Referee Shortage Discussion-- 127 unfilled varsity games

[ilyazhito]

Good to know. I was under the impression that R's and U1's are usually the senior guys, with U2's being the junior officials. Thus, R and U1 would perform the heavy lifting when it comes to game management. U2 would be responsible for knowing the rules and making proper calls/corrections on correctable errors. By rule, R has responsibility for the official timer, official (and additional) scorers, shot clock operator, and making the final ruling if officials cannot agree on a call. Other than the responsibilities described in the mechanics manual, what game management responsibilities do U1 and U2 have? Once the game begins, all officials have the same responsibilities for calling fouls and violations, administering timeouts and substitutions, and correcting timing, scoring, and alternating possession errors.

The good ol' boys network would be a major problem, because it prevents talented younger (and older officials) from getting the experience that they need to become the go-to varsity veteran and crew chief officials in the next ~10 years when the current veterans retire. When I meet officials doing other sports, I talk to them, ask them about officiating experience, and offer myself as a resource, also giving them other relevant contacts. If each official can get other people involved, that would help with the shortage, but then there would need to be a way to keep the new officials engaged, so they continue.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

Good to know. I was under the impression that R's and U1's are usually the senior guys, with U2's being the junior officials. Thus, R and U1 would perform the heavy lifting when it comes to game management. U2 would be responsible for knowing the rules and making proper calls/corrections on correctable errors. By rule, R has responsibility for the official timer, official (and additional) scorers, shot clock operator, and making the final ruling if officials cannot agree on a call. Other than the responsibilities described in the mechanics manual, what game management responsibilities do U1 and U2 have? Once the game begins, all officials have the same responsibilities for calling fouls and violations, administering timeouts and substitutions, and correcting timing, scoring, and alternating possession errors.

The good ol' boys network would be a major problem, because it prevents talented younger (and older officials) from getting the experience that they need to become the go-to varsity veteran and crew chief officials in the next ~10 years when the current veterans retire. When I meet officials doing other sports, I talk to them, ask them about officiating experience, and offer myself as a resource, also giving them other relevant contacts. If each official can get other people involved, that would help with the shortage, but then there would need to be a way to keep the new officials engaged, so they continue.

There's an old phrase. Sometimes ypu just gotta ref. I get the feeling you will struggle with that.


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[Raymond]

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

Good to know. I was under the impression that R's and U1's are usually the senior guys, with U2's being the junior officials. Thus, R and U1 would perform the heavy lifting when it comes to game management. U2 would be responsible for knowing the rules and making proper calls/corrections on correctable errors. By rule, R has responsibility for the official timer, official (and additional) scorers, shot clock operator, and making the final ruling if officials cannot agree on a call. Other than the responsibilities described in the mechanics manual, what game management responsibilities do U1 and U2 have? Once the game begins, all officials have the same responsibilities for calling fouls and violations, administering timeouts and substitutions, and correcting timing, scoring, and alternating possession errors.

The good ol' boys network would be a major problem, because it prevents talented younger (and older officials) from getting the experience that they need to become the go-to varsity veteran and crew chief officials in the next ~10 years when the current veterans retire. When I meet officials doing other sports, I talk to them, ask them about officiating experience, and offer myself as a resource, also giving them other relevant contacts. If each official can get other people involved, that would help with the shortage, but then there would need to be a way to keep the new officials engaged, so they continue.

I think you're basing your assumptions on the NBA model, which clearly defines the expected roles of each official.

[jTheUmp]

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

Good to know. I was under the impression that R's and U1's are usually the senior guys, with U2's being the junior officials.

That's certainly not the way it works around here... a lot of times, we designate who the R's going to be when we're in the locker room prior to the game. And it's sometimes as simple as "you sent the email to the AD? You're the R."

The R runs the pregame meeting in the locker room, the pregame coaches/captains meeting, signs the book, and tosses the opening jump ball. Once the ball's tossed, R, U1, U2 doesn't matter.

In fact, last year I worked a handful of games with two VERY experienced officials, who have probably 65 years of experience and probably a dozen state semi-final and final games between them.... and I was the R each time, despite only 7 years experience and zero state tournament assignments to my name.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by crosscountry55

The modern game badly needs the 3rd official (especially with a shot clock).

Connecticut officials seldom work three person games, a few big city rivalry games, and State quarterfinal tournament games on up.

Connecticut officials seldom work games with a shot clock, just prep school varsity games.

I'm on record as liking the mental and physical challenge of a two person game.

However, if Connecticut ever goes to a shot clock, I'll climb on board the three person band wagon before anybody even thinks about jumping on.

I will be on the bandwagon so fast it will make your head spin. I call shotgun.

[Rich]

As an assigner, any complaint must be accompanied by game film for me to take time on it.

Any complaint about a coach from an official generally better be accompanied by a technical foul report. You didn't whack him, you didn't have a problem.

