Nights of the Week
 

Why do states and conferences have a tendency to focus HS varsity basketball schedules (and in some cases most/all HS basketball schedules) on Tuesday and Friday nights? I know this is not a factor everywhere, but it seems like it is in more places than not. With more and more places moving to 3-person for varsity, wouldn't you want to open up other nights of the week to spread officiating talent and availability around? And wouldn't more gym space be available for more flexible scheduling as well?

When I was in Kansas a few years ago (great experience, by the way....not knocking it), I made all my money working two nights per week, and from time to time I'd do non-HS ball on Saturdays for extra cash. Don't get me wrong, my wife liked the work/life balance but I would have preferred to work a few more nights per week. :rolleyes:

There are some possible factors that I'm aware of such as college schedules tend to focus on Wed/Sat, and Wednesdays in some places are sacrosanct because of Protestant worship traditions. But I just don't see these factors as being so predominant that HSs wouldn't want to try hosting contests on other nights of the week, especially Mondays and Thursdays.

Anyone else have thoughts and experiences with this?

Well Friday is a traditional high school sports night (see: HS football) and Tuesday is the optimal day opposite Friday for providing adequate rest for the athletes while still having two games per week. Probably as simple as that.

They are not scheduling games based on what's optimal for getting officiating crews. That's barely a consideration.

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Seems quite logical.

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Schools are not concerned in the least with "spreading the officiating wealth."

I was going to say this exact same thing. @#$@#$ schools not considering officials availability when scheduling their sporting events.

And, many large schools send one bus with boys & girls, V, JV, soph and freshman. The saving in travel costs outweigh officiating costs. With three gyms at each school, it is the most economical way to play eight games.

Well Tuesday and Friday are the typical Boys Basketball nights here. There are some exceptions as the other nights might be used as the occasional non-conference game, but when you think about it, schools only play around 18-20 games (outside of regular season tournament games).

All the other nights are typical girls nights with the occasional Friday night game.

And I do feel that some of this is the consideration is for the officials or quality officiating to be available. But the reality is that many officials here do not work both genders that much. For example I usually do not do a single girls game unless asked to do someone a favor and I am not alone there. I know many coaches on the boys side do not want to see "girl's officials" on their games typically and I think it does effect some basic scheduling of these games. I know that some conferences have gone to boys games on like a Wednesday or Monday to get more exposure and probably to get some better officials that would be working in other conferences.

Peace

Water Color Memories ...
 

Agree.

Back when Title IX first kicked in and my local "boys" basketball officiating board started working girls games, the boys had Tuesday and Friday nights, and the girls had Monday and Thursday nights. Perfect for scheduling practices in schools with one gymnasium, and perfect for scheduling officials.

Eventually the girls, rightfully so, wanted a piece of the Friday night action. Friday nights are now big nights for both genders, and officials are in short supply on Friday nights (I did a junior varsity/varsity doubleheader one Friday night last season, doubling up is very rare in these parts, my only junior varsity game of the season). After Friday nights, there doesn't seem to be another "dominant" busy night. Saturday nights, which used to be a "dead" night for high school basketball, are now just as busy as any non-Friday night.

Years ago our local board would schedule our monthly meetings on Wednesday nights, with only few officials excused from the meeting due to assigned games. Now, there are many games played on Wednesdays, and we now have to schedule these meetings on Sunday mornings, much to the dismay of those of us that would like attend religious services with our families.

Also, in this area, middle school (Jr. high) games are played on Mondays and Thursdays.

Varsity HS games are Tuesday and Friday here with a very occasional Saturday game. Jr high plays primarily on Monday and Thursday. Freshman play just about any day of the week; sometimes early before the soph/varsity games on Tues/Fri, sometimes on Monday night and sometimes even on a Saturday morning. About the only night that rarely if ever has games around here is Wednesday. I often work 4 days a week during basketball season. Of course unlike some guys I'll work any level if I'm free; Tues/Friday varsity games are fun and exciting but I enjoy the low key lower level games too. Also there are plenty of guys available to work varsity games around here; the big problem is filling those lower level games because so many guys will only work varsity. How are new guys supposed to learn if they never get a chance to work with veteran officials at the lower level? I'll always work some of those Jr High/Freshman games.

At the moment, I only work varsity (well, usually JV/V doubleheaders, as is the norm around here at all except the very biggest schools). But that's mainly due to home/family situation: with a very young child at home and my wife wanting time to do her own hobbies in the evenings (fair enough), 2 nights per week is all I'm able to work.

If/when I can work more often, I'd absolutely love to be the guy working with and mentoring the newer officials. It's just not an option right now.

Some of us aren't willing to work 5-6 days a week anymore.

If I'm not working a varsity game, I'm likely at home with my family. Don't get me wrong -- I teach at association meetings, I'm a clinician at clinics and camps, etc. -- I give back. But after 29 years of this and with an 11-year-old child, something's gotta give.

That said, I just looked at my schedule for the coming season and I'm working every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday night along with 4 Mondays and 4 Saturdays -- so it's not like I have a ton of time off.

