[JRutledge]

I think the main reason officials burnout is the fact we work too many games. Just be more selective about what you work and when. You do not have to work every single game in every single league. I work 3 sports and I can officiate 12 months out of the year. I am very selective in what I agree to do and work. Here is what I do during the year.

Football Season: I work every Friday of the season and I may pick up a handful of Saturday games. I work a Catholic School League on Sundays and I try to take off a few of those so I can watch NFL football and just sit at home and do nothing. I hardly ever work a game from Monday-Thursday. So I usually get 4 days off completely from football and when I go back work to work a game I am ready to go.

Basketball Season: I work only Boy's basketball. If I worked both I would likely have games almost every day of the week. My games are primarily on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Depending on what college games I work, I can work on a Sunday, Monday and Thursday. Usually if I work those games it is very rare I work a lot on those days. I usually do not take extra games once the season starts unless the games are on a Saturday morning to cover a JV game of some kind.

Baseball Season: I basically work every day or can work every day. I try my best not to work a lot on March when it is really cold. I this past year decided to take off just about every Friday during the season. Most Saturdays are doubleheaders so I like to get myself ready mentally do work a doubleheader and to focus on something else. Also when the college and HS seasons are over, I stop working baseball. Baseball for me is the last of a long line of games so by the end of the season I am just tired. Next year I will purposely work less to and will take less HS games over all.

Now I think in order to avoid burnout you have to just find your niche. I try to only work varsity and college games at this point of my career. When I work football games in that Grade School Catholic League in my area, I only work with two guys who I have known for years. One guy is my HS crew chief and the other guy is a fellow official that has worked a State Final and I just enough both of their company. They both are knowledgeable officials and I have learned a lot from both of them. Also we might throw in a rookie official that is willing to learn and that adds to the fun. During the basketball season I try not to work any lower level games unless I am helping in the training of a younger official or I am working with a veteran that I know.

I just have learned to be very selective. Officiating is a hobby and when it becomes more than that (I do run it as a business, but that is another discussion) there is going to be a problem. Stop working every game and every league because someone calls. Now if you are a younger officials you may want to work more. But once you have paid some dues and shown what you can do, you do not have to work the LL Championship for the 10th time.

Peace