Quote:
Originally posted by BktBallRef
I think a lot of people care, Jeff. We're not really discussing whether taking or passing a test makes you a better official or not. Studying the rules, reading the case book and learning how to interpret them makes you a better official. That's the real purpose of test. Therefore, it makes no sense to just post the answers on the Internet. As I said before, such cheaters hurt the players, coaches, fans, and their fellow officials.
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TH, please do not miss my point. I am not saying you should not care. I am saying that whether someone gets an 80% or a 100% is not going to prove anything as an official. If you cannot apply the rules, passing a test is not what it takes to officiate.
If test were the best determiner of officating ability, why do the higher levels not take them. I will be doing college games for the first time this year, I do not have to take a test of any kind. Now there is some tests that you can take and are developed, but you do not have to pass one to become a college official. And the should be the case for HS. When we go to HS camps, rules are almost never a focus. So what do you call those officials that do higher than HS levels? Are they cheaters because they did not have to take a test. The rules are very important, but whether you know if the logo on the compression shorts is 2 inches or 2 1/4 inches has nothing to do with officiating. Because knowing the intent and why these things are there is much more important. And the fact that many of the questions are poorly worded and vague and my state always throws out one or two questions because of this fact, why put so much focus on them.
I have no problem with taking them. I have no problem dealing with them at all. But calling people that have the answers as cheaters is a bit much. And it does not hurt anyone because they get a 60% or a 81%, you still have to officiate a game and understand why those answers are true or false. Knowing why is always more important than knowing the answers.
Peace