Referee Shortage Discussion-- 127 unfilled varsity games
 

I was forwarded an email by a friend trying to help out from an assigner in the area. It was a plea for help, as there are spots unfilled in 127 VARSITY games for this season. Girls games start this week, boys soon after so we are down to crunch time. I truly think this is becoming a crisis in our state. We've already been told that a lot of the 1A games will be 2 man crews (will we get extra pay for this I wonder?).

I think it's a combination of things that are creeping up to finally bite us. Here's my list, anything else you guys are seeing in your states that is contributing to the shortage?

1. The good old boys club- Until the assignor who does the metro area here took over a few years ago, the old assignor only used his crews for the big school games. I have another friend who officiated for 7 years and his last year he was still driving 60-90 min for 1A games 2 times a week. He is a good official, it had nothing to do with his skill (averaged 4.6/5 on his evals over his last 3 years). No wonder nobody wants to stick around with that. Now we're trying to get these guys back.
Along the same lines, you see guys down at the state tournament not using Fed mechanics. For a guy who is trying to get to that point, how can someone not be frustrated to get dinged on evals for this exact thing, and then see it at the highest level of HS ball here?

2. I love the "What we permit, we promote" line. I think ADs, some assignors, and coaches, and especially our state associations have permitted too much BS. A lot of guys are hesitant to whack a coach in a big game because they don't want to lose those games. If a coach or kid has it coming, you should be able to give him his cup of tea and not think twice. While I do think we should be game managers, there is far too much emphasis by the state on coach/AD feedback when it comes to playoff games. Simply put, if coaches don't like you, you're not getting playoff games.

3. Pay- $115 is the standard pay for a varsity G/B double header in our big conference. I know schools are being squeezed, but I can see why a guy would leave. That's the highest in our area. A lot of schools are $90-$100. Is it worth it to get treated like crap all night by coaches and players for that? It seems like a lot of guys are speaking with their schedule/willingness to work games.

I love this gig, and I don't see myself leaving for any of the above reasons. But I can absolutely see why we are having so much trouble finding guys to fill games. At this point, we're just trying to get a warm body in there. I feel bad for the assignors in the area, as I'm sure the schools are putting the screws to them to get these filled, but what can you do if there's nobody to do the games?

#2 seems to be at odds with the theme of the post. If officials are that scarce, it should be easy to start disciplining poor behavior. Theories of supply and demand would tell you that they aren't going to blackball officials if it means they can't play games on Friday nights.

You'll still get Friday night games. But either
A. You won't sniff the playoffs
and/or
B. You won't get good Friday night games

The supply is there during the playoffs. EVERYONE wants to work playoffs. I think that's the problem with that particular point-- everyone wants to work playoffs so they put up with the crap to get to the playoffs. Then they're either burned out by coach/player behavior, or they don't get playoff games because they punished deserving behavior.

Isn't the sportsmanship issue kind of on the officials? I mean if you give a T and you are more worried about getting a playoff game, then what is right for that game or future situations, that is not on anyone else. I get that you need to be supported, but you also need to know that if you do the right thing it is going to be hard in the long run to ban everyone that does the right thing. I get the fear, but sometimes in my experience, that fear is more internal than real. Many times you will be supported or you likely passed a lot of other schools to get to the school you pissed off. Now they are going to get who they may not want regardless of the reasoning.

Peace

I don't disagree. It's hard to change an entire culture though, as that is not a very prevalent attitude in our area. Guys are proud of how much they'll put up with and how few T's they give out.

I'm not expecting that anyone changes the culture of where you are. But I find it funny that officials do not look at the bigger picture and realize that they are not getting hosed by something if they do their job. If officials looked at the bigger picture and if the situation is so dire for officials, then you could do a lot of things and only banning someone would put them in this situation where there are not games covered.

