Frustrated

[CountTheBasket]

I wouldn't get discouraged so soon...there are only so many "good" games, and most of the time an excess of referees that truly deserve them. I myself am a younger official so each season I feel I have improved drastically, and I remember being very disappointed at the first "wave" last season. By the end I had achieved an improved schedule over the prior year, which is all I could ask for. Sounds like you've put in some good work....don't worry that the fouls are 6-1 against your team right now, they always even out by the end of the game!

[BillyMac]

You can't get younger, but you can lose the rest of the weight that you wanted to lose. Keep a positive attitude. The kids, and coaches, in those "B" games, will appreciate a good "A" official.

[jpgc99]

Some of the best games I've ever worked were games that other officials thought were 'beneath them'

Dont let other people's classification of the game determine your level of enjoyment, enthusiasm or effort. For you, it is the best game of the night.

[crosscountry55]

I frequently find myself in your position, except it's because of moving (due to military obligations) rather than injury. Regardless, the lip service paid by assignors during the summer versus the schedule you ultimately get....well, it just sucks. No way to sugar coat it. One day I hope that an assignor will just be honest with me when I'm the new guy and say:

"Hey, new guy, you're pretty good but there are board rules and/or hierarchical sensitivities that leave you with a 0% chance of a varsity schedule unless you can provide proof of a collegiate schedule. Any questions? Oh, and I like your shoes."

In any case, I've come to realize I have no control over my schedule outside of the product I put on the court. So I put the best product out there that I can every time, regardless of level. And I have fun doing it. Most epic game I ever worked was a varsity game, but #'s 2, 3, 4 and 5 on my all time list were 8th grade/frosh/JV/5th grade (AAU). Lots more varsity games that I don't remember nearly as well.

It's all about the lens you view your assignment through. If it's fun, keep doing it. When it's not fun anymore, that's ok, but stop doing it.

[JRutledge]

Without seeing you work and compare you to others, really hard to know what is the issue. But it is not uncommon to feel you are better than what others perceive you to be. Also this thing comes with some disappointment on many levels. The best thing I can tell you is to keep working and wait for the entire schedule to come out. Maybe, just maybe that is the worst of the assignments. You also never know until you work the games anyway. Ultimately be patient if it is this year or next.

Peace

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Without seeing you work and compare you to others, really hard to know what is the issue. But it is not uncommon to feel you are better than what others perceive you to be.

There have been studies that show approximately 80% of people in a given area believe they are above average. In some areas, like sports, that number is likely higher. That means at least 30% of the officials are certainly wrong. They're in the wrong half. And it really suggests even more overestimate their abilities because just putting yourself in the right half doesn't mean a person puts themselves at the right point in the right half...they would tend to overestimate that too.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

There have been studies that show approximately 80% of people in a given area believe they are above average.

"Well, that's the news from Lake Wobegon, where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average." (Garrison Keillor)

[Altor]

Originally Posted by crosscountry55

So I put the best product out there that I can every time, regardless of level. And I have fun doing it.

That contest is the most important one of the night for those athletes, those coaches, those parents, and those fans. They deserve my best effort.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Altor

That contest is the most important one of the night for those athletes, those coaches, those parents, and those fans. They deserve my best effort.

Not always true, but we often say this on some level. I have had coaches at the lower level in multiple sports not want to treat these levels as the same as the higher levels for multiple reasons. Often times lower level ball is a place where kids will never play beyond that level. There are coaches that know this and even want officials to not enforce certain rules or make accommodations because it is not that "serious." We should give our best effort, but let us not act like every level is treated the same. This to me is about as silly of a statement as when we say, "We do this for the kids" when we are working games.

Peace

[Rich]

Have to admit, it's times like these I'm glad I live where each league has its own assigner. Cause one of the assigners here doesn't really care for me that much and I'd hate for my schedule to be dictated entirely based on his whims.

I've given up the whole "have to work the best games each night" mentality. In about 2009, I worked the "game of the century" as they called it on the local news. A season later, nobody remembers that game, let alone who worked it. It just doesn't matter in the end.

I work good games, average games, awful games. As long as my game starts at 7:30PM, there's a pep band, and the anthem is played, I'm happy. Oh, and 3-person crew.....I don't work 2-person anymore.

[Altor]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

We should give our best effort, but let us not act like every level is treated the same.

How does a statement that they deserve my best effort become "every level should be treated the same"?

This to me is about as silly of a statement as when we say, "We do this for the kids" when we are working games.

I hate this phrase too. But, I didn't say either of these things.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Not always true, but we often say this on some level. I have had coaches at the lower level in multiple sports not want to treat these levels as the same as the higher levels for multiple reasons. Often times lower level ball is a place where kids will never play beyond that level. There are coaches that know this and even want officials to not enforce certain rules or make accommodations because it is not that "serious." We should give our best effort, but let us not act like every level is treated the same. This to me is about as silly of a statement as when we say, "We do this for the kids" when we are working games.

Peace

I had an adult rec league player (dipped his toe in the NBA, has some HS officiating experience) tell me he doesn't want the best refs working his rec leagues. He just wants guys who will keep the game moving, not somebody who knows and enforces all the rules.

[Hartsy]

Originally Posted by crosscountry55

It's all about the lens you view your assignment through. If it's fun, keep doing it. When it's not fun anymore, that's ok, but stop doing it.

I am struggling with this now. I will start a new thread to elaborate. I love working the games, but the process of getting the games is becoming an anchor on my enjoyment.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

The kids, and coaches, in those "B" games, will appreciate a good "A" official.

Well said Billy. We need a 'like' button!

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

The kids, and coaches, in those "B" games, will appreciate a good "A" official.

You must do not work many of those games.

Peace