|
Every state or locality does it differently. I checked out the Oklahoma City metro officials site, and I'd encourage you to do the same. Then see if you can find a similar organization in your area. I'm in Texas, but it appears after going on the OSSAA site, you work things much different there. I think you've already received some good comments, but I'll add a few here:
1. See if you can find a jr. college or small college (preferably some place where nobody will show up to watch) game to go to and get there an hour and a half before kickoff. Then go down toward the field and see if you can visit with one of the officials (they are often on the field an hour prior to the game and a few have absolutely nothing to do) and get some info from him. You might even call the AD and ask if its OK to visit the crew's pregame meeting -- he'll need to ask permission from the crew chief, but it doesn't hurt to ask.
2. If 1 doesn't work, try a HS game where nobody will attend. I say all this because if there's no one there, you'll have a better chance getting someone's attention.
3. Anyway, the info you need is a) who do you call to get registered with the state; b) where is there a local association you can get trained through and games assigned through; and c) when do they start next year.
I wouldn't worry about most of the other stuff. Pee-wee, at least in my area, is often assigned by guys already in the chapter and they prefer to assign guys they know. Most of us (in my area) didn't start at the pee-wee level; we started in the chapter that assigns jr. high and high school games and then found the pee-wee games in our individual areas. I don't even work pee-wee, and really the only reason to do it is for the money. You won't get much experience that will be helpful, except maybe riot control skills.
I'd also venture to games coming up and try to watch the officials. Pick one of them and watch what he does for several plays. Then watch another one, and so on. You'll start to notice things you didn't before and you'll have the basis for questions to ask later. The more specific your questions are, the better you'll learn from the answers.
Oh, and to the extent you aren't already there, get in shape. Start a running and weight training program and start eating right. If you've already started, keep it up. And when June rolls around next year, start going out in the evening and being on your feet. You might have to stand for 3.5 hours straight in August and early Sept. for your games, so the better condition your legs are in by then, the better off you will be.
I think you can worry about everything else later.
|