Joel Pogar and Kirk Russell are championship officials from the Colorado Football Officials Association. In this PodCast, Joel and Kirk explore all the aspects of becoming a high school football official. From finding your local association to fitness requirements and rules knowledge needed on the field. Learn how to become the best official you can be and advance to college or the NFL. It all starts here on the high school football field.
Joel Pogar and Kirk Russell are championship officials from the Colorado Football Officials Association. In this PodCast, Joel and Kirk explore all the aspects of becoming a high school football official. From finding your local association to fitness requirements and rules knowledge needed on the field. Learn how to become the best official you can be and advance to college or the NFL. It all starts here on the high school football field.

In this episode of Your First Downs, hosts Joel Poger and Kirk Russell discuss the lessons they learned from the 2023 Colorado Football Officials association camp. They cover topics such as movement on the field, proper mechanics for wings and goal line officials, reading the play as an official, and the importance of rotating with the players. They also delve into the concept of money lines in football, which are crucial points on the field that teams need to achieve in order to be successful. Additionally, Joel and Kirk touch on preventative officiating, where officials address potential fouls before they occur, and how to handle coach interactions with professionalism and effectiveness. Tune in to gain valuable insights into becoming a better football official and handling the challenges of the game.