Technologies For Our Present Challenges
The following guest blog post is from Davis Whitfield, Chief Operating Officer of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).
We’re halfway through one of the most difficult years in the history of high school athletics, performing arts, and fine arts activities. Each state has taken their own approach to participating. Some remain unable to participate or uncertain of what the remainder of the 2021 academic year holds. One thing is certain; the business of conducting these activities creates a host of new challenges, including budget constraints and reduced staff. How will we navigate this new landscape and respond so that students can connect and engage?
One way the NFHS seeks to serve its membership during this time is through technology solutions. Limiting exposure, increasing health documentation and staying in frequent communication has never been more important. In several states during the academic year, we’ve been able to accomplish this with our new platform, the NFHS Center for Officials Services (COS), powered by DragonFly.
This technology provides a streamlined process for officials to participate and communicate with their crew members, state and local associations, and member schools. The COS also includes an extended platform — eligibility and scheduling tools provided by our technology partner DragonFly — that gives state associations and member schools a tool to manage all aspects of athletics and activities while mitigating our present challenges. While both the COS and DragonFly’s extended management platform work well as standalone solutions, they work even better in concert with one another to provide a one-stop shop for your entire state.
A group of associations stepped out as technology leaders this school year to utilize the COS: Delaware, Georgia, Maryland and North Carolina. Others utilized both the COS and its extended tools statewide: Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Montana and Wyoming. Several have reported increases in registration and financial efficiency, while streamlining their statewide processes during these uncertain times. As we steer our administrators, coaches, and officials toward technology, we make it easier for students to participate in athletics and activities — which enriches lives in countless ways.
The COS is free to your association as a member benefit of the NFHS. We hope this service will reduce your costs and workload, making things easier for you during these difficult times. We’ve also found that these technologies provide unique opportunities for revenue generation for your association, and we’re working with DragonFly to create innovative solutions to that end. I invite you to see what we can do for you.
When we envisioned this platform and started its construction in 2019, we had no idea what challenges awaited in 2020 and beyond. I’m grateful that we embarked on this journey and now stand prepared and ready for what’s to come in 2021. I hope you will consider joining the COS and DragonFly’s extended platform for the betterment of high school sports in your state. We are happy to meet with you for a consultation. Please contact me directly with any questions and visit https://www.dragonflymax.com/center-for-officials-services to learn more and schedule a free demonstration.