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Old Thu Feb 26, 2009, 07:37pm
JRutledge JRutledge is offline
Do not give a damn!!
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: On the border
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WIRef View Post
I think the question above was whether we have enough quality officials to do 3-person, or whether we have enough quality 3-person officials to do the tournament games? IMO, right now there are not enough quality 3-person officials to handle the first round sub-regional games all on one night. Splitting them over two nights would help. But weather in Wisconsin is very unpredictable, and it would be a scheduling nightmare trying to get games in before the next round comes. Not sure of the best way to handle the 3-person dilemma, but schools are really fighting it right now, due to budget problems.
I think that is a lame excuse. This season will be the 11th since 1997 that the state just south of you has used 3 Person crews for all post season games. Our state made a commitment to using 3 officials and they did everything to train officials to the system. Of course there was an adjustment period for everyone, but it was not about quality of officials, it was about training and only training. You will never improve officiating by hoping that people get good enough. You have to make a commitment to make those better through training in camps or literature. In this state every team makes the playoffs and the post season is run in 4 different tournaments. We have over 5000 basketball officials but for the Regional Finals each level needs 192 officials to work the Championship. They use more in for other Regional games, but a solid number of officials to cover the post season.

Quote:
Originally Posted by WIRef View Post
Also, I think we as officials in general can take some blame, because, in some instances, we have not been able to show that 3-person crews call that much better of a game than 2-person crews. That comes from the inexperience of some, along with having to work with officials you have not worked with before. I know the theory is that in 3-person you should be able to work with any other official. But the inexperience really shows for those that do mostly 3-person games. Just my thoughts.
You just do not work games in the system and all of a sudden becomes an expert. You have to be given opportunities to work games in the system and that requires either camp opportunities or games during the regular season. I have been working 3 Person my entire career in come capacity and it takes a few years to learn. The training is so good here that there are things we do not even need to discuss like we once did several years ago. I credit this all to the state's commitment to the system and insisting on training the masses to learn the system. The IHSA did not just sit back and expect the system to be used and not put programs in to give officials an opportunity to learn in many cases. Now working 3 Person is like riding a bike. Of course there are bad officials, but it is not because of the use of 3 officials.

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