The Upcoming Season WAYGD?

[RefsNCoaches]

WAYGD? What are you gonna do?

Obviously things are still fluid around the country with respect to HS team sports...Football getting ready to kick off....Volleyball playing....A friend of mine who is a V football official attended his daughters V VB contest and they made spectators wear masks. In game participants and officials did not but bench people did. Okay, I guess that's good...also a limited number of tickets available to each player's family and they were required to check in and have name checked off the list before allowing entry.

So we are all curious what's going to happen with hoops...but what are YOU going to do? Do you have concerns? Have you decided you'll bypass officiating this year? Mask, no mask, mask with the gonzo nose/regular whistle, regular mask and the handheld whistle?

WAYGD?

Me...I'm still up in the air. I don't really want to wear mask officiating and refuse to use handheld whistles as I think they suck and you can't really hear them.

Where's your head at right now in August with respect to officiating basketball?

[LRZ]

I'm in a high-risk category, I think, simply because of my age, so I may forego the season. As this was likely to be my final year, in any event, I may "retire" early.

[Raymond]

Every college conference with which I'm associated has postponed all sports until January 1st at the earliest, and as of now high school basketball in my state starts December 28th. Therefore I have quite a while to make a decision. If college basketball happens this schoo year, I will most likely officiate. I'm still on the fence about high school because I'm not totally enamored with all the facilities I would be working at.

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[BillyMac]

From the NFHS (as of August 19, 2020)

Alaska (First contests for fall sports moved from August 14 to August 20)

Arizona (Golf – August 17; Cross Country and Swimming and Diving – August 24; Badminton, Fall Soccer and Volleyball – August 31; and Football – September 7)

California (December 2020 or January 2021)

Colorado (Boys Golf – August 3; Boys Tennis – August 10; Cross Country – August 12; Football – February 22; Field Hockey, Gymnastics, Boys Soccer, Unified Bowling and Girls Volleyball – March 1)

Connecticut (August 17)

Delaware (Winter Sports – December 2020; Fall Sports – February 2021; The exact start dates will be decided upon at the September DIAA Board of Directors meeting.)

District of Columbia (January 4)

Florida (August 24)

Illinois (Boys/Girls Golf, Girls Tennis, Boys/Girls Cross Country, and Girls Swimming and Diving – August 10; Boys Soccer, Football and Girls Volleyball – Spring 2021)

Iowa (The IHSAA announced a revised seven-week regular season football schedule running from August 28 through October 9.)

Hawaii (Cheerleading, Cross Country, Football and Girls Volleyball – January 2021)

Georgia (The Georgia High School Association postponed the start of football season until September 4; while permitted to continue practice, competitive cheerleading competitions are delayed until November 21.)

Kentucky (August 24; The golf season schedule is unchanged.)

Louisiana (Cross Country and Swimming and Diving – August 31; Volleyball – September 8; and Football – October 8)

Maine (September 8)

Maryland (Fall and winter competition seasons postponed during the first semester)

Massachusetts (September 14)

Michigan (Cross Country, Golf, Soccer, Tennis and Volleyball – August 12; Football – Spring 2021; Competition guidelines for Volleyball, Boys soccer and Lower Peninsula Girls Swimming & Diving will be announced August 19.)

Minnesota (Cross Country, Tennis, Soccer, and Swimming and Diving – August 17; Football and Volleyball – Spring 2021)

Mississippi (August 10; Football starts August 17)

Nevada (Winter sports January 2; Fall sports February 20; Spring sports April 3)

New Hampshire (September 8)

New Jersey (September 14)

New Mexico (The NMAA, through Governor recommendations, canceled contact sports competition for the fall. As a result, the 2020 football and soccer seasons have been switched to the spring semester.)

New York (Not before September 21)

North Carolina (Cross Country and Volleyball – November 4; Swimming and Diving – November 23; Basketball – December 7; Boys Soccer and Lacrosse – January 11; Football – February 8; Boys Tennis, Girls Soccer and Softball – March 1; Baseball, Girls Tennis, Track and Field, and Wrestling – April 12; and Cheerleading – May 1)

Ohio (If, through Governor recommendations, football is permitted competition, the OHSAA feature a six-game season with a postseason will last no later than November 21. Golf, Tennis, Volleyball and Cross Country are permitted to have contests. Decisions on Field Hockey and Soccer will be made at a later date.)

Oregon (Basketball, Swimming and Diving, and Wrestling – December 28; Football, Soccer, Volleyball and Cross Country – February 22)

Pennsylvania (August 24)

Rhode Island (September 14)

South Carolina (Girls Golf, Swimming and Diving, and Girls Tennis – August 17; Cross Country and Volleyball – August 24; Competitive Cheer and Football – September 8.)

Texas (August 3 for conferences 1A-4A football and volleyball; conferences 5A-6A start September 7)

Vermont (Football programs are allowed to hold a 7-on-7 touch football season (not the NFHS-recognized 6-, 8-, 9- or 11-player contact football); Volleyball matches must be held outside – September 8)

Virginia (December 14)

Washington (September 7)

West Virginia (August 17)

Wisconsin (Fall Sports – August 17; Winter Sports – November 23; Alternate Fall Sports – February/March, per WIAA Release; and Spring Sports – April 19)

The following states will not play football this fall:
California
Colorado
Delaware
District of Columbia
Hawaii
Illinois
Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota
Nevada
New Mexico
North Carolina
Oregon
Vermont
Virginia
Washington

[SC Official]

I will be on the court as soon as I get assigned games to work as long as I don't have to wear a mask or use an electronic whistle.

