While walking around the Southeast Missouri State University campus and talking about intramural sports, one thing is consistent: how the officiating is for each sport.

Most responses are negative comments about how students don't know the rules and aren't good enough.

However, this semester things seem to be taking a turn for the better.

A number of referees who have experience and certifications have been hired.

Kweku Arkorful, head coordinator of club and intramural sports, said he loves the changes being made and feels like this will be beneficial to the intramural sports.

"Officiating and referees are very important to us," Arkorful said.

Arkorful said he is pleased to add officials who know the sports and want to be a part of the games.

"If we have officials who are lazy and don't feel like being here or looking into the sky or ceiling instead of reffing games and being enthusiastic, then that will be a problem for us," Arkorful said. "That's what it's been like in the past."

Arkorful is confident this won't be a problem with the new officials who have been hired in the last few weeks.

Three sports currently are in season: indoor soccer, floor hockey and basketball.

All of the sports have new officials who have experience refereeing.

There are 11 basketball officials and seven officials for floor hockey and indoor soccer each.

There are only a select few who are not new faces.

William Donegan came from Central Methodist where he played basketball for two and a half years before coming to Southeast.

Donegan is in the process of receiving his official refereeing license through the Missouri State High School Activities Association, but has been officiating basketball for three years.

"As a player I want it to be more game-like, be realistic," Donegan said.

Something encouraging to Arkorful and the intramural players is that the officials love to referee, and it's not all about the paycheck -- although that is an extra incentive.

"I love to [referee] and make money," Donegan said.

Dillon Huber has been refereeing soccer for 10 years and has had his license, but this is Huber's first year refereeing for intramurals.

"I started officiating because I enjoy the game," Huber said. "I've been playing since I've been 8 years old. I wanted to know in depth the rules."

Huber still plays intramural soccer, so he knows what it's like to be on both sides of the game as a player and as a ref.

Both Huber and Donegan agree that it helps when officials not only know the rules, but also have played the game as well.

The common theme for these referees has been that they love and know the game they are officiating.

With the new officials hired, Arkorful hopes it will have a positive effect in creating a better atmosphere for intramural sports.