Officially taking early retirement from Adult Men's Wreck League
 

This was my first year with a full varsity slate, and I earned a post season game from the state which tells me I can't be as terrible of an official as this league makes me feel. Last night was the nail in the coffin for adult men's wreck league. The following events made me send an email to the coordinator telling him I was done and he'd have to find someone to fill my remaining games:

-A guy argued that there is no 5 second closely guarded rule (we are NFHS). I explained that college and Fed are different, and he insisted that even in HS, there is no closely guarded.
-A guy didn't understand why after a false double foul (2 shots on a shooting foul, 2 for a T after the foul), they didn't get a chance to rebound the ball when we gave it to other team at half court for throw in. After explaining it, he said "you're trying to give them the game."
-Gave out 4 T's (2 f-bombs, 2 players shoving and almost fighting)
-Games 4 & 5, partner doesn't cross half court as T
-Partner signaling preliminary 3 on ball across the lane in other corner
-Partner calls hand check as L across the lane behind 3 point line
-Received email from coordinator telling me to take it easy on T's and to have thicker skin.

The extra money is nice, but it's not worth the headache. Kudos to those that lasted longer than the 1 1/2 seasons I lasted in men's wreck.

Your assignor wants fights then. You were just taking care of business. Had nothing for 15 months with men and LOVE it. No amount of money is worth doing mens wreck. Lax mens wreck at $60 an hour is still worth it. LOL

Funny, I would have also given a T for the "you're trying to give them the game" comment.

And yeah, his email would have been the final straw for me. "Apparently, I'm not compatible with your league."

Yep, sounds like it's time to GTFO.

Well, they should be thankful that you had of 1.5 yrs of tolerance. It's their loss---they just lost a great official--the quality of that league will go down and the chaos level will go up.
Like I have said before (in other posts on such leagues)--I convert all such wreck league games into a FT shooting contest; however, based on reading what you've had to put up with--not even my ruse would work. Just plain bad basketball from the intimidated league management to the idiot players.

Adult leagues -- everyone has a mouth and wants to use it.

I guess this stuff is for some people -- it's not for me. It would be for me at about $50/game, maybe. I have a price. I'd still call a lot of Ts.

Adult league's aren't for everyone. I've done plenty and also do HS.

It takes a different approach by the official -- for me its recognizing that we're dealing with men vs boys. I'm 34 -- almost all the men's league players are my age +- 10 years. The players are basically my peers. So I will engage with them, talk with them, joke with them -- Things that I don't do when I'm working a HS game.

Not saying this is true in your case, but in general, where I see officials get frustrated and have problems is when officials try to run these games like HS games. Playcalling, philosophy, etc. that generally makes the game better in HS often makes the game worse for Adult leagues and vice verse.

Every official should be required to work one year of "wreck" games just for educational purposes and then NEVER EVER have to work them again.

Response to Wreck League
 

This is not a post to convince you to continue to do something that you do not enjoy doing, but a friendly response to your troubles. I enjoy the men's rec league that I work--three games on Sunday nights. They are amongst the best games I work all year for the quality of athletes and competitiveness. There are many former DI, DII and Juco players and my usual partner is a good friend and we discuss plays during breaks/time-outs.



-A guy argued that there is no 5 second closely guarded rule (we are NFHS). I explained that college and Fed are different, and he insisted that even in HS, there is no closely guarded.
Politely, but firmly explain the rule and move on.
-A guy didn't understand why after a false double foul (2 shots on a shooting foul, 2 for a T after the foul), they didn't get a chance to rebound the ball when we gave it to other team at half court for throw in. After explaining it, he said "you're trying to give them the game."
Politely, but firmly explain the rule and move on.
-Gave out 4 T's (2 f-bombs, 2 players shoving and almost fighting)
Blow the whistle and give the offender or both teams a verbal warning about the language first, then T them the next time. This usually works. Last time I used this in a rec-league game the teammates of the player who received the T were upset with their own player saying "he just warned you". Players shoving each other is a regular rec-league occurence. Deal with the situation and move on.
-Games 4 & 5, partner doesn't cross half court as T
A tough one. One "trick" I use is to ask my sluggish partner for help on drives to the basket in transition. Hopefully they will get the message to hustle a little more
-Partner signaling preliminary 3 on ball across the lane in other corner
Don't sweat the small stuff.
-Partner calls hand check as L across the lane behind 3 point line
Two man crew?..... let it go. Maybe you missed it :)

-Received email from coordinator telling me to take it easy on T's and to have thicker skin.
Call what needs to be called.

