Referee Shortage Discussion-- 127 unfilled varsity games

[SD Referee]

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.

I love reading all the posts. Some of you guys are very experienced and very knowledgeable. Great info.

The only part of the above post I agree with in regards to "the 2 man game is a LOT harder and more work than 3" is that it's a lot harder to catch everything.

If you have a good 3 man crew, you should still be working hard and doing your best at all times. It just bugs me a little when people say that you work harder in a 2 man crew. I disagree. I think all good officials word just as hard at all time. Just my opinion.

One more thing to agree on. 2 man is not fun at all. I'm glad we don't do 2 man ever anymore where I ref. I still believe that if I get 2 great partners, we are still working as hard. We just catch more with the extra set of eyes.