Zetcher, Small Take on New Roles in MIAA

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Greg Small will take over as the supervisor of officials for Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association women's basketball, while Ron Zetcher will continue to be the supervisor of officials for MIAA men's basketball before retiring at the end of the 2010-2011 season, the conference office announced Tuesday.

"We are very excited to launch this new era in MIAA women's basketball," MIAA Commissioner Jim Johnson said. "We are fortunate to have someone with Greg's qualifications available. He will be a great addition to the MIAA staff and will continue to enhance the program Ron has built over the last 22 years."

Zetcher, who previously was the supervisor of officials for both men's and women's basketball, hands the women's hoops reins over to Small after 22 years.

"When Jim and I started talking about me just handling men's this upcoming year, the only person that I personally would have recommended for the job would have been Greg Small," Zetcher said. "He's come through the MIAA system, which to me is very, very important. He understands the culture of the MIAA, he's very familiar with the coaches in the MIAA, and he obviously has a very good relationship with all the officials. I think those things are so important in being a supervisor of officials.

"Knowing the culture of the conference and being an MIAA guy, he wasn't one of these guys who was working in five, six, seven different lower level leagues before he had his success," Zetcher continued. "He learned everything in the MIAA and he applied it well, and obviously his officiating career speaks for itself. He worked three Final Four Division I tournaments, so his credibility factor with other officials certainly is very high. He's the best you could have gotten in my opinion."

Small has officiated women's basketball for 25 years, including 20 years with the MIAA. He spent 18 years at the Division I level, working with the Big 12 Conference, Missouri Valley Conference, Atlantic 10 Conference and Summit League. He worked the NCAA Division I postseason tournament for 15 years, including three Division I Final Fours (2001, 2002 and 2004).

"My long history with the MIAA dates back about 20 years," Small said. " I have a very strong connection to the MIAA as far as officiating in the past few years, but now my new position as supervisor of women's (basketball) officials is just kind of another step in my career. I'm really looking forward to bringing my background in women's basketball to our staff and to continue their progression as far as working with the student-athletes in what I think is the best Division II conference in the country."

In addition to being the new MIAA women's basketball supervisor of officials, Small is a middle school teacher and coach in the Warrensburg, Mo., school system and has spent 28 years in the education field. He has been married for 31 years to Ruthane Small, and the couple has three sons -- Brad (28), Ryan (24) and Casey (22).

"The beginning of the season will be 'business as usual' with the officiating program," Johnson added. "Once the season is underway, we will initiate a national search to identify Ron's successor for the men's program. It will be a comprehensive process involving the commissioner and athletics directors and other folks external to our organization."

Zetcher enters his 23rd year of responsibility for the selection, evaluation, training and assignment of MIAA men's basketball officials after spending 22 years as the supervisor for both men's and women's basketball officials. He began officiating basketball (along with football and baseball) in 1968, retiring in 2005. He worked the NCAA Division I Tournament each season from 1982-2005 and the NIT each season from 1980-2005. He also has called Big Eight, Metro and Missouri Valley Conference championship games.

Zetcher conducts basketball officiating clinics throughout the area to identify officials to work on the MIAA staff. A 1964 graduate of Washington (Mo.) University, Zetcher has five daughters — Stephanie, Jennifer, Kimberlie, Emilie, Jessica. He resides in O'Fallon, Mo.

"I was the first, and really up until this point the only basketball supervisor that the MIAA has ever had," Zetcher said. "When I was first hired, I was hired by Ken Jones, who was the commissioner of the conference. Ken Jones also was responsible for the assignment of all basketball, football and every other sport's officials. There came a time when he realized that the conference had gotten too big and it was an overwhelming job. It was close to 25 years ago that he approached me, while I was still officiating, and asked me if I would be interested in becoming the supervisor of the men and women. I thought about it, we had a conversation about a number of things and we agreed on how we would handle the job and what my responsibilities would be, and we progressed.

"He retired and Ralph McFillen became the commissioner, and things really didn't change much at all, and then Jim followed Ralph so I've worked for three different commissioners and each one of them have treated me about as well as you could ask to be treated in this capacity. They have basically left me alone as far as allowing me to take care of the officiating end of it, the hiring, evaluating, and unfortunately sometimes firing of officials was always left to my judgment."

With just one season remaining as the men's basketball supervisor of officials, Zetcher hopes that the foundation that he has built leaves a lasting mark.

"I just hope that in the future, whoever ends up with this job has the same feel for the MIAA," Zetcher explained. "I keep going back to that, and I just think it's so important that people who have a feel for the conference and people who have a vested interest in the MIAA are the people who should be out there representing you every day. I have, maybe it's kind of a paternal thing about the conference, but I don't want to see all the things that we've worked so hard for in the last 25 years all of a sudden change with new culture. I've had a wonderful experience with very, very few exceptions. Everybody has been first class, from coaches to presidents to athletic directors. They've all been just phenomenal, and I've enjoyed it. It's been a good run. Close to 25 years is a long run."

"Ron will continue to provide mentorship and assistance over the next few seasons, when needed, to ensure a seamless transition," Johnson said. "I know all constituents in the league are appreciative beyond words for his almost 25 years of service. A career that will undoubtedly place him in the MIAA Hall of Fame down the road."