The Iowa Games is joining with the Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union to offer a basketball officials clinic in Ames.

Thom McDonald is the director of basketball for the Iowa Games and says the clinic would satisfy the attendance requirement for any first year official or a tournament eligible official wanting to satisfy the three person clinic requirement.

He says the games are college age or adult men, so the pace and competitiveness of the game is good and they officials in training have people watching them and giving them positive reinforcement.

McDonald says it is always important to develop the next generation of officials and they need experience at the lower levels. He says officials need to have a good background in officiating before they advance, otherwise it can lead to some bad experiences.

McDonald says officials will take part in a clinic and officiate some games. He says they go through the rules and learn the rules and points of emphasis and then can go onto the court and put those into play, which he says is a pretty good experience.

The clinic will be July 19th and is free of charge. For more information you can go to the Iowa Games website.