Late
 

What do you feel is the appropriate penalty for showing up late to a contest by an assignor? Does the reason matter? Should your history in the association play a factor or one shoe fits all?

There are many appropriate reasons and yes your history matters. I have been in this large area trying to get to a game and been in the car over an hour longer than you want to be because of an accident or weather traffic that was not anticipated. Now if that is always the excuse, then that is something a person will have to deal with that does the assigning. But if they totally shut down a particular road, then yes that can be an easy understanding why someone would not normally OK. But those are not every day things.

Peace

Let me add that it also depends on when you let the assigner / partners / school know.

You cannot always anticipate that there will be a reason you did not anticipate that made you late. Once I was late to a game due to being abducted by Martians. :eek:

Happens once or twice? Nada. If you have told the assignor you would have trouble making it to a specific area by gametime and still get assigned there? Nada.

Otherwise, put yourself in reverse role. If you are there and ready and team tells you they want to wait to start, you gonna be okay with that? I've had it happen in softball and it's really annoying, so I always try to make it in plenty of time.

If you are always at a game on time and after several years all of a sudden you are late, the reason shouldn't really matter. We all have lives and this isn't our first responsibility. We have jobs, families, and sometimes a life. If you are constantly late, the reason doesn't matter either.

Of course. If I leave work or my house in plenty of time to arrive one hour ahead of tipoff and an 18-wheeler overturns and blocks two lanes of I-26 in the middle of nowhere, what am I supposed to do?

Just call one of your partners and let him/her know you're running behind.

And yes, if you're constantly late to a contest, it makes a difference versus if it's a rare occurrence.

Depends on the reason. I've worked with a guy who showed up late because he went home to get his shoes because he didn't have them. He was wearing running shoes to the game anyway, I don't think that's a good reason.

The guy that's late because he's the deputy fire chief and caught a worker, that's a valid reason.

Personal history always matters.

Stuff happens, sure technology is great but I work games in areas that unless my partners understand smoke signals there's not a chance of making notification.

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My HS associations have policies in writing. Any punishment (fine/lost games) is appealable to the executive boards. I've had to it one time years ago. I was late b/c of job (was still active duty military at the time), though I was still there before tip-off (and arrived dressed, ready to work). What made it bad was that my partner was also late, but he didn't make it until after tip-off.

I appealed my fine and won.

...uhhhhhh put your stripes on, drive around everyone, and let the accident response team know your an "official" :D

Works every time, plus you're already use to getting yelled at, so whats a few honks and waves of the finger.

Could you ask this same question about a partner who is always missing pre-game talks and barely shows up to get on the court at 15?

As an assignor, I would make a mental note of these occurrences and probably assign less games for reasons that are unacceptable. To me its going to happen to everyone at some point for whatever reason(s). How often is the key.

Plus I've also been on the flip side, where the assignor was the one that made the mistake and had the crew going to the wrong gym at the wrong time. I think everyone understands its going to happen, but how you react and the professionalism you demonstrate, goes a long way.

I think it depends on what you consider late. If your standard is to be at the school 60 minutes before the game starts and you have guys that are consistently only 30 minutes early, is that late?

Also, as others have noted, history is vital here. You don't want to be the guy everyone dreads to see on their schedule because they know you'll show up just in time to have the "don't eff it up" pregame and nothing more.