Scrimmage season blues

[Mregor]

We work them for free. No scrimmage; no post season.

[scrounge]

In central Ohio, it is pretty much standard that scheduled scrimmages are at half pay, with the vast majority getting contracts and everything, just like regular season games (just at half pay).

There was a 12 team, 3 hour scrimmage that I did this weekend for free - but it was run as a clinic (no pay but no cost for attendees either), with observers and everything. Overall, I got more out of that setup than a regular scrimmage, but that's the exception.

[DrPete]

In our part of Virginia, we work scrimmages for free, both public and private school. We also have a summer camp or two (refs work for free, association gets a token payment), where it would be great to make that a "teaching camp" with veterans evaluating newer officials. However, the commissioner usually has a hard time just getting enough bodies to fill the spots, much less have extra officials around to watch.

[johnny d]

Sorry, but there is not a chance in hell I am working a game or scrimmage for free. I do not officiate just for the money, but my time, especially my time away from my family is worth something. If the school cannot afford to pay for officials to work their scrimmages, then they do not need to have them, or they can have the coaches or a parent volunteer to officiate the game. I am not sure about Jeff R's experience, but we are from the same general area, and I have never been asked to work a scrimmage for free by any assignor, nor have I been subject to any repercussions for refusing to work a scrimmage when the fee is lower than I was willing to accept.

[bas2456]

My two scrimmages this week are listed on Arbiter as being the full rate. Won't know for sure though until I get the check. Two different conferences, too.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by johnny d

Sorry, but there is not a chance in hell I am working a game or scrimmage for free. I do not officiate just for the money, but my time, especially my time away from my family is worth something. If the school cannot afford to pay for officials to work their scrimmages, then they do not need to have them, or they can have the coaches or a parent volunteer to officiate the game. I am not sure about Jeff R's experience, but we are from the same general area, and I have never been asked to work a scrimmage for free by any assignor, nor have I been subject to any repercussions for refusing to work a scrimmage when the fee is lower than I was willing to accept.

I have rarely if ever been asked to work for free either, but you do not always find that out until you do the game if and how you are paid. I have ever worked scrimmages for HB at the college level only to not be paid or offered to pay until we asked. It is not always stated up front. I used to never ask either, not expecting to get paid but now being paid is more common.

Peace

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by bas2456

My two scrimmages this week are listed on Arbiter as being the full rate. Won't know for sure though until I get the check. Two different conferences, too.

I have two scrimmages this weekend too and it has only been stated for sure that I will be paid for one of them at this point. I will also have to get there and find out.

Peace

[crosscountry55]

Originally Posted by johnny d

Sorry, but there is not a chance in hell I am working a game or scrimmage for free. I do not officiate just for the money, but my time, especially my time away from my family is worth something. If the school cannot afford to pay for officials to work their scrimmages, then they do not need to have them, or they can have the coaches or a parent volunteer to officiate the game. I am not sure about Jeff R's experience, but we are from the same general area, and I have never been asked to work a scrimmage for free by any assignor, nor have I been subject to any repercussions for refusing to work a scrimmage when the fee is lower than I was willing to accept.

I don't blame you for that opinion, but apparently you have the luxury of mandatory unpaid scrimmages not being a condition of your season assignment eligibility.

I may be an independent contractor, but my broker tells me I need to work a couple of freebies every November. So I do.


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[Raymond]

Originally Posted by johnny d

Sorry, but there is not a chance in hell I am working a game or scrimmage for free. I do not officiate just for the money, but my time, especially my time away from my family is worth something. If the school cannot afford to pay for officials to work their scrimmages, then they do not need to have them, or they can have the coaches or a parent volunteer to officiate the game. I am not sure about Jeff R's experience, but we are from the same general area, and I have never been asked to work a scrimmage for free by any assignor, nor have I been subject to any repercussions for refusing to work a scrimmage when the fee is lower than I was willing to accept.

You're a college official and have never worked a scrimmage for free?

[johnny d]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

You're a college official and have never worked a scrimmage for free?

Nope. I have done D1 scrimmages for a ridiculously low fee, trading money for experience, but I have never done a game for free. Even the small colleges (D3, NAIA, Juco) have paid something. Word gets around very fast what schools pay for their scrimmages and how long they want you to be there. If I don't know, I always ask before I accept the game and I wont go if the money offered is below what I am willing to work for. The assignors I work for don't do anything for free, and they don't expect us to work for free either. If the school isn't willing to pay, they make the game available to their staff, but they do not force anyone to accept it.

[bas2456]

Worked the first of my two scrimmages tonight. They played a full game, stopping a few times to set up specific plays they wanted to run, etc.

They had us talk to the kids for a few minutes before we started about the POE, uniform rules, etc.

Wondering how, if at all, my varsity scrimmage will be different on Friday (tonight was sophomores).

[SWMOzebra]

Originally Posted by BlueDevilRef

In my area of Missouri, we used to have a summer camp that we were required to attend for the assn. no pay and it was a cattle call, just go and work games. I always wished it would have been a teaching moment with veterans counseling new guys, but it never was. If you didn't attend two sessions (approx 8 hours) you got an assn fine. Now, the got rid of it and raised assn yearly dues instead. Oh well.

And this is why I have made a point to avoid the larger of the two associations in SW Missouri.

As for working college scrimmages for free, I will generally do one every October or early November ... but at a school of my choosing. It's easier for me to agree to work for no pay if I respect the coach and their program. If a coach is a constant PIA during the season and just screams at his/her players expecting magical results without doing any actual "coaching," I ignore their requests for pro bono preseason work.

[Kansas Ref]

Our state mandated "mechanics meeting" is conducted with classroom instruction and a freebie scrimmage
The set-up is two freshman and two varsity teams placed in two separate gymnasia at one high school. The clock is running for 5 minutes--which goes by really fast. Each crew of refs works 2 x 5 min periods and is critiqued by 'veteran refs' after the conclusion of each of your first and second 5 min periods {ostensibly to see if you can implement the critique they gave you after the first 5 min session}. You would then sign a "participation card" that is turnt into the State for proof of attendance. The cost to an individual ref is "time and gas"; the benefits are better mechanics and visibility. No pay is given, but they did have Gatorade in big ole ice chest for us.

[ODog]

Originally Posted by Kansas Ref

Our state mandated "mechanics meeting" is conducted with classroom instruction and a freebie scrimmage
The set-up is two freshman and two varsity teams placed in two separate gymnasia at one high school. Each crew of refs works 2 x 5 min periods ...

This must take forever! How many people are in your board/association?

Or is the scrimmage optional?

I'm not saying this is a bad idea at all (in fact, something in this form is probably needed everywhere); just seems it would take a LONG time if every member were required to participate.