To the Virginia officials ...

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Rich

(2) A crew double-booked and dumped my game 2 days before it was due to be played. They signed my contract 9 months before the other one and "just realized" that they were double booked. ...

A good reason not to have contracts for individual games signed 9 months in advanced. No way in the world would my personal schedule allow me to know that far in advance that I will be available on that particular date. That's especially impossible to do for anybody who works college games as we start getting our schedules in October and are still receiving games through November.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

A good reason not to have contracts for individual games signed 9 months in advanced. No way in the world would my personal schedule allow me to know that far in advance that I will be available on that particular date. That's especially impossible to do for anybody who works college games as we start getting our schedules in October and are still receiving games through November.

Except they picked a different varsity game over mine. No excuse for that at all.

Our system is just different here. I assigned 2016-17 this past July. I leave some openings for transfers and people I see at camps, etc. but not many.

I'm happy to work with college officials. I know what they bring to the table and most of them work a dual schedule. But a small minority want to accept games and then at the last minute dump them in my lap thinking that I'll just deal with it because they're too good to fire.

I have to get off games as my day job requires occasional travel. I always find a sub and give that name to the assigner with my apologies. Now, it's just a matter of sending out a replacement contract, updating my master schedule, and notifying the school -- something I can do in about a minute.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Rich

Our system is just different here. I assigned 2016-17 this past July. I leave some openings for transfers and people I see at camps, etc. but not many.

Why?

Our schools don't even have their games figured out until Sept/Oct just before the season. Even if they had then ready earlier, this isn't like scheduling astronauts for shuttle missions. 1-2 months ahead of the game should be plenty. I, as an official, would hate to have to commit to a specific Tuesday night for HS ball game 2 years away. That seems like it is skewed very much against the officials and very much for the assignors.

[Altor]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Our schools don't even have their games figured out until Sept/Oct just before the season.

Different sport...but I have two schools that sent me contracts for spring 2017 this past summer. I have several more that will send me contracts for the next year's corresponding date the week after I work a contest. I don't think it's that they are any more organized. Their preferred timeline in just different.

I never turn one back because I got something better. And I can't remember the last time I had to turn one back for any reason. I came close a couple years ago when I got called as an alternate for the grand jury and one of our court dates was the same as a contest. I told him the situation and he understood. Luckily, the "regulars" showed up for jury duty and I was able to go back to work.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Why?

Our schools don't even have their games figured out until Sept/Oct just before the season. Even if they had then ready earlier, this isn't like scheduling astronauts for shuttle missions. 1-2 months ahead of the game should be plenty. I, as an official, would hate to have to commit to a specific Tuesday night for HS ball game 2 years away. That seems like it is skewed very much against the officials and very much for the assignors.

Your system is just different. It's not necessarily better.

And I do our sport schedules, not the schools, so the schedules are always 2 years in advance. It's what's expected here.

I'd be happy to schedule officials later. But when all the other assigners schedule in advance I lose the ability to hire the better officials.

BTW, I have a game scheduled for February 2018. I probably won't get to 17-18 till next summer.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Rich

Your system is just different. It's not necessarily better.

And I do our sport schedules, not the schools, so the schedules are always 2 years in advance. It's what's expected here.

I'd be happy to schedule officials later. But when all the other assigners schedule in advance I lose the ability to hire the better officials.

BTW, I have a game scheduled for February 2018. I probably won't get to 17-18 till next summer.

And that is the reason...a race to get them covered before others. It is really entirely unnecessary, but the way it is.

[SAJ]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

A good reason not to have contracts for individual games signed 9 months in advanced. No way in the world would my personal schedule allow me to know that far in advance that I will be available on that particular date. That's especially impossible to do for anybody who works college games as we start getting our schedules in October and are still receiving games through November.

I've already got a full high school schedule for next year. I'll start getting contracts for 2017-18 around May of 2016

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by SAJ

I've already got a full high school schedule for next year. I'll start getting contracts for 2017-18 around May of 2016

It would be absolutely impossible for me to work under that system. And it also causes super high percentage of turn backs by college officials who don't get their schedules until October/November of the impending season.

[Dad]

Rich,

Seems like such a headache to assign games so early. Around here for varsity they assign each month 1-2 months in advance. Never really been a problem and I've never swapped games. There are exceptions when an assigners work it out among themselves, "Can I borrow so and so for this varsity game; I have JV officials 1&2 I can give you."

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Dad

Rich,
...There are exceptions when an assigners work it out among themselves, "Can I borrow so and so for this varsity game; I have JV officials 1&2 I can give you."

How does that work? Officials can now be traded between associations/assignors?

[Dad]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

How does that work? Officials can now be traded between associations/assignors?

You asked a question and answered it, not really sure what kind of answer you want. I can guess!

This situation happened to me so I'll use it.

On a Saturday we have high school games, men's league, YMCA kids who didn't make their team.

I blocked Saturday after getting assigned 5 nights in a row. YMCA assigner asked if I could work a couple games for him since he was having a hard time filling slots. "Sure"

Varsity official gets injured Friday night and the game starts early the next day. Head assigner calls the YMCA guy and asks if he can use me and he'll find him someone else. YMCA guy agrees.

I agree to swap, problem solved.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Dad

You asked a question and answered it, not really sure what kind of answer you want. I can guess!

This situation happened to me so I'll use it.

On a Saturday we have high school games, men's league, YMCA kids who didn't make their team.

I blocked Saturday after getting assigned 5 nights in a row. YMCA assigner asked if I could work a couple games for him since he was having a hard time filling slots. "Sure"

Varsity official gets injured Friday night and the game starts early the next day. Head assigner calls the YMCA guy and asks if he can use me and he'll find him someone else. YMCA guy agrees.

I agree to swap, problem solved.

YMCA guy should have worked harder filling that slot he originally gave you since the HS guy was able to find someone to work YMCA.

Sounds those 2 assignors are part of the same association. Around here assignors assign games for their association. A rival association wouldn't know my schedule nor would they be able to utilize my services asking my assignor to loan me out.