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I figure this isn't really going to help much, but better too much input than too little.
Are area is set up with mixed crews. We don't have fixed people we work with, and depending on the level of football the experience of the crew is set. Also to note is that the teams have to supply people to be officials (which are trained and tested by the main organization). This means there are quite a few people in their first year that aren't particularly interested in being good officials - they just need to show up a few times to fullfil the obligation.
Our assignor has a lot to deal with getting all the games and crews organized - and has the added frustration that the unmotivated officials that drop out at the last moment.
1., 4. and 6. - there is generally no extra money available for extra expenses during the year except what is planned.
2. Evaluation is done but (up till now) not really given out for public information. Playoffs generally need certain criteria of license level (years of experience and certain tests passed) - based on the level of the playoff game. The most enthusiastic and well based new officials might even get playoff games for the lowest levels.
3. Manditory training at the beginning of each year, and they have tried having monthly rule nights, but there wasn't enough interest to keep them going. No mentoring program - and it wouldn't really work too well because generally there aren't enough officials to go around for the games never mind having extras go and shadow them.
5. Development tool - the organization bought a good camera for taping mechanics (different than the focus a team video would give us), and had an 'eager beaver' who spent a lot of hours disecting and editing local video for training purposes. This had a great influence on the training this year, to see OURSELVES on video for good and bad mechanics instead of NCAA or NFL video.
Most useable tool for the near future would be easy to use video software for editing training tapes, and some software that they are developing to help the white hat with all the formulas that need to be prepared - travel costs, who is on the crew, gameday reciepts (we get paid at the game), crew evaluation forms (very short report on impressions of the game).
Probably doesn't help you much, but remember each organization does things differently, and many have already invested a lot of time/money into a particular way of working (like our assigner software, and the new formula software which are very specific to our area). Anything new would have to be a marked improvment to justify investment - not just a shiny new toy.
Good luck (my wife is finishing her MBA this year too).
James
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