Referee Shortage Discussion-- 127 unfilled varsity games

[Rich]

Originally Posted by UNIgiantslayers

To address a couple of interesting points:

We do have a pipeline of sorts. Our big metro conference gets 3 person for most of their JV games. That's a good place for new/young officials to network and figure out how to get varsity games. Then, you're typically trusted on a few small varsity games the first year of varsity scheduling. The next couple years will be full schedule if you want it of varsity small school ball. After you prove yourself, attend a few camps, our current assignor will give you a chance on a couple of big conference games. If you do well, you'll get more the next year. If you don't do well, you'll get a couple the next year to improve or improve yourself. I think that works well.



Rich, while I can appreciate your view as an assignor, the 2 man game is a LOT harder and more work than 3. If I were getting the same paycheck for 2 man, I would turn those games back. If that ended my time as an official, that's fine with me as I'm not interested in doing 2 man varsity double headers for $90 a night. I'm not sure if I would be in the minority or majority, and I'd have to think pretty hard about that decision but I just don't see myself driving to Glidden-Ralston, Iowa for a game in front of 40 people where the game check barely pays for fuel and not enjoying the game. Hell, I don't want to go there to do 3 man, but we all take our lumps a few times a season. 2 man, to me, is not fun. At all.

To me, it depends on who is requesting 2 officials. If the officials association tells certain schools they only get two, how is this the school's fault?

My 24 schools are in the smallest two divisions in the state. If anyone suggested that the bigger schools deserved that third official more than mine, I'd be as loud as I needed to be to make sure that didn't happen. Our games are physical and need the third official just as much.

Fortunately, our system here has each league hiring licensed officials and I can use anyone willing to drive to the location and work. Right now, I have no shortage.

I try to make sure we're competitive with pay. We pay more than most and the big school conferences feel they can pay less cause officials want to work those games. As an official, I've realized that there's a lot of joy in worrking for smaller schools. Once everyone went to 3-person, I stopped worrying about filling my schedule with big school games. I'd rather stay closer to home.

But if I was a school who was told "You're only getting two" I'd fight paying more money.

An example from a few years ago. Scheduling mixup at a game I was working. Only 2 officials. Partner thought we'd get paid the three checks for the two of us. I said, "why should we? Not the school's fault. And our contract doesn't promise a crew size." I got one of the JV officials to stay.

As far as me as an official? I will simply never again accept a game with fewer than 3 officials. Easy.


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