Quote:
Originally Posted by dave30
Has anyone else officiated any of their tournaments? We had one in the Dallas area this weekend. Some of the teams dropped out so the schedule changed daily. Parents complained a lot (as usual), but overall the kids (high school girls) were a good bunch.
We had some good teams and good officials working the games.
When it came time to get paid, I was amazed that they only paid us $17 per game! We made $17 per game in 1992!
I will know better next time. I didn't realize that the pay was so low! To top it off, after doing our fifth game of the day today and our 15th of the weekend, the final game was a 30 point blowout between the two teams that hadn't won any games yet. On our way out, we were accused by one of the coaches of the losing team that we were lazy and not in position to make calls in the final couple of minutes of the blowout game. We couldn't avoid them since we all had to leave out of the same door. We said nothing, but just listening to them try to tell us that we were lazy was frustrating....especially when their own kids came up and thanked us after the game for calling their games. Kids are great. I wish they didn't have to become grownups!
I admit we weren't 100%---but at least 95%! (the mind wandered just a bit in the last couple of minutes of a 30 point blowout), but we called a good game and I thought we earned our $17 !
It's just frustrating to give your best effort for the kids (who appreciate it and have fun) and then have it ruined by a couple of parents who do not appreciate good officiating done for almost no money.
They don't realize that at $17 per game; they are not going to get good officials much longer. This is my last MAYB tournament if there is no increase in pay. I should've checked to see what the pay was before the tournament, but once I was in...I did the best job I could do.
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I have two thoughts:
1. You should ALWAYS get all the particulars before agreeing to work any event. Never be surprised by who your partners are, what gym you are in, or what the game fee is.
2. My next comment is going to sound harsh, but it is not intended to be mean and I ask that you allow me to explain.
YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM!!!
If it weren't for people such as yourself thinking that they are helping by working 15 games in a weekend at a paltry game fee, then the event organizers would be forced to offer more money to attract more officials.
While you believe that you are helping out and working hard, you are actually hurting your fellow officials by keeping the rates low. Cut your number of games in half or stop working altogether for scumbag organizers who charge the teams an obscene amount of money (ca. $700), then pay the refs a pittance and pocket the rest.
Afterall, why should an organizer pay $25 or $30 a game when you will work for $17? And if you and a just few others are willing to be game whores all weekend for that, then he certainly doesn't need raise the fee and attract more officials. He is perfectly happy to run you into the ground and make extra bucks off your sweat. BTW when you quit, he'll be happy to find some other schmuck to take your spot next year. So what can you do about it?
Instead of complaining, you should strive for a solution. In my area, all of the HS officials got together and agreed not to work any summer tournaments for less than X dollars per game. We have about three guys who do the assigning for us, and whenever someone with an event inquires about officials with one of us we direct the person to those three guys.
Of course, there are some city league and rec warriors who are willing to go out there for much less, but we tell the organizers that we aren't willing to work with anyone from outside of our group, and furthermore, if they want anyone from our group, then the event can't use anyone from outside of it, unless we can't cover all of the games. When that happens, we demand all of the games at certain sites and have the tournament bring in whoever else they want for the other locations.
The power of collective bargaining.