Peace

You Know What You've Got, Spunk!" (Ed Asner, Mary Tyler Moore Show, 1970) …
 

Although we do have a very few brown nose guys who try to please state tournament voting coaches (that's all state coaches, winners and losers) by not issuing technical fouls when deserved, most of the guys around here go by the philosophy that if you give one coach a deserved technical foul the opposing coach will think, "Hey, this official doesn't put up with any unsporting bullshit. He takes care of business. He's got spunk. I'd should remember his name for the State tournament ballot".

It's The Law ...
 

I'm not sure if I'm reading this correctly, but here in my little corner of Connecticut, by our local constitution, we haven't allowed a working official to be our assignment commissioner for many, many years.

One either assigns games, or one works games, but one can't do both.

Prevents some potential problems.

I was not clear on that. I meant that he had 7-8 crews that he trusted and always put on those games. Other guys didn't get a chance. He was not officiating, but he was running camps and you definitely didn't have a shot without going to his camps.

I work in RI now. Like BillyMac, it’s a state with all 2-person games. There is no officials shortage here. There are lots of guys who don’t work every night. As a transfer, I’ll likely be one of them.

If they went to 3-p, I’m sure I could work every night, but there would probably be some games that would be hard to fill.

The modern game badly needs the 3rd official (especially with a shot clock). The paradox is that between reluctant budget managers and an ongoing recruitment drought, you have to choose between more poorly officiated games or games that can’t be played when you want them to be. It’s a lose-lose.

I fear more places that have embraced 3-p may have to revert back to 2-p. It won’t yield a 50% boon, though, because folks like Rich will probably just hang it up rather than revert.

The whole situation kinda sucks...


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I'm not that concerned about that here. And, yes, I will retire before working another 2-person game. I may end up having to do so anyway -- my knee is not recovering after my May surgery and I'm not sure I will be able to do a job in the way I need to.

Why don't associations call up more JV guys to do varsity, especially JV guys who do have 3P experience? It would be a great learning experience for the JV official to work with veterans in the R and U1 positions (correct me if I am wrong, but R's and U1's handle most of the game management responsibilities, although U2's do contribute on adjudication and calling technical fouls if needed to preserve order), to gain a feel for varsity games pending a full (er) varsity schedule in future years. It would also be great for the veterans, who will have opportunities to teach younger officials, show leadership, and work alongside talented officials who are still receptive to new ideas.

Note: I am NOT advocating that ALL JV officials be promoted (some will not be able to work varsity games), rather that there be a transparent timeline and pipeline to enable that process to happen. Some associations have "swing" officials who can work at both varsity and JV levels, so that might help, particularly if an association is short on people. A JV crew with 1 swing official can leave the 1 swing guy behind to join the other 2 varsity officials for the varsity game.

That is not how 3-p works.

A weak U2 can destroy a game as fast as anything. Once the game starts, the U2 is just as important as the R for all practical purposes.

3-p is more complicated and many JV officials just aren't not ready to add that. They've got enough to work on without complicating it with 3-person mechanics.

JV officials are brought in in phases similar to what you suggest (in most places). Few have exclusive varsity rosters and exclusive JV rosters. There will often be people working both to some degree.

For all the words he posts, he sure seems to know little about how games are officiated.

The R or designee tosses the ball and after that, the officials are interchangable. You can't put someone who's learning on every game, but I'd take someone who's a fairly decent JV official over 2-person ANY day.

Assigner hat here: And the schools would be right to not pay a dime more per person with 2-person crews. It's not their fault they aren't getting three officials.


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I Call Shotgun ...
 

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.

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Not only are you wrong here, you are so wrong it is hard to describe how wrong you are. ;)

Actually assignors the higher you go like all officials to be "R" officials. Basically, that means that any official can handle any situation and can take the lead on every situation in that game. The actual Referee might be the most accomplished or experienced official in many cases, but if that person could not do their duties, then supervisors like to hire officials that are just as capable to do everything game brings. Whether that is T'ing a coach, adjusting the clock, handling game administration (things outside the lines) or just taking the big call. Usually, this is harder for younger/newer officials to fit in those situations when the pressure is on. Now we all have to learn somewhere so it is not out of the question to move newer officials up, but that cannot be the solution on multiple games or most of the season. And usually, it is an official that has proven over some years they can work.

