The Northeast Conference (NEC) has announced a partnership with Officially Human, an organization committed to elevating respect for game officials and improving the environment at sporting events.
Founded in 2019 by Brenda Hilton, Officially Human is dedicated to reversing the alarming trend of verbal abuse and poor behavior by fans, coaches, and administrators that has led to a decline in sports officials at the youth, high school and collegiate levels. The organization seeks to restore respect for the profession through enhanced education and communication with all stakeholders, with the goal of improving the retention and recruitment of officials across all levels.
“The NEC is proud to partner with Officially Human to foster a culture of respect and sportsmanship at conference events,” said Morris. “Officials play such a critical role, and it’s essential that we create an environment where they feel valued, appreciated and supported. This collaboration will raise awareness, encourage positive behavior and establish a new standard for sportsmanship, with our programming reinforcing these values throughout the season.”
As part of the partnership, the NEC and its member institutions will air a series of Officially Human PSAs emphasizing the importance of treating officials with respect. These messages will be featured across multiple platforms, including NEC Front Row webcasts, televised games and school videoboards. Additionally, public address announcements will be made during events to reinforce the message.
“I look forward to this collaboration with Commissioner Norris and the NEC member institutions as we all work to elevate sportsmanship and raise awareness on the importance of “humanizing” sports officials,” said Hilton.
About Officially Human
Based in Lombard, Ill., Officially Human was founded to restore respect to, and positive treatment of, sport officials through increased education and communication to all stakeholders (administrators, coaches, athletes, and fans.) Founded in 2019, Officially Human is the leader in addressing the growing crisis in officiating that touches every sport, official, and level of competition. Officially Human offers tailored solutions to athletic host organizations of all sizes that improve the stakeholder experience at each of their sporting competitions. The comprehensive solutions package includes digital education, awareness building, event host communication strategies, and organizational support in addressing poor fan behavior. To learn more about Officially Human, visit OfficiallyHuman.com.
About The Northeast Conference
Now in its 44th season, the Northeast Conference is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of nine institutions of higher learning located throughout six states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to a number of the largest markets in the United States including New York (#1), Chicago (#3), Boston (#8). Hartford/New Haven (#32) and Syracuse (#87). Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 25 championship sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic access to 16 different NCAA
Championships. NEC full member institutions include Central Connecticut, Chicago State, FDU, Le Moyne, LIU, Mercyhurst, Saint Francis U, Stonehill and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit the league’s official website official website (www.northeastconference.org) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, all @NECsports.
