State Tournament Assignments

[justsumguy3]

Working the WV tournament requires a good deal of commitment in my opinion. 3 officials are chosen from each regional board and will work their games together. They report on Tuesday night for a meeting and will work a quarterfinal game on Wednesday and another quarterfinal on Thursday. They will work a semi on Friday and if they're one of the top 3 crews (of 6), they will receive a state final on Saturday.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Schools that win at least 40% of their regular season games make the state tournament.

To fill up the class brackets, three teams with less than a 40% winning percentage made the state tournament this year, two with records of 7-13, and one with a record of 6-14.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

State finals, in all four enrollment classes, for both genders (eight championship games), are played at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

That's right, high school kids at an Indian casino, some playing championship basketball games a Sunday.

"Baby needs a new pair of basketball shoes".

What's the big deal?
When Nevada hosts the State Tourney in Vegas the games are played in the Orleans Arena on the property of the Orleans Casino. There are no games on Sundays though.

[mtn335]

Originally Posted by VaTerp

Interesting that in WA and TX the finals crew seems to be selected from the crews that worked the semis or previous rounds if I'm understanding correctly.

Seems like it could cause some scheduling conflicts not knowing if you are working a final until after the semis and also seems to limit the pool of officials getting games. Does seem to have the potential to reward the best officials based on performance in the state playoffs.

I'm still curious about limits on how many state games an official gets. The example from IL of 3 Finals period for officials seems a bit extreme to me but I can see the rationale.

I should've clarified - the quarterfinals are Thursday, consolation games and semifinals Friday, and 5th place, 3rd place, and championship games Saturday, all at the same site. 12 officials per gender and site are assigned to work the whole event, and each will work 2 games Thursday (one quarterfinal in each of the two classifications at a site), 2 games Friday (a consolation game and a semifinal), and a consolation game Saturday. Half work a championship game Saturday.

We have no limits on total number of championship games. I worked mine Saturday with someone who has lost count after 15. Some local associations cap number of consecutive state tournament trips (I'm on a "sit year" next year after going the last two years) but none, to my knowledge, cap total trips.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

And when an official works these games, how are you commemorated? Are you listed in a record history (online or in a book) or are you given any special patches, dues changes or any such distinction for working that last game? Or are you considered a State Final Official if you did not work the championship game? Peace

Officials who work state championship games here aren't treated differently than officials who work regional games or who work state tournaments but don't get a final. We all get a pin to wear on our uniform jacket next year.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by mtn335

Officials who work state championship games here aren't treated differently than officials who work regional games or who work state tournaments but don't get a final. We all get a pin to wear on our uniform jacket next year.

We have Regionals and Sectionals and right before the State Finals is the Super Sectional are all state final games. To even be more specific, the State Finals are played at a completely neutral site and at the Civic Center in Peoria for the Boys (where Bradley plays) and in Bloomington for the Girls (Where ISU plays. Officials that work all those levels before state are not considered "State Final Official." And the reason that also matters, they give State Final officials a "patch" on their sleeve and also put their name in the book for their accomplishment. We get no special distinction for working a Regional for example. There is in our system a consideration for our ratings based on the highest level you have worked, but that is all. No pins, patches or publication recognition from the IHSA.

Peace

[SD Referee]

I find it interesting that a lot of you guys talk about associations on a regular basis. We do not have associations. We are all licensed by the state and monitored by the state high school association. We are split up into regions with a region coordinator in charge of each region.

Our postseason is split up into districts, regions, then the state tourney. The participating schools of each district have a meeting to select the officials they want from the area. Once that is done, one AD from one of the schools is put in charge of the district. That person decides who works which games. The winners of two separate districts will meet in the region championship. The officials assigned to that game is a mixture of officials from the two districts that make up the region.

The region winners go on to the state tourney. The officials for the state tourney are selected by a committee put together by the state high school association. 12 officials per 8 team state tourney. Our region coordinators put together a list of officials that they recommend for the state tourney. The committee at the state level uses this information in their selection process. You cannot work a boys and a girls tourney in the same year.

