Back in 2001, the National Association of Sports Officials published a 42-page manifesto titled 'How to Get and Keep Officials.' It reported that 90 percent of states and sanctioning organizations faced a shortage of officials in nearly every sport.
Now, 16 years later, the situation hasn't improved. In fact, the shortage is now worse in both Illinois and Iowa.
Reporter Don Doxsie takes a look at the problem for this week's Big Story in the Quad-City Times.