The extra money is nice, but it's not worth the headache. Kudos to those that lasted longer than the 1 1/2 seasons I lasted in men's wreck.
The reasons I still put up with the "headache"
1. Skills stay sharp year-round.
2. Stay in shape....getting paid for cardio
3. Opportunity to see plenty of plays. I know this has helped me in my post-season games the last couple of weeks.
4. Continuing education. Talking with my partners about plays and situations coupled with checking the rule/case books for answers.
5. Trying to improve. A former top D1 official in our association recently commented on how many of our officials "hang up their shoes for eight months and wonder why they don't get any better".
6. I still think it is fun.

Respectfully,

WJC3

Every situation is different, and I'm not trying to say I know what yours is, but if you can manage to finish your season out, I would recommend you try to do that, and then resign from your position. By turning down accepted games, you might run the risk of losing respect from your peers who get stuck either without a partner, or with a much lower quality official, and some may hold grudges.

That's an easy opinion for someone like me to have, who doesn't work wreck league though, but just some advice for what its worth-

Appreciate the words of advice, guys. A couple things about those-

I would say maybe 5-10% of the guys in this league played past high school. In fact, it would surprise me if 75% even played varsity based on their skillsets today. The quality of basketball is very poor, which makes it less fun.

I'm not going to let F bombs go. I guess I should have specified that they were directed at me (you've got to be f'ing kidding me, and that's a f'ing joke of a call). Sorry, just not going to do it.

Not letting shoving go. I'm not big enough to stop a fight, so I'm going to put an end to it fast and let their teams deal with it.

I had every intention of finishing out the season, but without the support of the league coordinator, I have no reason to. The guys that ref it are mostly weekend 5th-8th AAU tourney guys. None that I've worked with work any varsity, so to be honest, that's the league coordinator's problem.

As far as staying in shape, I run 55-70 miles a week so I'm not worried about that part.

I don't mean to come off as a prick, I honestly appreciate the feedback. Just giving you my reasons for why I'm doing what I'm doing.

Congrats on your Adult Rec League Retirement!!! I got out 5 years ago....NEVER looked back! :D

Do you work 3-whistle?

If not, how does this make you any better.....unless you routinely work 2-whistle during the season?

Bravo, UNI. I ride the fence on this decision seemingly every year about this time ... but I haven't pulled the trigger just yet.

I hear a lot of myself in your comments (including the one about not being big enough to stop a fight!) and don't think you should give it a second thought.

Put it this way: Can you imagine a nanosecond between now and your funeral where you're saying, "Man, I wish I was still officiating adult basketball. I really regret giving it up"?

I have not worked any Men's Leagues on purpose since my 2nd year of officiating. I did a league on Super Bowl Sunday that year and said to myself, "No freakin way." I did not enjoy it and it was Super Bowl Sunday which is my favorite day sports single day. I have not looked back.

Peace

I disagree. Doing it visibly makes a statement that the league needs to clean up its act. Not taking new assignments next year will never be noticed.

Exactly.

This is in addition to the fact that the assigner basically asked him to resign when he told him to have a thicker skin. I would have been tempted to write him back and advise him to grow a pair and stick up for his officials.

I think I letter of resignation works better.

I think it's rec league and a statement or resignation letter to the coordinator might make him feel bad ...for a minute or two. They want to fill their leagues. They want players etc to be happy. They won't crack down because you're leaving.
Just like many things, send your letter to other zebras and have a unified front:clean it up or call your own. That might get their attention.

