ANACOCO – The newly christened Leesville Basketball Officials Association is hard at work preparing a new crop of referees for the upcoming season.

On Monday evening at Anacoco High School, a training clinic was held for new officials, with six area girls' basketball teams involved in the scrimmage as well.

Teams from Anacoco, Hornbeck, Oak Hill, Plainview, Ebarb and Lacassine each competed in two games at the scrimmage, which culminated with a matchup between the hosting Lady Indians and Hornbeck, which the Lady Hornets won.

According to LBOA RCO, Will Norris, this scrimmage, along with a boys' event last week at Evans, is being utilized to not only train the newer, younger officials in the association, but it also allows veteran officials the opportunity to critique and inform the new referees on what they can improve upon.

The LBOA is growing stronger by the day, according to Norris, and will serve high schools throughout Sabine and Vernon Parish, along with schools in Allen, Beauregard and Natchitoches parishes.

"We now have over 50 officials signed up to ref this season and we are looking forward to a great year," Norris said. "We encourage anyone who would like to be a part of our organization to get in contact with us as the season really gets underway this weekend with homecoming games and Hall of Fame events."

Along with LBOA president Dee Brown and local veteran officials such as David McConathy, Tommy Tilley, Paul Eaves and Greg Jefferson, Dr. John Fletcher, the vice-president of the Louisiana High School Officials Association Executive Committee, was in attendance to offer sage wisdom and advice to the upcoming crop of LBOA referees.

"I couldn't be more grateful for our local veteran officials coming out and helping our new guys," Norris said. "Also, to have someone with the experience and knowledge of Dr. Fletcher advising our young officials is truly amazing. I couldn't be more appreciative."

This article originally appeared on Leesville Daily Leader: LBOA host scrimmage at Anacoco