NIRSA and RQ+, the NCAA’s officiating services provider, have agreed to a two-year agreement, effective for the 2024-25 calendar, making RQ+ NIRSA’s Exclusive Officiating Platform Provider for NIRSA’s Championship Series.
“Joining forces with RQ+ marks an exciting new chapter for us,” says Nicole Jackson, NIRSA Director of National Sport Programs. “This partnership provides unparalleled access and benefits that will offer a full suite of functionality to our championship officials in several of our sports. Our organization has been searching for an all-encompassing platform, and we are elated to have found it in RQ+,” adds Nicole.
RQ+ will provide support for the officiating infrastructure of the NIRSA Championship Series. It also includes custom accounts for Championship Series soccer, flag football, and basketball, facilitating efficient document dissemination, access to manuals and publications, testing capabilities, data tracking, and tailored reporting. Most notably, the agreement provides for NIRSA’s use of RQ Assign and RQ Pay functionality, creating consistency and ensuring timely payments to NIRSA Championship Series officials. Other benefits include custom form creation and RQ Collaboration functionality for teaching, training, and engagement.
By aligning with RQ+, NIRSA Championship Series strengthens NIRSA Championship Series experiences for administrators, officials, and other stakeholders.
“Through this collaboration, we aim to empower officials and create a positive impact on recreational sports across the nation,” NIRSA Director of Corporate Relations Emily Hughes says. “This collaboration not only benefits our officials, but also provides the structure to benefit all stakeholders. We look forward to the positive impact this partnership will have on our organization and our participants.”
The partnership further professionalizes many of processes surrounding NIRSA Championship Series officiating.
“This agreement recognizes the important role NIRSA plays in the future of officiating,” Bo Boroski, RQ+ Founder and CEO, acknowledges. “This partnership ensures NIRSA Championship Series the structure and professionalism they deserve. I am excited to see the leadership of NIRSA care so deeply about their officials. Our common goal was to ensure these officials were afforded the education and timely payments they deserve, which has been achieved with this agreement.”
Nicole agrees, saying the “NIRSA Championship Series leadership believes this agreement with RQ+ will set a new standard for collaborative efforts. The team at RQ+ have shown their commitment to recruitment and retention, all while having a positive impact on officiating.”
Bo credits NIRSA Championship Series leadership for being proactive by initiating change for the benefit of their officials: “It’s easy to identify issues in the officiating space, but very difficult to enact sustainable change,” Bo says. “NIRSA deserves significant credit for having a call-to-action mindset.”
This agreement marks a significant step for both organizations and is set to streamline the experience for NIRSA Championship Series officials across the country for years to come.