Our state does the rating thing. I wouldn't miss them if they were gone. I've never used them to make hiring decisions. If I need a reference, I'll ask an official I trust - someone who actually understands officiating.


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[SC Official]

Originally Posted by Rich

As an assigner, any complaint must be accompanied by game film for me to take time on it.

Any complaint about a coach from an official generally better be accompanied by a technical foul report. You didn't whack him, you didn't have a problem.

Our state does the rating thing. I wouldn't miss them if they were gone. I've never used them to make hiring decisions. If I need a reference, I'll ask an official I trust - someone who actually understands officiating.


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Unfortunately there are too many assigners who take coaches' complaints at face value without actually investigating their validity.

Do officials really call you to bitch about coaches?

[SC Official]

Some of the larger schools in South Carolina that have freshman boys teams will use 3-p crews for a tripleheader (freshman boys, JV girls, JV boys). That's the only time I've heard of 3-p being used for subvarsity here. The vast majority of schools don't have separate freshman teams.

We are 3-p for varsity statewide. Like Iowa almost all our assignments are G/B doubleheaders. Also in South Carolina the "per game" fee decreases the more games you work in a night. A single varsity game is $55 plus travel. A varsity DH is $78 plus travel.

[crosscountry55]

I’m hearing more and more of a movement toward some states/locations working 3-p crews for JV. I know Ohio has done it for a while, now I hear Iowa does it to some extent, too. Any other places?

This is terrific. I always thought it was silly for officials to either have to learn 3-p by doing varsity games, or going to teaching camps just to get comfortable. Nothing wrong with teaching camps, but if that’s the only way to get 3-p experience prior to working a varsity contest, the system is flawed.

Well done to those states and ADs willing to pay a few more bucks for 3-p JV crews. They obviously recognize that they reap what they sow.


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[SD Referee]

Originally Posted by crosscountry55

I’m hearing more and more of a movement toward some states/locations working 3-p crews for JV. I know Ohio has done it for a while, now I hear Iowa does it to some extent, too. Any other places?

This is terrific. I always thought it was silly for officials to either have to learn 3-p by doing varsity games, or going to teaching camps just to get comfortable. Nothing wrong with teaching camps, but if that’s the only way to get 3-p experience prior to working a varsity contest, the system is flawed.

Well done to those states and ADs willing to pay a few more bucks for 3-p JV crews. They obviously recognize that they reap what they sow.


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We do 3 man for all games that we show up for. If it's JV/V, we do 3 man. If we show up for VG/VB double header it's 3 man. No more 2 man unless there aren't enough bodies that night.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by crosscountry55

I’m hearing more and more of a movement toward some states/locations working 3-p crews for JV. I always thought it was silly for officials to either have to learn 3-p by doing varsity games, or going to teaching camps just to get comfortable.

Freshman? Middle school?

What's the cutoff? At what level are three officials not needed to properly officiate the game?

At what level are three officials needed to get enough three person subvarsity games under their black belts to be ready for a three person varsity schedule?

I observed an official work his first State tournament games last year. He made it to the quarterfinals, where three person crews are mandatory. He looked great. After the game I asked him how many three person games he had worked previous to that night's game. None. That was his first. No scrimmages. No camps. No regular season games. None.

That's not the way to do business.

[Raymond]

It is not unreasonable to expect officials to attend some sort of teaching camp in the off-season to familiarize themselves with 3-man, then work 2-3 scrimmages in the preseason so you can show your proficiency.

I have more heartburn with brand new officials working 3-man in a preseason training environment when all they will be working is 2-man in their first season.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

It is not unreasonable to expect officials to attend some sort of teaching camp in the off-season to familiarize themselves with 3-man, then work 2-3 scrimmages in the preseason so you can show your proficiency ... working 3-man in a preseason training environment when all they will be working is 2-man in their first season.

Agree. That's why there's not a lot of impetus for guys here in Connecticut to go to three person camps (unless they moving up to NCAA). Why bother when one might not get a three person game until the quarterfinals of the State tournament, if one makes it that far.

It's supply and demand. Coaches, athletic directors, and principals don't want, or don't want to pay for, three person crews. Why train, or get trained, in three person mechanics? We've only had one voluntary local clinic for three person, only a few showed up. Our statewide summer camp is a two person camp.

And yet, our state interscholastic sports governing body wants three person crews for the State quarterfinals on up. So we've got guys working three person games in really important tournament games that may have little or no three person experience.

I observe quarterfinal guys pointing to their partners all the time, meaning go there, rotate there, switch here. Once observed a guy move through all three positions during a dead ball after a foul. His partner just kept pointing and he kept moving. Eventually he traced the path of a giant circle around the court, ending up at his original position.

Reminded me of Billy from Family Circus.



That's not the way to do business.