Waterville Area Alfond Youth and Community Center is hosting clinics to combat official shortages

WATERVILLE, Maine (WABI) - Folks at the Alfond Youth and Community Center in Waterville say there’s a shortage of officials across the board in all sports as well as lifeguards and swim instructors.

Beth LaFountain, Athletic Director At the Center, says they’re hosting clinics to combat the shortages.

She says the lack of officials is causing them to cancel games.

LaFountain says it also dampens the quality of the experience they would like to provide to young athletes.

“We’re focusing right now on the Spring and just staffing the youth softball and youth baseball games. We struggled to get through the Winter with basketball. Right now, what we’re trying to do is take the experienced officials who are certified and pair them with a new official who is just learning to kind of double the amount of officials and also provide a great opportunity for high school kids to get a very lucrative weekend job at many of these tournaments and youth games,” LaFountain said.

For more information about the clinics for officials, visit clubaycc.org.

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