|
When I worked college baseball, I was assigned to a school where I was a CURRENT (MBA) student. I told the assignor and he told me to go work the games anyway, that nobody would know or care. I thought (and still do) that moving 2 officials would've been a better choice.
I do not advertise where I live. I don't cheer at local sports events (I don't have time to attend them since I'm already working elsewhere). I did work 2 GV basketball games at the local school cause I was contracted before I moved and, quite frankly, I know *nobody* in town. Now that my daughter's in the district, I'm doing nothing more than working a paid scrimmage and maybe a subvarsity game from time to time.
I see officials wear their alma maters on their sleeves and go to local games and cheer as if they were still in high school. I guess that works for them, but I'm paranoid enough to recognize that the conference where I live has 11 other teams and that being seen as a homer for one conference team (and I know at least one guy with that reputation locally) taints the perception of the official when he works any games in the conference. And I'm not willing to throw away 11 teams to root for one -- and it doesn't matter to me because I didn't grow up here.
Maybe I'll feel different when my daughter is playing basketball (if she does).
|