Safety

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by DrPete

I remember a D1 game with the University of Virginia playing someone at the Richmond Coliseum. The basketball court was laid down over the ice hockey rink. It was a warm, and unusually humid winter day. They had all the doors open.
Well the humidity and the cold floor did not mix well. After seeing numerous players slip and slide they called the game in the first half. Forget about state rivalry game or the television contracts, the player safety always should come first.

I recall some hockey/ice situation as well a few years ago. It was an NBA game and the contest was cancelled due to excessive condensation. I’ll try to look it up.

[Nevadaref]

Here is the article:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.fa15180b8d2f

[LRZ]

I don't know if anyone questioned playing on the night I observed, but I'm sure there was pressure to get the games in, especially as it was a big rivalry night. And we do not have a league commissioner, who could be called for a decision.

If I were one of the officials, I would probably have felt compelled to go along, but with a caveat: "The first time a kid goes down, we stop the game."

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by LRZ

"The first time a kid goes down, we stop the game."

Hopefully that kid's father isn't an attorney.

[ilyazhito]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Hopefully that kid's father isn't an attorney.

I had a different, yet similar situation. My assigner had me be on call yesterday to do a girls' varsity game following the JV boys game I was assigned to. The game was cancelled and unconcerned multiple times within 2 days, including on the day of the game, so my assigner was unable to provide additional officials. My assigner had advised me to leave, so I called both coaches together before the game was supposed to start, and told them that the game would not be played, because I cannot officiate alone. The AD called my assigner again, but when my assigner called me back, I told her that I had "zero interest in working a one-person game, especially on short notice". I then undressed and left the school.

[bucky]

I love one-person games, what a great workout!

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by bucky

I love one-person games, what a great workout!

Not me. Especially at the upper levels. Just can't cover what's needed to do a good job.

[jmwking]

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

... I then undressed and left the school.

[justacoach]

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

I then undressed and left the school.

You've probably warmed up enough by now to realize you forever endeared yourself to said assigner.

Remember this when your schedule goes bye-bye. You could have at least waited while your assigner tried to find replacements.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

My assigner had advised me to leave, so I called both coaches together before the game was supposed to start, and told them that the game would not be played, because I cannot officiate alone. The AD called my assigner again, but when my assigner called me back, I told her that I had "zero interest in working a one-person game, especially on short notice".

We've heard everything that happened except what your assigner told you in the second phone call?

[ilyazhito]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

We've heard everything that happened except what your assigner tell you in the second phone call?

I noticed that the teams were present with only one official present (myself). I then texted the assigner to say that both teams are here, but I am the only official. I got an answer that I should leave. Then, I informed both coaches, and left to the locker room. In the second phone call (when I was in the locker room), the assigner asked me if I had called to ask to stay. I said, no, the home AD made the call to ask if I could work alone. That was when I said the one-liner about zero interest. My assigner said OK, and the call ended shortly afterwards. I then undressed and left the facility.

[ilyazhito]

I do not know if DC has a relevant law like Wisconsin, but I am not physically able to do the jobs of three people at once. This is why I cannot work scholastic games alone. I also will not work scholastic games alone, because I do not want to jeopardize the safety of the players by my inability to see and call what a 2 (or 3)person crew should be able to see and call.

Recreational games may be different, especially if I know that a partner is due to arrive within a few minutes of the start of the game, and the game is a lower-level contest. This is because it is important to keep recreational games on schedule as much as possible, especially for league directors, because they may have limits on the time they can use the gym space.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

... because I cannot officiate alone.

https://forum.officiating.com/basket...ml#post1027593

ilyazhito: I strongly suggest that you find out what the one person guidelines are for each association/state that you work for.

Walking out with hundreds of ticket buying fans in the stands, a paid table crew, cheerleaders, and two teams of players warming up, one group that may have traveled many miles in a expensive bus, is a "reputation killer" that will be hard to shake (unless you have the full 100% backing of your assigner/state).

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

I do not know if DC has a relevant law like Wisconsin.

Well you better find out. Soon. Like yesterday.

Are you even aware if there is, or isn't, a fee structures in place to accommodate such one person situations (example, 1.5 x fee)? The answer to that might give you a clue if one person games are allowed, or outlawed (Wisconsin).

Take a break from memorizing all the rule sets, on all the levels, in all the states, and countries, and who uses three person, and who uses shot clocks, and figure out what's going on in own own backyard.

[ilyazhito]

The assigner told me both times that I should not work alone. I was in total agreement with that. Even if there was a 1.5x fee for working solo, that only would be relevant if the game was supposed to be done by 2 officials. This was a varsity game, so it would have been assigned 3 officials if it was not repeatedly cancelled and uncancelled within the day before the game and the day of the game.

[genetoy71]

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

I had a different, yet similar situation...

How is what you went on to describe even REMOTELY "similar" to the situation described when this thread was started? Thread hijacks are annoying.