upon the on-field training provided. 

July Kick-Off Meeting: Expect our annual kick-off meeting to once again fall in July. We will cover new rules, philosophies, expectations for the upcoming season, and more. More information regarding registration will be sent out soon from our Secretary Treasure Andy Parker.

August Clinic: Plans are being developed for the clinic to be held in early August.

In-Season Instruction (August–October): In-person instruction is expected to again occur on Tuesdays from August to October. Location and dates are being worked on and will be finalized soon.

Tests and Quizzes: For the 2025 season, we are working on developing tests and quizzes, including the CFOA Summer Study Guide and CFOA Classification Exam. Additional details will be shared as these materials become available, and you will receive ample notice of deadlines and requirements.

Unit Recruitment

We encourage all members to continue promoting football officiating to those who may be a good fit for our unit. Many of you also officiate other sports — please invite your partners or colleagues who may be interested to join us at one of our spring or summer meetings or events. Russell Nygaard, the chair of our recruitment committee, is available to assist. If someone expresses interest, send their name and contact information to Russell or ask them to fill out this interest form, and he will ensure they receive all the necessary details to get started.

One-on-One Conversations with Unit Members

During my election speech, I shared my commitment to connecting with every member of the unit to better understand your goals and how we can work together to achieve them over the next three years. To make this happen, I’ll be offering an open calendar where you can schedule a one-on-one meeting with me. Expect to receive this in February for late February/Early March dates.

This is your opportunity to share your thoughts, ideas, and aspirations for the unit and your officiating journey. I encourage everyone to take advantage of this time so we can build a stronger and more cohesive team.

Your participation, whether as part of the instructional staff or as an active learner, is vital to the success of our unit. If you have any questions or need clarification, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for your continued dedication, and let’s make 2025 a great year together! Please reach out to me via email at sfvbic@gmail,com or call/text at 818-679-4912.

Best regards,
Jon Stein
Instructional Chair
San Fernando Valley Football Officials Association

Contact Us

For any official football unit information, please contact Secretary/Treasurer Andy Parker – sfvfbtreasurer@gmail.com / 818-416-0596

For site information, please contact Russell Nygaard at russellnygaard@gmail.com