WMSOA History

The History of the Western Maryland Soccer Official's Association
Western Maryland Soccer Officials Association (formerly the Western Maryland Youth Soccer Officials Association) is 18 years old as of Feb 6, 2010.

In the late 80's and 1990-1991 the Frederick County Youth Soccer League was moving towards affiliation with MSYSA. The league had been using NFHS rules and referees from the Blue Ridge Soccer Officials Association for its games.

Kap Kaplowitz had been President and then Vice-President of FCYSL and had worked with Jerry May of MSYSA to get FCYSL into the fold. FCYSL had sponsored some USSF referee training classes taught by such leaders as Don Dennison and Ulrich Strom in Frederick and Hagerstown to get some of the NFHS guys USSF certified.

In the winter of 1991 Blue Ridge's assignors told Kap that they did NOT want to assign officials to the spring 1992 games of FCYSL. Kap Kaplowitz knew that leagues were not supposed to assign officials directly (independent contractor status would be affected) so he determined to start a USSF based referee organization to assign FCYSL games.

He phoned every referee who had been to a USSF class in Frederick and Washington counties and invited them to an organization meeting for the Western Maryland Youth Soccer Officials Association. It was made clear that the organization was NOT competition for Blue Ridge but was simply for youth USSF/MSYSA affiliated league assigning (thus the name choice).

The organization meeting was held at Ballenger Creek Middle School cafeteria the evening of February 6, 1992 with approximately 18 referees in attendance. The initial by-laws (based on the Metropolitan Washington Soccer Officials Association bylaws) were offered by Kap Kaplowitz and accepted. Jim Deegan was elected our first president and Kap was charged to write the constitution.

On March 30, 1992, in the cafeteria of Frederick High School. the constitution was modified and adopted and the first officers of WMYSRA elected. The name of the organization was changed to WMSOA on March 24, 1994.

In the mid 90's most of Blue Ridge members were holding joint memberships in BRSOA and WMSOA. The majority of BRSOA was new members from WMSOA. At the winter meeting at Cozy Restaurant in Thurmont, MD on December 19, 1996 BRSOA members voted to create one organization under the Western Maryland Soccer Officials Association umbrella. The Board Of Directors of the organization would include, in addition to the President, VP, Secretary and Treasurer; a representative to handle NFHS, to handle USSF, and to handle NISOA as well as a youth representative with full voting rights who would be selected by the under 18 members.

WMSOA has over 200 members and provides service to FCYSL, NCSL, WAGS, BBSL, Frederick County Public Schools and a variety of private schools. We also provide certified officials for Frederick and Hagerstown Community Colleges, Hood College, Penn State Mt. Alto and Frostburg University. WMSOA is proud of its record of 16 years of service to soccer in Frederick county! (authoured in 2006)