2026 SFVFOA Instructional Calendar

Total Hours Available: 27 Hours

Mandatory Components

  • Minimum 4 in-person SFVFOA meetings (2 hrs each)
  • Classification Exam (2 hrs)
  • Study Guide Exam (2 hrs)
  • 4 mandatory in-season quizzes
    • 0.5 hr each (2 hrs total)
  • TOTAL: 12 hours

Role-based (if applicable):

  • Referee Exam (0.5 hr)
  • Crew of 7 Exam / Classification (0.5 hr)

SPRING (OPTIONAL ZOOM INSTRUCTION)
1 hour credit each

  • Tue, Jan 27 – CFOA Zoom
  • Tue, Feb 24 – CFOA Zoom
  • Tue, Apr 28 – CFOA Zoom
  • Tue, May 26 – CFOA Zoom
  • Tue, Jun 30 – CFOA Zoom

SPRING (SFVFOA ZOOM – CREW OF 7 MECHANICS)
1 hour credit each

  • Tue, May 12 – Crew of 7 Mechanics
  • Tue, May 19 – Crew of 7 Mechanics

SUMMER / FALL (SFVFOA IN-PERSON MEETINGS) – meetings are planned to be at Alemany HS
2 hours credit each

  • Tue, Jul 7 – Kickoff Meeting
  • Tue, Aug 4 – In-Person Meeting
  • Tue, Aug 18 – In-Person Meeting
  • Tue, Sep 8 – In-Person Meeting
  • Tue, Sep 22 – In-Person Meeting
  • Tue, Oct 6 – In-Person Meeting

(Provides a roughly every-two-week cadence from August through October)

IN-SEASON ASSESSMENTS

  • 4 Mandatory In-Season Quizzes
    • (0.5 hour credit each)
  • Optional Film Breakdown
    • (1 hour credit, once per season)

EXAMS

  • Classification Exam – 2 hours
  • Study Guide Exam – 2 hours
  • Referee Exam – 0.5 hour (if applicable)
  • Crew of 7 Exam – 0.5 hour (if applicable)

2026 SFVFOA Welcome Letter

Greetings SFVFOA Officials,

Welcome to the 2026 High School Football season. Congratulations to all on a great 2025 season. Receiving 14 first round playoff games is a tremendous achievement and acknowledgment by the CIF office for SFVFOA. Thank you for all your efforts throughout the 2025 season.

Your Board of Directors has been hard at work preparing and formalizing a plan to continue our success for the upcoming season. 

Registration, Dues, Etc:

  • Registration Form: Click Here
  • 2026 dues are $168.00 for returning members.  New Members dues are $95.00. Associate members dues are $50.00
  • The insurance and background check will cost an additional $29.00 
  • Beginning June 1, 2026, CIF has implemented a mandatory background check for all sports officials. The background check and insurance are both completed via Arbiter. You will find the registration page by clicking the ‘Eligibility’ tab then ‘Registration’ tab on Arbiter. The background check and insurance will be valid for one calendar year and all sports (unless otherwise specified). 
  • Additionally, CIF is also requiring all members to pass an eligibility/certification test which will be administered via CIF Central Hub on Arbiter – that will be available after completion of the insurance and background registration
  • CIF/CFOA Shirts now mandatory – SFVFOA will be placing a bulk shirt order directly with Smitty – the registration form has more info on pricing and please note you must pay by June 14, 2026 to be part of this order
  • Game fees: Tackle Varsity $152.00 & Tackle Lower Levels $102.00 / Flag Varsity $76.00 & Flag Lower Levels $60.00

2026 Instructional Calendar & Meetings:

  • 2026 instructional calendar can be found here and will be added to the website: Click Here
  • There will be six (6) in-person SFVFOA meetings with each member required to attend at least four (4) of those SFVFOA in-person meetings for playoff assignment eligibility.
  • Each member will have their own personal attendance tracker set up courtesy of IC Jon Stein – if you have not received this via email, feel free to contact Jon. 

Association Requirements:

  • To receive game assignments (including playoff assignments) all members must be registered with all dues and past assigner fees paid. 2026 regular season assigner fees must be paid by the end of the regular season for playoff assignment consideration.   
  • All associate members must pass the CFOA summer study guide to be considered for game assignments
  • CFOA requires 18 hours of instruction/education for certification – meeting this instruction hour requirement is mandatory for playoff assignments.
  • Your instructional requirements can be met through off-season Zoom meetings, in-season/in-person meetings, the summer study guide, quizzes and tests – all of which is outlined in the calendar (with some coming up in the month of May)

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact any SFVFOA Board member.

