The Green Bay Packers and the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) have announced the selection of Josh Gould, Shannon Rysewyk, Gerald Lang, Jeason Thomas and Ben Leibl as the September high school football officiating "Crew of the Month."
The recognition is part of a joint initiative between the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and the NFL to honor outstanding high school football officials across the country. The selected crew members were chosen for their demonstration of objectivity, fairness in rules implementation and commitment as officials.
- Josh Gould (Referee): A dedicated ambassador of the game, Gould serves as the crew referee (white hat) and football chair of the Arrowhead Officials Association. Known as a tremendous mentor and leader in officiating, Gould organizes an annual football clinic in conjunction with Amery High School's team. This year's clinic brought in more than 40 officials for in-depth rules and positions review, as well as on-field positional drills for all five officiating roles. Gould resides in Amery.
- Shannon Rysewyk (Umpire): Rysewyk maintains a constant presence at the Green Bay Officials Association, rarely missing a meeting or the opportunity to work non-varsity and youth games to mentor newer officials. Though quiet by nature, he possesses a deep knowledge of the game and continues to build his skills through attending meetings, watching film and mentoring others. Rysewyk is a resident of Marinette.
- Gerald Lang (Back Judge): Lang brings a deep, long-standing passion for football to his role as back judge. He is highly active in his local officials association and its football clinics. He is especially committed to giving back to the game by participating in training and recruitment programs specifically for the back judge position. Lane lives in Verona.
- Jeason Thomas (Head Linesman): Known warmly as "JT", Thomas is celebrated for always having a positive attitude and often works to grow the game through mentoring new officials, coaches and players. This season, he stepped into the role as crew chief, always making it a priority to consistently mentor his new crew members and help them improve each week. Intent on building camaraderie with his team, Thomas sees the importance of traveling to games together as a crew to build trust on and off the field. Thomas resides in Kaukauna.
- Ben Leibl (Line Judge): Leibl serves as the commissioner of the Mississippi Valley Conference in La Crosse where he is constantly recruiting and helping develop the next generation of football officials. Through his extensive mentoring experience, Leibl has become a vital resource for officials around the state, raising the standard of rules, knowledge and officiating for everyone around him. Leibl is a resident of La Crosse.
About the High School Officiating Crew of the Month Program:
As part of a NFHS and NFL initiative, the Packers and WIAA will recognize a "Crew of the Month" in September, October and November. Each month, WIAA personnel will review nominations for five positions: referee, umpire, head linesperson, line judge and back judge. Individuals will be named as part of the Crew of the Month based on demonstration of objectivity, fairness in rules implementation and commitment as officials. At the conclusion of the season, five outstanding officials previously named to a Crew of the Month will be selected as members of a Wisconsin "Crew of the Year." All participating in NFL clubs' Crew of the Year honorees will then be sent to the NFHS and NFL to determine a national Crew of the Year. Each month's honorees are highlighted on Packers, WIAA, and NFL Play Football digital and social media platforms.
