Coaches Biggest Problem With New Rules ...

[Rich]

I think there are problems with giving away what's traditionally a paid gig.

I've worked hard to get officiating pay up in my neck of the woods. Even with scrimmages (this applies to basketball and football), I tell schools that want me to find officials that the cost is a game fee, at minimum. After a few years, that's expected now.

So someone comes along and says "I'll do it for free" and the school is happy. Except there's now an expectation by that school the next season when that person who gave the freebie isn't available anymore. Or that school now wants to give a quid pro quo to those people and have them work their in-season games.

I have held camps over scrimmages and I gave the schools a very small discount to let me do so. Money raised went into a scholarship fund, but I never once thought to offer up the camp as free officiating.

I actually think it's worse for you in SD if there is no league/conference/association assigner. Work for free then maybe the school will throw some extra games at you. At best, it's troubling. At worse, it's unethical.

It's also up to you. But I won't assign anyone if a place isn't willing to pay the prevailing rate.