Best of luck in the upcoming season.

—The 2026 SFVFOA Board of Directors (President: Russell Nygaard, VP: Larry Hernandez, Past Pres.: Jessier Tibana, Sec/Treas: Andy Parker, Members at Large: Joseph Baldino, Mark Millsom, Paul Rodarte)

How SFVFOA’s Karina Tovar, the NFL’s first Latina ref, became a trailblazer [ESPN]

LOS ANGELES — Karina Tovar, the NFL’s first Latina referee, nervously recalls the moment even while she tells the story years later. She is sitting in her parents’ den on an exceptionally hot Mother’s Day in Southern California, and her usually sharp and unwavering voice changes slightly in tone. It’s almost as if she realizes this was the pivotal instant, the day that put her firmly on the road to making history.

At a refereeing camp during her days as a high school official, Tovar was in the middle of calling a simulated game while under the watchful eye of Gerry Austin , best known for his 26 years as an NFL referee and officiating three Super Bowls. At that time, Austin was Conference USA’s head of officiating and one of the camp’s instructors.

Read the full article on ESPN.com here: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/46246111/karina-tovar-nfl-first-latina-referee-became-trailblazer

The Season Is Underway—But There’s Still Time to Start

Friday-night lights are back and whistles are blowing across the San Fernando Valley. Our officials are already on the field making sure every kickoff, touchdown, and overtime thriller runs smoothly.

But if you’ve ever thought about becoming a football official, it’s not too late to get in the game this season. We’re still welcoming new members who want to learn, get some reps, and experience the excitement from the best seat in the house—right on the field.

Whether you’re a lifelong football fan, a former player, or simply looking for a fun way to stay active and give back to your community, we provide the training and mentorship you need to start right away.

Ready to suit up?
Contact Russell Nygaard today via Email at SFVrecruitment@gmail.com today to find out how you can join the San Fernando Valley Football Officials Association and start your officiating journey before the season passes you by.

S.O.S. Important Dates

The Summer Officiating Series (S.O.S.) is designed to support the development of newer officials and those looking to elevate their skills. Below is the current training schedule:

Wednesday, July 23
Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Location: Alemany High School (near the football field)
Attire: Athletic attire required
Note: Please bring materials for taking notes

Thursday, July 24
Time: 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Location: Alemany High School (on the football field)
Attire: Athletic attire or referee gear required
Note: Bring a whistle, flag, and other gear if available. Bring water or sports drinks to stay hydrated

Friday, July 25
Time: 3:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Location: Verdugo High School (football field)
Attire: Athletic attire or referee gear required
Note: Food and drinks will be provided

Week of July 28 – August 2
This is a designated dead period. Training will resume on Monday, August 3. Remaining dates will be announced soon.

Upcoming Scrimmage
A college-level scrimmage will be held at the University of Cal Lutheran on Saturday, August 9. This is a valuable opportunity for hands-on officiating experience.

S.O.S. was created to help young officials grow and to provide ongoing development for those striving to reach the next level. We’re excited about the future of this program.

For questions regarding S.O.S. training dates or times, please contact:
Danny Vargas: 818-669-1800
Louie Vargas: 818-669-8511

Kick-Off Meeting: July 8th, 6pm

Unit Members,

Reminder that tomorrow, Tuesday, July 8 is our Summer Kick Off Meeting to be held at Alemany High School. Meeting will run from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. and will start promptly so please plan to be on time.

Alemany has informed us that due to some last minute construction needs on the Main Hall, we have been moved to the Gymnasium. I apologize for the inconvenience but that is the only option they have to accommodate us. If you need to bring an alternative seating arrangement please do so, as seating will be in the bleachers.

Additionally, if you have not already registered and paid dues for the 2025 season, please do so now by clicking here. Andy Parker will also be available on site to take registrations and payments.

Failure to register and pay by July 8 will result in a $20 late fee – furthermore, you will not be eligible to receive a rule book, nor game assignments until you are officially registered for the Unit.

First year officials or anyone who has difficulties precluding on-time payment, please reach out privately to Andy Parker (Andyparker2123@gmail.com) and he will be happy to work with you on a case-by-case basis.

Unit Member One-on-One’s

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.

New Official 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. 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.

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.

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.