[stripes]

Originally posted by Tim Roden
Enough fun. The only DIII DII basketball in Colorado is RMAC. There are a few officials that work the Jayhawk league in Colorado. Not that many. You will have to work very hard to make those rosters. I just moved from Colorado and I can give you the straight skinny. If you can, get to Al English's camp this summer. He is one of the top assignors in the area. If he assigns you for varsity, you have a good start and he doesn't assign anyone he hasn't seen work. Yes, Denver is short on officials and big on growth. Visit the officiating page at http://www.chsaa.org to find the list of Area directors for where you are going to live in Colorado. Contact a Area director to find out what you need to do to get started. Denver is by far the biggest area with 250 officials but since I have seen them work I know that not everyone who gets a varsity game is good. They need good officials. You will have to pay your dues. If you only get two varisty games your first year, consider yourself lucky. Also, read my article written last december at officiating.com. It tells of my experience transfering into the Denver area.

Thanks for the info. I went to the web page and looked at the stuff there, but I am confused about how this system works. What, exactly, do the area directors do? Who handles the assigning of games. If they are in such need of good officials, why would one be lucky to only get two varsity games?(assuming that the person is a good ref capable of doing that level of ball) Does it help to know anyone in Denver (I know a few people there who I believe would vouch for me) or is there a "try-out" opportunity? Honestly, working a schedule of non-varstiy games is not exciting to me.

Do you know when Al English (is he the former silky smooth shooter for the Nuggets?) holds his camp and where?