Episode 16: Protecting the Heart of High School Sports featuring Dana Pappas

Dana Pappas joins Dave Brown to share her journey in education-based athletics, the passion behind supporting officials, and what it really takes to recruit, develop, and retain great people in stripes. This conversation goes deep on culture, leadership, and how we can elevate the standard of officiating while protecting the student‑athlete experience. If you work in sports, officiate, or just care about what happens behind the scenes on gameday, this episode is for you. Listen in and then share it with your crew, assigners, and anyone who loves the game and respects the grind. The conversation with Dana, the Director of Officiating Services for the National Federation of State High School Associations, covers her journey in officiating, the challenges faced by officials, and the collaborative efforts to improve training and support for officials. Dana's passion for officiating and her commitment to advocating for officials is evident throughout the discussion. The conversation also delves into the decision-making process for setting rules and the importance of fair pay for officials. The conversation delves into the human side of officiating, emphasizing the importance of the officiating family and the role of mentorship. It also explores the mental wellness initiatives for officials, the challenges of officiating and family sacrifice, supporting officials in the workplace, and the need for a cultural change in how officials are treated. TakeawaysOfficiating as a PassionChallenges in OfficiatingCollaboration and Training Importance of officiating familyMentorship in officiating Chapters00:00 Fair Pay for Officials32:12 Mental Wellness for Officials41:27 Supporting Officials in the Workplace