Or associations could get out of the business of assigning. This seems to be part of the problem. I hear of all these shortages and in basketball, we are not having those issues. The assignor gives the games to the people they want and each conference has to do the same. Some people are willing to travel, others are not. Lower level games you can put almost anyone on those games. Varsity you have to be a little bit more deliberate, especially the bigger conference games. It is not totally a bad idea, but it is not something you can count all.

Peace

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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It is their fault if the pay is not good enough to entice officials to leave their homes and families to referee games. And someone like me, I'm not working a 2-man game at the same rate that I would be getting in a 3-man game. That would be in the category of "not worth leaving my house for".

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

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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You know what? That's a really great point. I suppose it just depends from which perspective you look at it. I'm on the older end of the millennial generation and a part of Trump's America, so I was only looking at it from my own lens.

I imagine that would be my strategy as well. I don't know how well that would go over with my assignor though, so that may spell an end to a below average officiating career.

While the Navy keeps moving me around, I don’t have this luxury. However, in five years or so when I retire, I’ll have to settle somewhere. I told my wife I don’t care where, as long as they have 3-person. [emoji16]



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I guess I am. Al Battista did make a presentation on the different roles and expectations of a 3-man crew, and I did hear similar things about the roles of 3-man crew members during the years I went to Level One camp, so college officials apparently also have the same expectations. Que'z did say that he would come to the U2's on his games for rules questions, because they were more likely to be in the book than the veteran officials. On a related note, U2 did get his schedule improved for telling a crew that dead ball technical fouls are not POI in a difficult game, even though he was ignored by the senior crew members, because he did his job, while R and U1 did not do theirs.

Perhaps Al was using the NBA model for his presentation as well, and Que'z (and other officials) are also using that model at the college level without necessarily knowing about it.

I agree with Rich's sentiment on refusing 2-person games, although I'm not yet at a stage in my career where I have much choice. If I start getting varsity games consistently, then I could choose to work only 3-person at the varsity level, with 2-person subvarsity games. Of course, if and when I reach the college level, I would probably not have time for subvarsity games anyway.

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.

Come back to Hampton Roads. My HS assignor is looking to make everything 3-man.

On my usual crew, we wait till all 3 are in the locker room and then call out the desired position. Loser is the R.


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In the college game, the rolls are not formalized, but there are some unwritten expectations. I've worked college games with 3 different D1 Final Four officials. An inexperienced U2 is expected to stay in his primary and worry about his 1/3. It is frowned upon for that U2 to grab calls outside of his primary. The FF official (or any well-established D1 official) is expected to poach in the U2's primary if a whistle is needed. And my highest level supervisor annually reminds his staff to let the vets deal with the coaches and for the younger guys to just worry about what's going on between the lines.

At the HS level, my assignor expects me to protect inexperienced officials and for the inexperienced officials to stick to calling the obvious in their primary. Some of the comments you are getting here are from folks who work over and over again with the same officials or in crews. There are no established crews where I work HS games, and I often get officials in the U2 slot who are not yet ready to manage/run a game.

Sounds about right... and some officials will do anything to not have to run a captains meeting. Personally, I don't mind doing it (mainly because it eliminates a lot of "that guy" moments), so I end up as the R on probably 75% of my games.

I've always thought giving coaches say in who works the postseason is stupid. You can't pay lip service about how important sportsmanship is then disincentivize penalizing poor behavior by letting the inmates run the asylum. There are too many high school coaches that take technical fouls personally and don't move on. However in South Carolina we have peer ratings which are equally as stupid IMO.

As for the good ol' boys club, well that happens everywhere to an extent. And the reality is that assigners are almost always going to use guys they trust and that they know will keep them out of hot water with the schools. Sometimes it's the coaches more than the assigners dictating who works their games because there are too many coaches that will bitch and moan when they get an official that they've never seen before. All of a sudden there is one call that the new guy may or may not have missed, and the assigner is getting a phone call after the game.

