AAU Tournaments and peer-pressure to move the games along...

[BrentD2222]

I hate doing some AAU tournaments because I feel like the organizers pressure the refs to only keep the games moving. IMHO I've seen games end up taking longer and being far more out of control due to unruly behavior due to so many no calls. They end up becoming rock fights and getting very messy down the stretch.

I've been ashamed of some of the games I've been part of due to partners unwillingness to blow their wistle. I hear comments like "I'm not calling shit, I just want to go home, this is my last game".

I attended my son's game this past weekend. While I was not officiating many of the parents know I am an official, so I was forced to field a lot of questions which I either correctly defend the on court officials or explain how angles and views of what happens are a lot different on the court. The game was a shit show. One ref was very solid. The other refused to blow his wistle and also refused to switch ends on any calls. Keep in mind my son's team won the game so this isn't sour grapes. It was concern for player safety and enjoyment of the game. With the exception of one player on the other team who very loudly enjoyed the shit show taunting fans, players, the coach etc. I don't think anyone coaches, fans, players enjoyed that game (except for that douche bag player).

What if anything should be done when you observe an official clearly not caring and putting players at jepordy. He no-called some of the most insane two hand shoves. Trips, two hand shoves... flagrent fouls that would be ejections or min. techs at any scholastic game. Once the player in question swiped at the testicles of another player knocking to his knees. The ref that was in question let out a small chuckle, his only response.

The parents all said we do not yell at the refs out of respect for you knowing you are an official, but when they are not even trying how can we stand for that. I didn't know what to say.

PS - The solid official started the game alone for the first 5 minutes, he was young, but solid. The older guy finally showed up and clearly wanted to go home early was in the young offials ear influencing him (peer-pressure) to lay off his whistle.

It for sure solidified my unwant to officiate AAU tournaments. Especially those that are not run by organizers that care about anything other then the revenue.

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[Raymond]

Don't officiate at such venues and don't allow your child(ren) to play at such venues.

[#olderthanilook]

testes testes....1....2....

[JRutledge]

One more reason not to work any AAU ball outside of a camp situation.

Peace

[BrentD2222]

Originally Posted by Raymond

Don't officiate at such venues and don't allow your child(ren) to play at such venues.

Couldn't agree more. Lesson learned.

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[so cal lurker]

Originally Posted by Raymond

and don't allow your child(ren) to play at such venues.

Easier said than done. Without playing on a club, its tough to "keep up with the Jones" in modern basketball once you get to HS and HS coaches expect that player are playing in the off season.

My son has just come to terms with the fact that the refs will probably stink at those games--when they are merely bad it is a pleasant surprise.

[ODog]

Everyone should check out AAU Bingo on Twitter to see the most hilarious, despicable and predictable stuff week in and week out (officiating-related and otherwise) in the cesspool/circus that is AAU basketball.

[BrentD2222]

Originally Posted by ODog

Everyone should check out AAU Bingo on Twitter to see the most hilarious, despicable and predictable stuff week in and week out (officiating-related and otherwise) in the cesspool/circus that is AAU basketball.

This cracked me up and made me sad at the same time.

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[BrentD2222]

Originally Posted by so cal lurker

Easier said than done. Without playing on a club, its tough to "keep up with the Jones" in modern basketball once you get to HS and HS coaches expect that player are playing in the off season.

My son has just come to terms with the fact that the refs will probably stink at those games--when they are merely bad it is a pleasant surprise.

I agree even more with this.

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[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by BrentD2222

It for sure solidified my unwant to officiate AAU tournaments. Especially those that are not run by organizers that care about anything other then the revenue.

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AAU basketball exists for one reason only--to make $ for those running the tournaments. Do not ever forget that fact.

Now, the solution to the problems that you've highlighted is to pay the officials more for those AAU games. That will attract more officials and a better quality of officials. They won't be so tired after doing 16 games in a weekend and those on the court will have the pride to handle the games with respect.

Until that happens, the tournaments will get exactly what they pay for.

[BrentD2222]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

AAU basketball exists for one reason only--to make $ for those running the tournaments. Do not ever forget that fact.

Now, the solution to the problems that you've highlighted is to pay the officials more for those AAU games. That will attract more officials and a better quality of officials. They won't be so tired after doing 16 games in a weekend and those on the court will have the pride to handle the games with respect.

Until that happens, the tournaments will get exactly what they pay for.

I couldn't agree more. I was saying this exact thing this past weekend. These refs got $27 a game meantime the score keeper girl was 13 years old got $5.

They probably made $30K off this tournament. Not bad for 2 days of shitty basketball.

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[ilyazhito]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

AAU basketball exists for one reason only--to make $ for those running the tournaments. Do not ever forget that fact.

Now, the solution to the problems that you've highlighted is to pay the officials more for those AAU games. That will attract more officials and a better quality of officials. They won't be so tired after doing 16 games in a weekend and those on the court will have the pride to handle the games with respect.

Until that happens, the tournaments will get exactly what they pay for.

Pay more for officials, and use 3-man crews. 3-man crews are better for off-ball coverage, game management (preventing the dumb stuff), and seeing illegal action than 2-man crews are. This would be especially useful for AAU ball.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

Pay more for officials, and use 3-man crews. 3-man crews are better for off-ball coverage, game management (preventing the dumb stuff), and seeing illegal action than 2-man crews are. This would be especially useful for AAU ball.

This is just an example of naivety here.

Those holding the tournaments also decide on the number of officials and what they're going to pay them. If they can get the games covered with 2 officials on each court and pay them $20, they will. If they can't, they'll slowly raise the game fees till they get enough.

3-person? Why would they EVER do that? They don't really care how well the games are officiated. 3-person would be $25 extra per court per hour that they can't stick in their pockets.

Working glorified street ball in 2-person crews will never make anyone a better official. I stopped doing this stuff decades ago when I no longer needed to whore myself out to help pay the rent.

If it was 3-person and paid reasonably well, I'd do it only to see more plays, etc. But how is a 2-person game going to benefit me at this point in my life, when I work no 2-person games in the season?

I really don't care about this stuff anymore. If people want to go make $100 dealing with that stuff for 4 hours, good for them.

[sdoebler]

We have a decent amount of summer tournaments that assign 3 person. It is quite nice and obviously attracts better referees. Games are generally 25/game 2 person or 20/game 3 person so for the extra 10/game it can be worth it to the tournament.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Rich

I'd do it only to see more plays,

... the only reason why I did Catholic middle school games for over thirty years.

Catholic middle school games were never for the money, but I would never would have done them for free.

Originally Posted by HokiePaul

Don't try and take your HS approach and apply it to ... a 5th grade CYO game

With the exception of a few mechanics issues, (don't switch on every foul, throw the ball across the lane on frontcourt endline throwins, etc.), we did use a high school approach in these Catholic middle school games because that's what the assigner, and the league, wanted.

Even at the very beginning, when I was doing mens recreation, youth recreation, and travel games, for both the money, and the experience, I always officiated with a high school approach. Even for the short time that our local board assigned AAU games.

I never sold my soul to the devil. Never.