Quote:
Originally Posted by deecee
I won't do this for less than $60-$70 a game to be honest. I only work varsity and am at the point where I am happy working about 20 decent-good games a year. I have a young family, full time job, and side business (as well as my wife runs a business which means some things there fall on me too).
I have no interest anymore for games below the varsity level. I don't want to deal with those coaches, who to often are let run free by regular JV guys, and I have not interest in wanting to officiate games that "don't count".
This is a hobby, that once it gets to the point where I am not having fun I quit. Truthfully I'm almost at the point where I may be okay with 10-15 good games. I treat this for what it is to me until it isn't anymore. I enjoy officiating. I don't enjoy officiating to the point where it may feel like a job.
In the end the money isn't the reason to the guys that care and that are good. The money is the reason to the guys that want to do as many games as humanly possible. It all depends what stage of life you are in. The big challenge of getting younger folks into officiating is (1) a$$hole coaches and veterans not addressing the issue (2) stupid rating and classification structures (3) officials thinking they are better than they are.
I started officiating college last year, and it's fun. But I'm at the point where this is probably my ceiling and I have to decide if the effort for college is worth it. Realistically, it probably isn't.
I have also found that the officials that do get state games, etc. are usually not very outspoken and go with the flow without causing ripples. I'm just not that guy, and I accept it's shortcomings.
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I respect all of that.
I am still one of the 50-60 games a year people --I don't care much about the level of pay except that I feel I owe it to others to be an advocate for better pay and working conditions. The difference between $50 and $80 isn't going to improve my life.
I am at my ceiling -- I work HS games and a handful of junior college games and that's it. But my kid will be in HS in 3 years and I expect things to slow. I'm also 30 years in and without a move to 3-person I probably would've retired before I hit 50. Not cause I can't work 2, but because the game has moved past officials calling a really good game that way, especially in fast, physical games, and I wasn't having a lot of fun the last few years we worked 2.