[Raymond]

I don't think I've ever worked more than 35 HS games in a season. I started off my officiating career with strict 50/50 shared custody of 9 and 3 year-old boys, so I've never been a game ho. If I had to choose between working 1-2 D3 games/week vs. 3-5 HS games a week, college wins out easy. I no longer need the $$$ from officiating to help balance my income, so I've been doing it strictly for achievement for quite a while now.

I simply enjoy the college game so much more. It's not only the quality of play and coaching, it's also working with much better officials at the college level. I don't work little kids games b/c I am totally disinterested in those games. I don't want to leave my house for games I don't want to work.

Whenever I work off-season, AAU and AAU-type basketball, I work no more than 3 games in a day, usually just once for the entire weekend. Other officials question me as if I'm acting like I'm special. I'm not special, I just choose my work load. I have no obligation to work a whole bunch of rec and AAU-style ball. Emails about shortages do not sway me either. I work off-season either b/c there is a high-level tournament going on or I'm preparing for a camp.

I say all that to say, we all make choices in how we provide our services. I choose to subject myself to the inequities of the college game b/c that's the level I want to work, while I limit my availability and workload for other levels b/c that's also what I choose to do.

To each his own; nobody is right or wrong for how they choose to pursue this avocation.