This is long but I'd love to hear your story and your thoughts...something outside the rules discussion that has been and is always so helpful here...
This is season #21 for me...I've spent my officiating time at the Middle School and sub varsity level by choice...I've worked with youth leagues that I've been a Board Member of and a Coach in, helping grow their leagues and helping younger officials get started or helping other Coaches (cause we all start somewhere).
I've worked the AAU tourney scene, school travel leagues, MS/JrHS and HS....I've worked a handful of V contests in this time where some guys, that's all they'll do. I like my schedule of JV and below where I don't have to be there so early and I can get done a little after 7p for Frosh or JV and be on with my evening...maybe that means I can watch a good V contest of a kid I coached or simply know from this crazy game!
I can't always say I have "good quality basketball" games as compared to V level...but I have seen my share of really well played games at any level I've done and I have had some stinker V teams as well. I've seen some 8th grade teams that could beat some JV teams...I officiated cause I LOVE the game and whatever grade or level I was doing, I have always given my all and taken it serious.
There were times where the money was necessary (downsized out of FT work a few times early on)...I got divorced 10 years ago and the ref money helped me make ends meet thanks to a whopper of child support obligation...I never wanted to do it for the money, but I wouldn't do it for free.
When I was starting out, I worked a ton of whatever I could get....Now (and for the past few years) I'm more selective about what I'll work because I don't wanna work 6-8 games in a multi-court facility on Saturday and Sunday or 3-4 games around coaching my kid's team on a weekend day. There's also the physical side of it...my body, (knees in particular) are SHOT!
For about the past 3 seasons, at season's end my current wife has heard me say..."I'm not sure how much longer I can do this"....and then I'd take time away, go coach AAU and help train kids in the spring and forget about the physical toll. Fall rolls around and the stripes get put on again...
I had my first HS game of the season this past Tuesday and my knees have been killing me since....AND it was a 3-man crew!
I've never given more than a quick thought at the end of the season to the idea of this reffing thing actually coming to an end but I have thought about it more and more lately....
With a SR in HS and child support obligation finally having a light at the end of the tunnel (about 3 more years)...I figure I need to get her through 2 years of school and then...who knows? If physically able, I think I'd keep doing it...
So I toss this out to you guys/gals....
We hear about the professional athlete retiring and it's said, they should be able to go out on their terms....I'm no professional athlete and I'll miss this more than any fan, gym, coach or league will miss my striped ass running up and down the floor, that's for sure!
How do you know if it's time...How do we know we have called our last game? I've worked one youth league for 20 seasons, I can't imagine what my Jan-March Saturdays will be like not showing up to help this league, get some run and make a little money doing this craft! I was on their board, I coached in the league..I know everyone there...Watched kids from 3rd grade grow up to 11th grade playing...
I don't owe anybody a 2 week notice for any of this but...Do you tell them (your ref partners, leagues etc) at the start of the year at the end, or somewhere in the middle?
For some reason this is weighing on my mind because I know my end is nearing and if God forbid, I tear a knee up, or the tendonitis or the bursitis in my hip becomes too much this year, I know it likely will be or could be the end.... and mentally, I don't know if ready to face that fact.
I know I can always land a spot on a bench and that part keeps a smile on my face...
Father time is undefeated and I believe he is sitting in the top row of my gym waiting to make his way down to the score table to collect my whistle at some point sooner than later....cause I won't make it 21 more seasons...maybe 3, maybe....
You?