I’d rather run the captains meeting so I know it’s going to be quick. They’re not listening anyway.

After the first couple weeks of the season it usually ends up something like
“Fellas, help us keep it clean here tonight. IAHSAA requires us to emphasize sportsmanship so as captains you guys should be great examples. You know who your hot heads are. Get to them before we do or it will cost your team 2 free throws. Coaches, everybody legally and properly equipped? First horn let’s try to break the huddles, have em ready to play on the second horn so we can keep it moving tonight. Have a good game guys.”

"We expect you to play cleanly and show good sportsmanship. Any questions? Good luck."

None of the nonsense about "speaking captains." None of the "white talk to white, blue talk to blue." None of the "blue line all the way around."

And if I notice there are team members with illegal equipment on during warm-ups, I will request that the captains take care of it before we throw the ball up.

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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Funny you should mention that. I’m working on a masters degree this year so I’m only here for a year. My next assignment is trending Norfolk. Outside chance it could be DC, but right now Norfolk seems where I’m headed.

Should I go back to 94 or work on the peninsula? (I haven’t been following Tidewater board politics lately.). The wife is going to want to live in VB, so if I go peninsula that would involve a lot of “tunneling” to get to games. But I would do it if the organization there is eager to employ me with a full schedule commensurate with my experience and ability.

I wouldn’t mind retiring in HR. Lots of jobs for washed up vets and my wife is from there...


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Doubleheaders ...
 

I'm on record (I may be the only Forum member to take such stand) as liking the mental and physical challenge of a two person game.

That being said, if I belonged to an association that worked a lot of doubleheaders, I would be the first to jump on the three person bandwagon.

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Here in my little corner of Connecticut, coaches and athletic directors frown upon varsity officials working two games. They're afraid that the officials may not be fully prepared to properly (mentally and physically) work that second game.

I've worked exactly one junior varsity/varsity doubleheader in the past twenty-plus years, only due to an overabundance of games and an underabundance of officials after several postponements and reschedules due to snow.

Now that I've retired from my day job I've made myself available to my assigner for afternoon games, including subvarsity games. I've got a freshman/junior varsity doubleheader coming up in a few weeks and I'm not looking forward to it. Not because they're subvarsity games, but because I have to work a doubleheader. And it has nothing to do with time, as a varsity official I'm always there to observe the first three periods of the junior varsity game before mine. In fact, after my doubleheader I can see myself staying for at least half of the varsity game (like our junior varsity officials are supposed to do) just to yank some chains.

Our state does almost exclusively B/G varsity double headers. They have what we call supernights to save on facilities/transportation costs. Freshmen, JV, Varsity Boys and girls will all be played on the same night. So it typically goes

GAME 1: JV girls or boys in main gym (Crew 1), Other JV game in auxiliary gym (Crew 2).

GAME 2: Freshman Boys Aux gym (Crew 2), Varsity Girls main gym (Crew 3).

GAME 3: Freshman Girls Aux Gym (Crew 2 or some combination of crew 1 & 2), Varsity Boys main gym (Crew 3).

Or if you're having trouble envisioning that, the gym schedule looks like this:

Aux gym: Game 1 Freshman girls, Game 2 JV Boys, Game 3 JV Girls

Main gym: Game 1 Freshman Boys, Game 2 Varsity girls, Game 3 Varsity boys

A lot of times those freshman games are 2 man, but for the most part all of those games are 3 person crews in the big conference here. If you go to a small school, you can pretty much count on all sub varsity games being 2 man. Subvarsity officials on those nights will work 1, 2, or 3 games depending on desire and luck of the draw. Varsity officials work the doubleheader.

That schedule allows for sub varsity kids to be available for varsity games. I started out working these nights, and I liked working the triple header because you would make a bit more. As a sub varsity ref, you don't get paid as much per game as the varsity guys but you can make up the difference and more if you're willing to put in some time away from family. I think if we had a glut of officials, they would probably prefer not to have people work 3 games in a night because by the end of that third game, you are wiped.

