The Georgia Football Officials Association is the oldest and most professional group of it's kind in the State of Georgia. Founded in 1926, GFOA is recognized as one of the premier football officiating associations in the United States. It is composed of over one hundred and fifty members dedicated to the game of football, especially at the high school level.
GFOA was founded in 1926 by George Gardner. Mr Gardner was one of the nation's foremost authorities on football officiating. He was an active football official in the SEC from 1932 until 1948. He worked the Sugar Bowl 3 times and the Rose Bowl once. After that he served as the SEC Supervisor of Football Officials from 1948 to 1970. In 1987 he became only the 4th official to ever be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Many of the mechanics now being used in the NCAA and NFL were developed by Mr. Gardner. In 1992 George Gardner became the first official from any sport to be inducted into the National Federation of High Sports Hall of Fame.