Welcome to Windsor District Football Officials Association Sports Club!

  18--  Ron Klappowich

His calm demeanour and thorough knowledge of the rules and how they should be applied made Ron Klapowich one of the most respected local football officials to ever wear a black and white striped jersey,

Klapowich was a veteran Windsor official of 38 years of service.

For years he was a fixture at virtually any significant game held in Windsor until his retirement.

“He was pretty well unflappable and tremendously reliable” said Jack Schroeder, who worked side-by-side with Klapowich as an official locally and provincially.

Klapowich started his officiating career in 1973, moving from minor to secondary school to Ontario Junior games. His skill and ability to effectively manage a game led to his selection to the OUAA / OUA panel in 1982.

He served as either referee or umpire in the OUA for 15 years until he retired from the panel in 2002.

“He did a couple of Yates Cups and he was pretty much a standard fixture in playoff situations”, Shroeder said.

His knack for engaging coaches and players was integral to his success.

Klapowich was a teacher, vice-principal and principal for the Greater Essex County District School Board.

“He was an educator”, Schroeder said. “He was always educating the kids about the games.”

He officiated a Canadian Junior championship in British Columbia and worked with Schroeder at the Canadian Junior playoffs hosted by Windsor.

Klapowich was a two-term president with the Windsor District Football Officials Association and served many years as its assigning secretary and treasurer. He was twice honoured by the Windsor District Football Officials Association as its “Official of the Year”. Klapowich in 2011 was the Windsor District Football Officials Association’s nominee to the  Ontario 

Football officials Association for the Ken Green Award. The Ken Green Award is given annually for outstanding performance on the field at any provincial level.

22 -- Jack Schroeder

Jack was a lifetime member of the Windsor District Football Association (WDFOA) and the Windsor &

District Referees Association (WDRA).

His community reach stretched well beyond the lines of a football field or basketball court. Jack enjoyed a full rewarding career as a high school teacher in the public school board.

Schroeder was a highly-decorated football official who was inducted into both the Windsor/Essex Sports Hall of Fame and the University of Windsor Hall of Fame.

Jack Schroeder after being named a Windsor Essex County Sports Hall of Fame inductee on May 29, 2013, a fellow football coach Godfrey Janisse who taught with Jack at Massey and often saw Schroeder in action on the gridiron. remarked “He was very, very professional,” Janisse said. “His professionalism when he took the field was second to none. He set a standard in how he handled a game and he was one of the top  officials in

Canada.”

For years, Schroeder was the guy they handed the whistle to when a national title was at stake. He worked 17 Canadian Junior Football Conference finals and 10 Yates Cups. He was the CIAU official of

the year in 1994 and one of the first to win the Sydney Halter Award, emblematic of the best Canadian Official. “He was such a tremendous ambassador for our city when opportunities arose for national championships,” said Bob Hayes, president of the Windsor & District Football Officials Association.

“He was held in high regard everywhere he went.”

An outstanding athlete in his own right, Schroeder won provincial championships in eight different sports along with several Canadian titles in various individual events. 

48 - Robert "Bob" Hayes

 Robert “Bob” Hayes

Through his professionalism, thorough knowledge of the rules and how they should be applied made Bob Hayes one of the most respected local football officials to don the black and white striped uniform.

Bob has been a valued  on field official in Windsor for over 30 years of service.

For years  he was a stalwart at virtually any significant game held in Windsor until his retirement from on field duties.

Hayes started his football career like most by playing AKO minor football from 1958 to 1961. Bob then moved on to High School football for the Forster Spartans Junior (1963) and Senior (1965 to 1966) teams.. Bob moved on to play for the Windsor AKO Fratmen during the 1967 season. At the same time he was playing for the Fratmen Bob had bigger plans in football and began his officiating career with the Windsor Football Officials Association. However just as his officiating career was starting to take off it had to be put on pause. Bob was being recruited to take his talents as a player south of the border to the NCAA to none other than the ACC’s Duke Blue Devils (1968 to 1970). After returning to the Windsor area Bob still wanted to be involved in football so he made the commitment to the transition from elite player to officiating. Like all new officials Bob had to earn his stripes and started in minor football. As Bob’s skills improved he was able to move up level by level of football, honing his skills at each level from minor, to Junior high school, Senior high school and then to Ontario Junior Football. His skill and reputation as being an excellent official led to his selection to the OUAA / OUA panel in 1987.

He served A umpire in the OUA for 15 years until he retired from the panel in 2002. Bob was so respected as an official at this level that he was asked to serve as Supervisor / Evaluator in 2004 and still holds that position currently.

Highlights of Bob’s career as an official

35 games of Wecssa, Swossa and Offssa High School Championships

21 OUA playoff assignments

1994 – CIAU Final – Vanier Cup Saskatchewan vs. Western

1998 – CIAU Semi Final – Churchill Bowl Saskatchewan

1999 – Canadian Junior National Championship – Okanagan vs. Windsor AKO

2000 – CIAU Final – Vanier Cup – Regina vs. Ottawa

2001 – CIAU Semi Final - Atlantic Bowl - Laval vs. St. Mary’s

Bob’s ability to speak with a very calm demeanour when engaging with coaches and players was integral to his success..