[JRutledge]

This is not an issue for any association that I am a member of. Crew make-ups are based on the officials that form them and only the officials that form them. I work for whom ever I want and when ever I want to. The only thing that an association has to do with it (and I am talking state association only) is the contracts that are signed. If you are scheduled to work a game, chances are you are obligated to work those games. Most of the time the crew chief is responsible for this and that is it. It is completely acceptable to offer a position to anyone that is an official and it is up to that official to accept or deny the offer.

As an example a few years ago I was offered a position on a crew of someone I knew very well. I was asked to join before this particular season. I said no that I would not work games with them during the regular season, but I would allow them to list me on their playoff roster because on my current crew (at the time) I was the only person getting playoff games on a regular basis. After the year was over I chose to move to this new crew that asked me to join before that season. The decision was mine and mine alone and no association could say anything to me about it. I was the person that had to work the individuals and I wanted to work with people that better fit where I wanted to go in the playoffs and that fit my style of officiating. I have been with this crew for 2 full regular seasons and 3 playoff runs. We even had 2 crew members that left the crew because of personal conflicts that were going on long before I joined. We worked the Semi-Finals last year and this year with two new people. All the state would do is see if we were qualified for post season games, other than that they have no say it who we decide to work with.

Peace