2019-2020 POE's

[UNIgiantslayers]

I would agree with your point, Billy. We had a great revamp of our observation program last year where all scores and comments for evals would be entered into Arbiter in addition to the observer coming into the locker room post game to discuss things with the crew. We could then see things that we need to improve on. It wasn't always perfect, as there were a few who would come into the room and say everything was great and then hammer guys on the eval. But by-and-large, it was great. I felt like I knew what I needed to improve on to get the games I wanted. This year, they've gone back to no feedback. I've been observed 3-4 times this year and have no idea what the observers scored me or things I still need to work on from their perspective. That is really frustrating because that is a great tool for both the assignors AND the officials.

We do have a shortage in Iowa of officials, so basically if you have a pulse and a desire, you can work varsity games. I've mentioned in the past about how we almost had to do some 2-man for small school ball in the very rural areas. But the guys who want to keep moving up to get (or continue to get) the fun big conference games and important playoff games have no idea where we stand and what to improve on.

In addition to that, we've received at least two emails from the assignor for the girls post season this year who has indicated that under almost no circumstances are we to call him because he is busy with his other job outside of high school athletics. We are only to email if it is imperative. That, alone, makes me understand why some guys would just say "to hell with it." He is the one the evals go to, he is the one making the decisions, but the language he used made it pretty clear that we are not a priority and should not expect him to do anything for us. So there is very little chance of us getting our eval scores or asking him for feedback on what to improve on to get better playoff games unless they plan to send those to us after the season. I can post the text of the email if anyone is curious, it seemed almost unprofessional to me.

[Kansas Ref]

hay Unigiantslayer....pls post that email and be sure REDACT the irrlevant parts of it. I'm sure it will be informative for all of us here on the Forum.

[packersowner]

Regarding the OP, I think the first think the NFHS should do is survey all officials to better understand the barriers to why officials stop officiating. Is it because they get tired of the abuse, is it because they get 100 JV games and no varsity, is it political, is it other circumstances such as family/job commitments, etc. Our association loses officials every year and gains some. The number one reason people stop being part of our association, they don't want to invest in the other parts of the organization like community service, training sessions, volunteering at team camp, donating to fundraisers, etc.

We need to take a hard look at the reasons, but if we don't understand the problem, it's hard to apply a solution. We all make assumptions, but a survey might help draw some places to focus on.

[UNIgiantslayers]

Originally Posted by Kansas Ref

hay Unigiantslayer....pls post that email and be sure REDACT the irrlevant parts of it. I'm sure it will be informative for all of us here on the Forum.

It is on my personal email so I don't have the exact text right this second but it went something very close to:
I will be traveling for work most of January and some of February for my day job and will not be able to take calls or answer texts/emails until after 3 or 4(?) each day.
went on to say something in that email very close to
I'll be working on post season assignments starting mid january so my nights will be filled and I will not have extra time to assist you in finding replacements out a week or two.

The next email sent this week said (paraphrased)

I might need help due to cancellations Friday, so if you can help send me a text. Only a text with your name and yes I can work, please do not send me emails, and definitely do not call me.

I don't know, maybe I read too much into it. But that doesn't exactly sound like someone who wants to chat with officials about their evals and/or questions about post season assignments and how they can get better. It is just frustrating because you have that, and anytime I've called the boys' association contact person (we have a Boys Association and a Girls Union in our state), he's also been very short and verging on rude to me about my pretty valid and simple questions. I can see why some guys would feel like the state doesn't support them, on top of dealing with the crap from fans/coaches on a nightly basis. I could go on and on with more examples but that has been the general consensus from every official who has brought this stuff up this season.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by UNIgiantslayers

It is on my personal email so I don't have the exact text right this second but it went something very close to:
I will be traveling for work most of January and some of February for my day job and will not be able to take calls or answer texts/emails until after 3 or 4(?) each day.
went on to say something in that email very close to
I'll be working on post season assignments starting mid january so my nights will be filled and I will not have extra time to assist you in finding replacements out a week or two.

The next email sent this week said (paraphrased)

I might need help due to cancellations Friday, so if you can help send me a text. Only a text with your name and yes I can work, please do not send me emails, and definitely do not call me.

I don't know, maybe I read too much into it. But that doesn't exactly sound like someone who wants to chat with officials about their evals and/or questions about post season assignments and how they can get better. It is just frustrating because you have that, and anytime I've called the boys' association contact person (we have a Boys Association and a Girls Union in our state), he's also been very short and verging on rude to me about my pretty valid and simple questions. I can see why some guys would feel like the state doesn't support them, on top of dealing with the crap from fans/coaches on a nightly basis. I could go on and on with more examples but that has been the general consensus from every official who has brought this stuff up this season.

I've worked for supervisors who say never to call them unless it's an emergency situation. I've worked for supervisors who say never to text them, only email them. I've worked for supervisors who have said never to ask them about your schedule or why you are or aren't getting games. I've worked for supervisors who contact you before putting you into a last minute assignment and others who expect you take an assignment the morning of if you are not blocked out.

It's all part of the business to navigate the nuances, quirks, and personalities of those who assign us games.

[UNIgiantslayers]

Originally Posted by Raymond

I've worked for supervisors who say never to call them unless it's an emergency situation. I've worked for supervisors who say never to text them, only email them. I've worked for supervisor who have said never to ask them about your schedule or why you are or aren't getting games. I've worked for supervisors who contact you before putting you into a last minute assignment and others who expect you take an assignment the morning of if you are not blocked out.

