[NewNCref]

Originally Posted by tmp44

NNC,

Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of having experienced officials on games like you do. This year, I have one "patched" official in the class/group of officials -- and she is only 18 and in her first year of officiating; before working these IM games, the highest level of a game she had worked was a 6th grade CYO girls game. Everyone else -- when I say they never touched a whistle before this semester started, there's no exaggeration there -- I had one girl the first day of training ask me -- "Sir, what's a foul line?" Before the games begin, I get two hours of classroom training, and two hours of on court training -- for 28 students. This is the system the university dictates as what they want to do -- it's not my system, nor my boss's. The professor who is my boss and I do the best we can with the time we are allotted, and then continue to teach them as the year progresses.

I also have 128 teams in the entire intramural program. At any given time, I have up to three games going on simultaneously. I don't have the luxury of only assigning my "better, novice" officials to the games. I so wish that I did.

The team this kid was on lost tonight, so they are out of the tournament. Fortunately for the situation, I knew a lot of the kids on the team, and have known them for a couple years. As soon as I walked into the gym, the apologies to me were free-flowing.

As far as the sportsmanship grading system -- that is absolutely a GREAT idea, one that I will pass on to my superiors come Monday morning. The other two supervisors that I work with and I have immediate access to campus security; armed, campus police are a mere radio call away and can be at the gym almost immediately. Of course, though, they cannot be everywhere at all times and can only do so much.

TMP,

It's great that you're doing what you can though. Hopefully, these kids will come back next year, and be better officials, and before you know it, you're officiating will be of no concern. If you want to PM me with an email address, I'd be more than glad to send you the sportsmanship guidelines that we use for grading players.