Short And Sweet Pregame Captains Coaches Meeting ...
 

Mine: After the hand shaking/fist bumping ritual (I've worked with a guy who has a bottle of hand sanitizer in his jacket pocket and uses it after the meeting), "Are players legally equipped and do they know how to wear their uniforms properly? Everybody practice good sportsmanship. Have fun".

Now that IAABO mechanics state that the tossing official on the jump ball no longer checks for readiness with the captains, I'm hoping that we no longer get, "Who's the speaking captain? What's your number? Are you starting?".

Well, I can hope.

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Baby Needs A New Pair Of Shoes ...
 

For my upcoming freshman/junior varsity doubleheader I'll be getting a check for $126.10 (subvarsity Fee: $63.05). If I only did the varsity game that night, it would be $97.17.

I'm afraid of this for my freshman/junior varsity doubleheader. I'm not the type to give freshman games and junior varsity games any less effort than I would working a varsity game.

It's funny how that while I get older each year the players stay the same age each year.

It's not fair I tell you. It's not fair.

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.

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.

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?

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.

I never said that I'm working harder in a 2 person game. I stated that it's a lot harder and more work. There is a small difference there. More to watch and more running. If you're running the same amount in a 2 person as you do in 3 man, it would seem to me that you're not in good position in the 2 man game (i.e. sitting just over the division line at T).

There may be guys who don't work "as hard" in a 3 man game, but that's not me. I got dinged on an eval a couple years back for "overhustling." Whatever that means. There's no question that I'm working my ass off in both games. I'm also fairly young as far as officials go around this area, and in pretty good shape due to my hobbies. I don't say that to be a doucher, but just to emphasize that hustling around a varsity doubleheader is not something that's going to beat me down too badly and I don't have a lot of trouble keeping up with guys even at the end of a long night. I work hard in my 3 man games. I hope I don't sound like a braggart by saying that, I really don't mean to.

As to your other points, I wholeheartedly agree.

Three Person ...
 

I don't want to be misunderstood.

I've always said that I like the mental and physical challenge of a two person game and that I don't' mind working them.

That being said, I do agree that the modern game of basketball, definitely at the varsity level, possibly at lower levels (if only for official education purposes), requires three to be properly officiated.

For all intents and purposes, we don't work doubleheaders and don't have shot clocks here in Connecticut.

If any of that were to change, I would be leading the three person parade along with the seventy-six trombones.

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Since the top Connecticut coaches, winning with a full court defense, fast break game, believe that the third official will lead to more player disqualifications, their principals, and athletic directors, as well as the state interscholastic sports governing body, don't see the need to spend the extra money for a third official, a third official that many of their coaches don't really want and aren't pushing to have.

None ...
 

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.

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.

Supply And Demand ...
 

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.

https://safr.kingfeatures.com/idn/cn...I3XzkwMC5naWY=

That's not the way to do business.

My post wasn't meant to say that YOU don't work harder. Just reminded of people that say they have to work harder in 2 man. I have no doubt that you are working hard. I probably misinterpreted your post and went off on an unnecessary rant :)

In what was the second varsity game of my career (a game where I was called late in the afternoon to be a sub), I noticed in Arbiter that I was slotted as the R. Naturally, the most veteran official in the crew had some fun with this, but I took the ribbing in stride. It also helped that I had time to do some quick research on both teams in the game to offer meaningful talking points to start the discussion.



In my varsity debut, one of my partners told the other, "You arrived last, so you're the R tonight."

From VB it's not worth the traffic headache to work HS ball on the Peninsula, plus the a-holes in BD94 won't "let" you work for my assignor also. It would be good to participate in one of my assignor's ODU camps and work some off-season stuff for him, and maybe get some college assignments (He assigns men's and women's for 2 USCAA schools). If you lived on the Monitor-Merrimac side of the Southside, then working HS ball on the Peninsula would be a good choice.

Shoot me a PM for specifics and names.