I do not think you need to make a major statement, just do what is best for you and your career. If make a statement you highlight something that might not be known, but it might also get twisted. Just do not accept games anymore. And if you are that bothered, give back the rest of your games. But either way this train will move on without you. I know we all think that we will make a difference, but the reality is they will play the league with or without you and someone else will be convinced that either the money is worth it or will help their career. We have many leagues around here and every time someone works them. I do not hear anything about the quality of officiating, even if it is some travel league. They do not care, we are just a prop.

Peace

That's fair, but I also don't know if the OPer was trying to make a change in the officiating world, or just wanting to be done. Again without knowing the full story, I would lean toward finishing out what I had committed to, and being done from there.

We're stretched pretty thin around here right now, so if I were to do this, I can see the games not getting filled, which I don't care about the problem this might create for an assigner who isn't going to back me up, but I would care about my reputation with fellow officials, who I might be hanging out to dry. Now if there were plenty of officials that could fill in? Then I think it depends on just how bad things were.

It's clear that there are a wide variety of rec leagues. Generally the worst the players are, the more they think that the officiating is what is holding them back. I work one rec league. It is good quality for the most part. I encourage young officials to work that league as a way of developing their game management skills. You're dealing with players and not one coach. We have a lot of former college players who are strong, skilled and know a lot of tricks (trying to fool officials etc...). For me, it has been an excellent avenue to develop as an official. We have another rec league (35 and over) where the skill level is considerably worse. I rarely work that league since the cons seem to outweigh the pros.

If the assigner is telling me to get a thicker skin, I'm going to assume he thinks he can get officials willing to accommodate. If he can't, he should have been more willing to show the league some backbone.

My game yesterday wasn't as bad, but wasn't far from it.

Started well and was a good game for awhile. It was about a 5 point game when things started to get a little heated. Team A only started with 7 players. Team A's best player fouled out in the first half (aggressive but not under control, 2 fouls were charges). Team A's players liked to scream "and one" every time they went up for a shot attempt, even if nobody was near them. My partner and I finally had enough and warned the team that this was unsportsmanlike and in violation of both NFHS and league rules, and that further screams of that nature would result in a technical foul. (The team argued they had been doing it all season, like I never heard that before). Late in the 3rd quarter, A1 goes up for a shot and screams "and one" which immediately earns him a technical foul. We have a league rule that states a player must sit for 2 minutes after being assessed and intentional or technical foul. He argues a bit but goes to the bench. The problem is his team mate, which should be subbing in for him has gone to the bathroom. We shoot the tech FT's and inbound the ball. Here comes A 0 out of the bathroom. He walks over to the table and realizes that Team A only has 4 players on the floor, so he immediately runs onto the floor during play. Partner calls a tech on A 0 for entering the court without permission. He now has to sit for two minutes and now Team A only has 4. Team B goes on a huge run and takes a 10 point lead. Penalty time runs out and Team A is back to 5 players.

About 3 minutes left and Team B is up 10. Team A inbounds the ball and A 0 puts up a shot and thinks he was fouled. He goes Ape-!@#$ and drops multiple F-bombs directed at me. He gets a T and the exit door from me (2nd Tech, but his actions were also deserving of a flagrant foul). He continues and refuses to leave the gym, which earns him a tech from my partner (he also called my partner an F-ing something as well, which earned the T). During the 4th quarter we had a fan starting to get a bit crazy complaining about calls. Whatever, I can ignore that to a point. This fan starts getting more vocal crude and is asked by site supervision to leave. After shooting the tech FT's this fan decides to throw her water bottle across the gym. My partner sees this and immediately ends the game.

This caused the captain of Team A (A 13) to go APE-!@#$. He comes over and gets in my face saying you can't F-ing end the game, then he starts going after the other team. He is also rewarded with a flagrant T. The fan then comes across the court and starts yelling at us and the other team about how we are all F-ing cheaters and such. She is being disruptive to the point of the site supervisor pulling out his phone to call the police. She then says that calling the police won't make a difference because she's been arrested many times before. (I'm not shocked). She also says she is going to call the police because we stole the game from her boys.