For football, the only night of the week with no football here is Tuesday night, and that is the night of the association meeting. I work 50 or more football games every year and 15 and 13 year old sons generally come with me. They don't play a fall sport so it works out. I have trained both kids to film my games, so besides getting lots of bonding time, I get lots of film to look at (we don't have Hudl here).

When it comes to my family, we all sit down and start with the football schedule and then pick family days based on that and the school schedule. It is such a short season anyway, so lots of time remains for the family before and after.

As a basketball ref, I find the weekends are the perfect time to block out. Virtually all of the games I work are during the week between 4pm and 8pm, so I just make sure to have the family stuff over the weekend. However, my son plays basketball, so I block out all of his home game dates and only work 30 or so games a year for basketball.

If I work that many nights a week, it is because I am working 2 or 3 college games as well. Mostly 3 nights including Saturday is what is typical outside of a Christmas or Thanksgiving Tournament week, which can be every day and multiple games a day. And I can tell you that that is often too much over the course of a season if I worked every week with 4 games.

Not our problem here at all. Plenty of officials that can
work at all levels, but not as many qualified officials at the varsity level, but many think they are qualified when they are not.

They can do the very same thing I did. I worked as many games as I could and often did not work with varsity officials in the process. I went to clinics, attended meetings and talked to my mentors. Sometimes the best way to learn is work with someone that is on a similar level you are so that you do not just defer or assume that the veteran will bail you out. Not to say that is not part of the process to work with veterans, but it should not be the default position for every lower level games. I know two young officials that can handle a game just fine if trained properly.

Peace

I think this is the reality for many. If I work that much I have nothing else to do. I paid my dues to work every night, which I did for years. Those years are over primarily because someone else needs to work. I also observe official, evaluate, teach at meetings and also a state clinician who can be asked about many situations in games. I do not even have kids now but I have other obligations and officiating is not always the first thing I have to do.

Peace

Pole dancing?

No I believe the obligations being referenced are all court appointed.

If I'm working 4 games in a week, hopefully it's because on Wednesday and Saturday I am working college games. I have no desire to work 5-6 days a week unless at least 3 of those dates are college games. I am definitely not taking off from work early to work JV or middle school games. It's nice to have 2 weekdays (usually Monday & Thursday ) to live a life outside of officiating.

For my entire 15 years of officiating I have had minor children in my house, and a majority of that time was as a single parent. "Free time" was time I could spend with my child(ren) or, until recently, my 2nd wife. I was also going to school for full-time for the last 3 years, which ends in October.

So let's not assume evil or arrogant intent when officials choose not to work every night there is a game or choose not to work lower levels.

Well said. It is far better have any decent (or great official) for 2 nights per week and no nights per week. Just because some like to do 500 games/year doesn't mean that is best for everyone.

Hey I get the not working too many nights a week; not saying I work 4 nights a week all season but there are occasional weeks I do. Two nights a week is my preference as well. A lot of those heavy weeks are when I pick up a game on late notice to help someone out. I really don't find Jr high games to be much of an imposition though; they start at 4:30 and the A and B games are usually done by 6. Home in time for dinner. Varsity games are more of a chore; I either have to work a girl/boy double in the smaller conferences and probably drive quite a distance or a single game in the big conferences that don't start until around 7:45 so I get home late. I agree working too much can burn you out; I've been at this for 16 years and stepped away from both basketball and baseball once because I was burned out from working too much.

I also agree there are a lot of ways to learn as a new official. I went and watched veteran officials work games on my own and did a lot of studying. However, some of the tips I got from veteran guys working those lower level games in my first few years were invaluable. I'm glad there were some of them still willing to work those games with a newbie like me.

My sweet spot for the year is about 30 games during the season and about a dozen or so during the off season, probably a camp here or there. This is fun for me but it doesn't really pay the bills to warrant investing much more time.

Well JH games around here are a mixed bag and can start early and can start late depending on the school's policy. But 4:30 game are hard to get to in the biggest part of our state where I live as you might have to leave really early just to get to a game. I know most people usually work these kinds of games close to their houses, but as stated, not everyone gets off of work at 4:00 or works right around the house from their house. People do it of course, but it is not for everyone.

Well again as stated many lower level games are earlier and hard to get to and for those of us that have been around, we are working other games. That does not preclude veterans from giving tips or information about how to improve as an official. Heck every varsity game usually has a sophomore game involved and that is what we do to observe the officials for a part of the game before us. It does not take much for us to give that information.

Peace

The challenge around here is that the entry level for basketball officiating is the middle school level, and all middle school games require availability for a 4:00. Anyone spending even a minor amount of time in recruitment and training know how much of an impediment this is to getting new officials integrated into the system. The best are tied up until 5:00 and even a 6:00 arrival is pinching it for them.
Those veterans spoon-fed with ripe schedules get to pick their dates during a time slot later in the evening easy to make. Problem is, when they quit, there will be few to take their places. At least few that are good.
Not suggesting a solution, just the problem.