BYRON BOSTON NAMED SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE COORDINATOR OF FOOTBALL OFFICIALS
Feb. 15, 2007
FRISCO, Texas -
The Southland Conference has named veteran official Byron Boston as coordinator of football officials, league commissioner Tom Burnett announced Thursday. The Division I Football Championship Subdivision league also announced a new football officiating partnership formed with the Big 12 Conference, one that will combine all functions related to the assignment, training and evaluation of football officials.
"We are very pleased to announce the addition of Byron Boston, a very accomplished football official at every level," Burnett said. "At the same time, the Southland is entering into a very important officiating alliance with the Big 12 that should provide an immediate and positive impact for all involved."
The collaborative agreement will allow the extensive training and evaluation system currently utilized by the Big 12 to also be applied in the Southland. "By joining together in a more formalized and cooperative structure, we believe the new program can provide a model for excellence in professional training and better development in football officiating," Burnett added.
Boston, now in his 31st year in football officiating, begins his first year as Southland coordinator and will maintain his role as a supervisor within the Big 12's officiating program. Boston will work with Big 12 coordinator of officials Walt Anderson to create a uniform program for both leagues, and the duo bring over 60 years of officiating experience to the consortium.
Boston will also enter his 13th season as a game official in the National Football League in 2007. During his NFL career, he has officiated 11 playoff games, including Super Bowl XXXIV between St. Louis and Tennessee, and five Conference Championship games.
Boston began his Division I collegiate officiating career in the Southland Conference in 1987, and joined the Southwest Conference officiating staff in 1990. Prior to that, Boston was a high school official in the Dallas and Houston areas. He has also been an instructor in various collegiate and high school officiating clinics, including those conducted by the Southland Conference.
"I am extremely excited and honored to be chosen as Coordinator of Officials for the Southland Conference," Boston said. "I began my collegiate officiating career in the Southland, and I look forward to working with all the athletic directors, coaches, administrators, and officials in the conference."
"Byron knows and understands our league from his past experience, is familiar with our universities, and is interested in the overall improvement and professionalism of officials," Burnett said.
"Having worked last year for the Big 12, I am equally as excited about the partnership between the Big 12 and the Southland," Boston added. "This partnership will be beneficial for both conferences and will result in an improved quality of officiating. Being a current on-field official in the National Football League gives me the ability to communicate with coaches and officials with a unique understanding of both perspectives."
A native of Gladewater, Texas, where he was a three-sport letterman at Gladewater High, Boston later graduated from Austin College, where he majored in Economics and was a four-year football letterman and team captain. He was inducted into the Austin College Hall of Honor in 1997.
Boston and his wife of 36 years, Carolyn, reside in Humble, Texas, just north of Houston, and have three children: daughter Alicia, a Houston-based corporate attorney; oldest son Byron Jr., a narcotics detective for the Dallas Police Department; and youngest son David, a wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
After working in various management positions in the trucking industry for 23 years, Boston retired in 1995.
As the new Southland coordinator, Boston replaces Dr. Jim Harvey, who served in the role the last eight seasons.