The funniest and saddest part of this mess was the female fan. I thought she was the wife or girlfriend of one of the players. Nope, this was the mother of #13, the one who went off on me after the game was called.

It is truly WRECK League when you have your mother coming out and making a scene at her ADULT child's basketball game. (I do use the term child correctly because that's what he acted like).

My end of game report requested a minimum 2 game suspension for #0 and for #13 (team captain) and that the Rec Department request a trespass order be placed on the mother prohibiting her from setting foot on any school district property.

The absolute worst part was the on the other end of the bleachers who two elementary aged children of one of the Team B players. These two young ladies were absolutely scared to death when this was happening because they didn't understand what was going on. The site supervisor had to go over and calm them down because their father wasn't able to calm them down.

That game almost made me want to give up on working WRECK LEAGUE Games as well.

At least my supervisor generally understood what was called and has so far supported us. The question of support will be answer when I find out if they have suspended the players and barred the mother from the school facilities were we play.

As Rich has said before, I would have put the ball on the table and went to the house. No reason to stick around for that. That whole team should be disqualified from further play this season, I don't care how much they paid.

I gave up Adult Leagues years ago...to many babies crying, too many boxers wanting to throw fists, too many "stars" not getting fair treatment......Not worth the measly amount they pay to deal with that garbage. The facilities/centers these are played in will typically cater to their paying customers anyway (the players) and don't want to back the officials.

And here's the root of the problem... from the league's perspective, the players are "revenue" and the officials are an expense.

As someone who picks and chooses what I work, for me it's about location, money, and potential for BS. When potential for BS goes up, the rate needs to go up. And for rec stuff, it all has to be close to the house.

I end up doing about 3-4 a year because of my criteria.

Ours is $25 a game/hour, and the league rotates locations all within 5 miles of my house. I think they'd have to give me at least $40 per game to ever consider it again. 5 hours on a Sunday night is not worth this hassle.

Our Association does several Men's League's. They rate from "A" - former College and HS players still in their youth with much above the rim play......to "C," older or less skilled players, but still, not bad ball.

I choose to avoid the "A" League as I have heard horror stories of fights and the police being called on occasion.

The "C" League has some decent, competitive games and while the testosterone does fly at times, I rarely have an issue and most of the time they're friendly.

I take a "B" or "C" game every now and again, but, wouldn't go out of my way to schedule them or try and bank a lot of these games. (Usually $40/game)

I'd consider it for $40 / game. The one nearest my home brought in an assigner from 60 miles away, cutting out the local association.

Emails were sent, and expectations were set. Let's just say I get an email now and then from that assigner but I still don't know how much they're paying (they are doing 3-man, though).

I don't do adults. I'm talking kids, myself.

I worked 3 6th grade games on Saturday for $35 each about 6 miles from the house. Total commitment including driving? Less than 4 hours.

*Sweet deal you have going on there; however, the rest of us must contend with considerably less of a game fee and more of a headache.
Do you encounter the same level of angst if it is women's wreck league games?

You must not. Don't work them.

Don't work adults, period.

*That is the advice that I have heard both assignors and association board members say at our meetings--they strongly advise us to: "stay away from those wreck men's league games cause you can only deteriorate your mechanics--not all money is good money" is what they often tell us.
Yet, I must confess that getting paid on the spot @ $25/game for a 3 game set that I am consciously manipulating [OK I confess it!] by having them shoot lots of FTs early and often is well...
I have observed that the approximate time it takes to administer FT's (either 1 and 1 or 2 shots) is about 45 seconds, inclusive of allowing for subs to come in, then me pausing to bend over and re-tying my shoelaces adds another 10 seconds--all while clock is running.

Rich, what part of WI are you in? I'm in a highly populated metro area and I've never seen over $25 for any AAU/kids rec league.

Madison area.

Most pay $25. When the solicitation came out for $35 cash, I was all over it.

Pay more and a wider group of people are interested.

I decided not to get the headaches for the money being offered (adult and kids) locally. I might run some to loosen up after a break, but that's about it.

*ahhh OK, so you have for the most part sworn them off altogether, .

When you have no support from your assignor, it's time to move on. Now.

