Quote:
Originally Posted by Kansas Ref
I like the alteration of scenery, playing styles, and cultural nuances that inhere with reffing rural hoop games. In the city, driving well, sux.
I must say that the fans at rural gyms do voice their displeasure on calls in a more--cordial and humored manner--than fans at the urban gymnasia. Also, I've found that those parents and school admins are so "grateful" that I came out to ref they games. Nothing like pulling into a school's gym and seeing gunracks on pickup trucks in the parkling lot.
Rural gyms are near and dear to my heart, that is how I got opportunities to 'move up' by taking varsity assignments out in the county when all the older/networked officials had saturated the urban/metro school varsity assignments. I was willing to travel 45 mins to 1.25 hrs to work those rural games and my assigner appreciated it. Been offered to go fishing and quail hunting by local folks after games too--though I never took up on it--for good reason..lol
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I know this does not apply to everyone those differences, but that is not my experience. Some of the worst things said to me were in rural areas. One of the reasons I was so willing to move was to get away from those situations I was facing. Fans in general can be vocal. I think where they are from certainly does not mean they will be offensive or less animated. I have been around more fan incidents because often times the people in the rural areas take it so personal what is going on the court. Urban people might know the players or individuals, but not everyone there has the same interest. At least for me, I would take going into urban and suburban Chicago area over going to some very small town where there is not a lot of diversity in those situations. That being said, it is not a huge difference in bad behavior or good behavior. It is very small actually what I have experienced, but i would never suggest that rural people act better. And I am from a rural place and saw some really bad things way before I became an official that I hardly see in the area I currently live.
Peace