It's all part of the business to navigate the nuances, quirks, and personalities of those who assign us games.

Definitely. I don't have a huge problem with it, as this is a hobby for me as well and I have no problem telling an assignor I won't work a game because I want to be with my family or am swamped at work. I get it. But at the end of the day, we're losing people and I know a lot of guys are pretty dismayed at the lack of feedback that we've received this year. It's hard to get better by only watching yourself on film and not getting any help from the people who actually assign the games on what they would want to see out of you.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Raymond

I've worked for supervisors who say never to call them unless it's an emergency situation. I've worked for supervisors who say never to text them, only email them. I've worked for supervisors who have said never to ask them about your schedule or why you are or aren't getting games. I've worked for supervisors who contact you before putting you into a last minute assignment and others who expect you take an assignment the morning of if you are not blocked out.

It's all part of the business to navigate the nuances, quirks, and personalities of those who assign us games.

I am not a phone person. I am an email person. I have in my email signature "Phone for emergencies only. Email will typically get a quicker response."

And yet people call. During my current ice storm, the only emergencies I have are filling games on Saturday and Monday (which are very popular right now) -- and yet I had someone call about a track officiating date in 2020. I work a day job, too. I have other things to take care of. People just don't get it. Or think that anything involving them is an emergency.

Unless I recognize the number, it rolls to voice mail these days. I answer, usually by email, when I can.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Raymond

It's all part of the business to navigate the nuances, quirks, and personalities of those who assign us games.

That is the key to all of this. I worked with someone last night that claimed he was upset with an assignor because he was getting off a lower level game to work a varsity game. He was complaining that the assignor wanted him to find a replacement for his he was getting off the sophomore game for and said the assignor should find a replacement for the game on his own. Well, that is not likely to help that official in the long run and he is not someone that is a necessity to that assignor (not a state final guy or a sectional guy in the playoffs). Clearly, this is one of those things that with the right person, might put you at the bottom of the list if you cannot handle their requests. This guy thought he was in the right (and still does) but I told him that this particular assignor is likely old school and feels that is the way you should do when you are moving up. The official felt that because we use Arbiter, we should not have to do that in any way.

The bottom line, there really is no right or wrong on what should be done, except the assignor sets the parameters. And if you want to continue to work for them, you likely are going to have to follow their little rules or standards.

Peace

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

That is the key to all of this. I worked with someone last night that claimed he was upset with an assignor because he was getting off a lower level game to work a varsity game. He was complaining that the assignor wanted him to find a replacement for his he was getting off the sophomore game for and said the assignor should find a replacement for the game on his own. Well, that is not likely to help that official in the long run and he is not someone that is a necessity to that assignor (not a state final guy or a sectional guy in the playoffs). Clearly, this is one of those things that with the right person, might put you at the bottom of the list if you cannot handle their requests. This guy thought he was in the right (and still does) but I told him that this particular assignor is likely old school and feels that is the way you should do when you are moving up. The official felt that because we use Arbiter, we should not have to do that in any way.

The bottom line, there really is no right or wrong on what should be done, except the assignor sets the parameters. And if you want to continue to work for them, you likely are going to have to follow their little rules or standards.

Peace

Last season a D3 supervisor called me at 11:00pm at night to work a game for him the next evening, when I already had a JuCo game scheduled for another assignor. He said b/c his was a higher level game he expected me to take his game.

I couldn't get in touch with my JuCo assignor until the next morning, and he told me would release me but I needed to find a replacement. Luckily one of my HS assignors worked with me in 2 college conferences (including the JuCo) and he released one his officials (also in the JuCo conference) from a HS game to fill in for me.

Expectations and relationships drove that whole situation.

[scrounge]

Originally Posted by Raymond

Last season a D3 supervisor called me at 11:00pm at night to work a game for him the next evening, when I already had a JuCo game scheduled for another assignor. He said b/c his was a higher level game he expected me to take his game.

I couldn't get in touch with my JuCo assignor until the next morning, and he told me would release me but I needed to find a replacement. Luckily one of my HS assignors worked with me in 2 college conferences (including the JuCo) and he released one his officials (also in the JuCo conference) from a HS game to fill in for me.

Expectations and relationships drove that whole situation.

Interesting...what would have happened if your JuCo assigner decided to be stubborn and not release or you couldn't find a replacement? Seems like a no-win situation for you.

[SC Official]

Originally Posted by Raymond

Last season a D3 supervisor called me at 11:00pm at night to work a game for him the next evening, when I already had a JuCo game scheduled for another assignor. He said b/c his was a higher level game he expected me to take his game.

I couldn't get in touch with my JuCo assignor until the next morning, and he told me would release me but I needed to find a replacement. Luckily one of my HS assignors worked with me in 2 college conferences (including the JuCo) and he released one his officials (also in the JuCo conference) from a HS game to fill in for me.

Expectations and relationships drove that whole situation.

Were you blocked on the D3 assigner's calendar? I've been called before and asked "Why are you blocked?" for a certain day where an assigner needs someone. Pisses me off because it's not really an assigner's business why my schedule is blocked. Call someone that's open.

And I know D3 is considered a higher level than JuCo, but having officiated both I didn't really notice any difference in the levels of play. The pay was the biggest difference but even that wasn't hugely significant.