[BillyMac]

Below is a near final draft of an article that I plan to have published in our local Board's newsletter. I realize that this is a local, "When in Rome ...", issue, but I would still like some feedback from Forum members (I am not a great writer. I'm a great lover, a great singer (there are two kinds of Irishmen, those who are great singers, and those who think that they are great singers), a great basketball official, but, unfortunately, I'm not a great writer.

Four’s Company

No, this is not a sequel to the late 1970’s, early 1980’s, television show, Three’s Company, adding a fourth character to the trio of Janet Wood, Chrissy Snow, and Jack Tripper. Rather, it’s about the importance of having four officials at the site of a typical junior varsity, varsity, doubleheader. There are educational, practical, and professional, reasons for having four officials at the game site.

For many years, it was a Board policy to have varsity officials show up early to observe, and rate, the junior varsity officials, and to have the junior varsity officials stay to observe, and rate, the varsity officials. Recent changes in the Board rating system has done away with the need for officials to rate nonpartner officials, but that doesn't do away with the need for four officials to be at the game site for as long as reasonably possible. According to the Board 2015-16 Member Expectations Policy, “Varsity members arrive early to observe subvarsity officials and subvarsity officials remain to observe varsity officials”.

The four officials at a high school game site should work together as a team. Varsity officials should arrive at the game site no later than the beginning of the second period of the junior varsity game, to observe the junior varsity officials. Junior varsity officials should stay, and observe, the varsity game until at least halftime of the varsity game, in order to learn by watching experienced officials. Many varsity officials will try to show up for the beginning of the junior varsity game, and many junior varsity officials will often stay to observe the entire varsity game.

Veteran officials should observe, and offer constructive appraisals, with specific suggestions, to less experienced officials. Less experienced officials should seek out, and ask for input, from more experienced officials. "So? What did you see out there?” is an easy way to start a pregame, halftime, or postgame, conversation. The continuing education, and improvement, of officials is vital to the continued success of the Board.

There are also practical reasons for having four officials at the game site. The overlap will insure that an official is available if one of the officials at the site becomes ill, or injured. In rare cases, an official may be late to the game due to unexpected traffic conditions, a flat tire, dead battery, etc. In extremely rare cases, an official may not show up for a game due to a miscommunication, or a scheduling, error. The Board does have One Person Mechanics Guidelines in place, but it is best if we have two officials working every game.

The third reason for having four officials at a game site deals with professionalism. If principals, athletic directors, site directors, and coaches, do not observe an overlap of officials over the course of a junior varsity, varsity, doubleheader, they may get the impression that the officials simply want to “get in, get out, and get paid”. This is not the impression that Board members want to give. School personnel at the game site notice such things as junior varsity officials, and varsity officials, observing each other, and discussing the game at pregame, halftime, or postgame. Officials acting in this manner will solidify the reputation of the Board as “The Best”.