Up until recently, you saw a lot of the same old guys at the state tourneys. Most guys could just put it on their calendar regardless of whether they could really do the job at a high level anymore. Regardless of whether some newer younger officials were maybe "better". Now recently we are seeing a shift from the old guard to newer younger officials that can maybe do the job at a higher level. They are recognizing that our pool of officials is getting pretty old and that they need to move on to the new crop of guys. As long as they are qualified and capable of doing the job at a high level.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by SD Referee

I find it interesting that a lot of you guys talk about associations on a regular basis. We do not have associations. We are all licensed by the state and monitored by the state high school association. We are split up into regions with a region coordinator in charge of each region.

Our postseason is split up into districts, regions, then the state tourney. The participating schools of each district have a meeting to select the officials they want from the area. Once that is done, one AD from one of the schools is put in charge of the district. That person decides who works which games. The winners of two separate districts will meet in the region championship. The officials assigned to that game is a mixture of officials from the two districts that make up the region.

The region winners go on to the state tourney. The officials for the state tourney are selected by a committee put together by the state high school association. 12 officials per 8 team state tourney. Our region coordinators put together a list of officials that they recommend for the state tourney. The committee at the state level uses this information in their selection process. You cannot work a boys and a girls tourney in the same year.

Up until recently, you saw a lot of the same old guys at the state tourneys. Most guys could just put it on their calendar regardless of whether they could really do the job at a high level anymore. Regardless of whether some newer younger officials were maybe "better". Now recently we are seeing a shift from the old guard to newer younger officials that can maybe do the job at a higher level. They are recognizing that our pool of officials is getting pretty old and that they need to move on to the new crop of guys. As long as they are qualified and capable of doing the job at a high level.

The *schools* select the officials? Interesting.

I've often thought there's too much an emphasis on crews around here. Personally, I feel I can walk on the floor with people I haven't met before and if we can all do the job, it won't show in the game. Others disagree with me. I have worked at least 10 games this season with people I'd never worked with before and most of them have gone well. All where the other 2 officials can do the job have.

[SD Referee]

Originally Posted by Rich

The *schools* select the officials? Interesting.

I've often thought there's too much an emphasis on crews around here. Personally, I feel I can walk on the floor with people I haven't met before and if we can all do the job, it won't show in the game. Others disagree with me. I have worked at least 10 games this season with people I'd never worked with before and most of them have gone well. All where the other 2 officials can do the job have.

By schools, I mean the AD's get together and have a meeting to agree on the officials they want. They do not hire "crews". They hire guys they feel do the job well. Honestly, we don't really have crews here. We all work with a variety of guys during the year.

I agree with you on your crew stance. I don't need to work with the same guys every game, and in fact, I don't. I work with many different officials during the year. Good officials. If we all do our job, there is no effect on me or the game.

Every game in our state tourney is with a crew of 3 that likely have not worked together before, or have very few times.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by SD Referee

....

Up until recently, you saw a lot of the same old guys at the state tourneys. Most guys could just put it on their calendar regardless of whether they could really do the job at a high level anymore. Regardless of whether some newer younger officials were maybe "better". Now recently we are seeing a shift from the old guard to newer younger officials that can maybe do the job at a higher level. They are recognizing that our pool of officials is getting pretty old and that they need to move on to the new crop of guys. As long as they are qualified and capable of doing the job at a high level.

In 2009, specifically to combat commissioners who refused to send up new names, the VHSL instituted a "State Evaluation" camp in order to identify new officials to work the state tournament. The first 2 years of the camp the commissioner of my local association refused to submit names. He got voted out for that and other reasons. That ouster led to the political nightmare which caused me to take my services up to Richmond.

The Peninsula (1/2 of Hampton Roads) is still a mess 6 years after that election.

[Lcubed48]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

That ouster led to the political nightmare which caused me to take my services up to Richmond.

Thank you to you and the other transfers!