Texas high school football referee shortage becoming critical [Video]

AUSTIN, Texas — Austin has seen a growth in population over the past five years, which is the opposite trend for football officials in Texas.

Just over the past year, Travis, Williamson and Hays counties added more than 40,000 new homes combined. While football officials have taken a dip from a year ago.

“This last year we saw a decline of about 100 officials,” said training coordinator Jason Dush. “Each year we lose officials to just retirement. We lose officials [that] move away. Some of them move away and get into other chapters in the state or have to leave state for work.”

There are a multitude of reasons for the lack of retention, but one chapter is hoping their new training method can help fix that.

Now new officials can do more …