"Sworn off?" Probably not that drastic, because if the pay goes up (it's woeful around here for that kind of ball) I'll reconsider.

I'm one of the few officials in my association that works wreck league games. I do it for a couple reasons -- but mainly just paid cardio.

Monday night I had 3 games. The final game of the night included a team who I never seem to see eye to eye with. I tried REAL HARD to make it through the game without whacking anyone. But they forced my hand. With about 4 seconds left in a 2 point game. One of their more volatile players went nuts from the bench after already having fouled out. WHACK! Of course I was accused of "giving them(the other team) the game." Not my fault that a 20-something year old kid still can't control his temper, even when his own father, who was also playing on that team, was trying to calm son down and telling him he needed to stop.

I happened to be working that game with the guy who does the assigning. He's not even a certified official, but I digress. I have to admit that I wondered a bit if I'd be invited back the following week. He never seems to say much about the Ts that I call. Anyhow, I got a text from him yesterday afternoon asking me to work 3 nights of the tournament next week. Due to some HS Games and another conflict, I could only give him one.

I've determined that if I just go out there and do my thing, knowing that most of these clowns don't know what they're talking about anyway when they are arguing about calls, that everything will take care of itself. And it does.

I'll work a couple nights of college pro-am in the summer but that's it. It's well run and all the officials are high school and/or college officials that are good to work with, so there aren't usually any problems. It's fairly laid back too so no one gets all that worked up.

No way I'd do men's wreck league, no matter the pay. Probably wouldn't do kids games either unless the pay was just too good to pass up and I had nothing else to do. I would rather work summer baseball in the hot weather than run up and down a basketball court for 4-5 hours.

Just wanted to update with coordinators response to me. Pretty proud of my ratio of technicals. I told him the only way I'd consider coming back is if they start charging immediate fine and he sent an email to players saying enough is enough. Enjoy!

Below are the rules for player and team technicals. I emailed the manager of CIB this morning to inform him that the one player who received two technicals last night was not eligible for the first tournament game. I know you would like a fee assessed when a technical is called. I have not heard of that rule and know other metro departments do not have that rule in place. The issue with that particular rule would be collecting the money and/or teams not willing to pay it. If a team refuses to pay it, you then make them forfeit which negatively impacts the opposing team by not giving them their guaranteed game or by calling the game early.

6. If a player is tagged with one (1) technical foul in one game, that player will have to sit out one (1) minute of game time (after all technical fouls are shot) before returning to the game, including any overtime game. *Exception - dunking the ball.
7. Two (2) technical fouls in one (1) game and the player is out of that game and the next game as well.
8. Should a player accumulate four (4) technical fouls over any part of a season, they will be given a two (2) game suspension. Should a fifth (5th) technical be received after the player returns, the player will be suspended for the remainder of the current basketball season.
9. Should a team accumulate three (3) technical fouls in one (1) game, the team shall forfeit that game if they win. If a team loses, or is losing at the time, the score will remain.
10. Should a team accumulate seven (7) technical fouls over any part of a season, the team will be removed from the league at the Department's discretion.

In 240 games this season, 39 technicals have been called (16 of them by you). Of the 39 total technicals, three of those were for dunking and one for calling a time-out when they didn't have one. If you don't count the four technicals that I just listed, that averages out to one technical every sixth game. I'd like to see that number lower too but don't consider that to be substantially high or to deem all the leagues "out of control".

If you would like to discuss this further I'd be happy to meet with you, if not I understand. I'll get your final shift covered for this Sunday. I appreciate your time and doing your best job the last two seasons.

Is it common for a men's wreck league to not allow dunking? Or is that referring to hanging on the rim, etc.

The games are played at elementary schools so I think they want to save wear and tear on the rims.

So he's defining "out of control" by the number of technical fouls called by the officials who don't take care of business, and he wants you to follow their lead and just take too much crap.

Thank him for his time and move on.

That's kind of what I thought too. I'm not changing his mind, so there's no reason to even respond.

All money ain't good money.
It is refreshing and encouraging to read of you sticking to your principles.