[johnny d]

I have been working AAU tournaments every weekend in Illinois and Wisconsin for the last month, and have at least a few more weekends scheduled. If and when college games start, I will be there, for high school games, I was trying to do as few as possible before covid, now I have an excuse to do none.

[JRutledge]

Well my NAIA conferences at this point are going as scheduled. The HS will start a little later and no tournaments will take place, which is usually the first week of the season. Season for high school got moved back, but we do not know when they are able to play games at this point. All the NCAA stuff got moved back as well, so not much information on schedule as of right now there either. So as Raymond said, I have some time. Right now I am going forward. But the issue this year is football for both high school and college start late winter so not sure how that is going to change things.

I will be at a camp for the next two weekends. A lot of little protocols to work those games. I will see how I feel.

Peace

[crosscountry55]

Originally Posted by RefsNCoaches

WAYGD? What are you gonna do?

Obviously things are still fluid around the country with respect to HS team sports...Football getting ready to kick off....Volleyball playing....A friend of mine who is a V football official attended his daughters V VB contest and they made spectators wear masks. In game participants and officials did not but bench people did. Okay, I guess that's good...also a limited number of tickets available to each player's family and they were required to check in and have name checked off the list before allowing entry.

So we are all curious what's going to happen with hoops...but what are YOU going to do? Do you have concerns? Have you decided you'll bypass officiating this year? Mask, no mask, mask with the gonzo nose/regular whistle, regular mask and the handheld whistle?

WAYGD?

Me...I'm still up in the air. I don't really want to wear mask officiating and refuse to use handheld whistles as I think they suck and you can't really hear them.

Where's your head at right now in August with respect to officiating basketball?

We got off topic.

I have a military restriction that is making the decision for me. We are in a category 3 (of 4) health protection condition (we call it HPCON) in my area and until that falls a notch, I can’t gather in groups larger than 10 and cannot participate in any group exercise. So by logical interpretation, that precludes me from officiating. I told my assignor as much and he graciously understood. From the tenor of one of his recent emails, I get the feeling about half of our normal group of folks who work summer and fall basketball aren’t willing to or able to work right now, and he’s not at all ashamed to tell his customer leagues that he can’t help them when he can’t. We’re indispensable to the game and the league coordinators know it. Unless they budge from their historical $25-30 per game fees, few of us will be wooed.

If the HPCON is lowered, I’ll open myself back up to being assigned and carry on. I’d probably wear a mask into and out of the facility, during halftime, etc. But not while actually working. I would if the sport didn’t involve a whistle, but with a whistle it’s just not practical. I’d also probably sanitize frequently and follow other state/league guidelines that are being put out.

If I take it seriously and follow the precautions and rules, I’d say my chances of acquiring the virus wouldn’t be all that much higher than picking it up while going to pick up food at a restaurant or shopping at a grocery store. That’s why I’d be comfortable coming back.


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[LRZ]

Whether or not I wear a mask while refereeing is only part of the equation. Isn't the other part of the problem that players will not be wearing masks and thus projecting droplets, to which officials will be exposed?

When I shop or pick up take-out, the employees are always masked. That is different from officiating, where players are not masked, and that would make the risk greater.

"It's the best scientific advice we have right now, that advice may eventually change, but until that time we should follow the most up to date advice that we get." BillyMac, that is the wisest thing you have ever said on this forum.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by LRZ

"It's the best scientific advice we have right now, that advice may eventually change, but until that time we should follow the most up to date advice that we get." BillyMac, that is the wisest thing you have ever said on this forum.

Thanks. Even a guy who still wears a black belt while officiating basketball games can occasionally get lucky and come up with a good post. It was my first good post in fifteen years and over 18,000 posts. Statistics and the law of averages said that it eventually had to happen. Don't hold your breath until the next one.

[bucky]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I never quite understood the clock reference. It may be correct twice a day but at any other time, which is a huge majority of the time, it is incorrect, so much so, it is rendered useless. Ergo, no need for the clock at all.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by bucky

I never quite understood the clock reference. It may be correct twice a day but at any other time, which is a huge majority of the time, it is incorrect, so much so, it is rendered useless.

Are you calling me useless?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by bucky

I never quite understood the clock reference. It may be correct twice a day but at any other time, which is a huge majority of the time, it is incorrect, so much so, it is rendered useless. Ergo, no need for the clock at all.

It does not mean you are right most of the time. Not sure what is hard about understanding this one.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by LRZ

Isn't the other part of the problem that players will not be wearing masks and thus projecting droplets, to which officials will be exposed?

Great point. Now I'm concerned if I'm only wearing one of those "whistle pouches".

Concerned about me getting the virus and passing it to somebody else. Concerned about getting sick and suffering. Concerned about long lasting health effects after recovery. Concerned about dying. Concerned about dying while physically separated from family.

But it's "for the kids"? Sorry. Probably not today. Maybe later.

There's online learning. How about online officiating from the comfort and safety of my computer in my secret underground COVID shelter?

Zoom has a great "Raise Your Hand" feature, it's just like signaling to stop the clock.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Great point. Now I'm concerned if I'm only wearing one of those "whistle pouches".

Like when I'm about to hand the ball to an inbounder for a front court endlne throwin and he unintentionally coughs directly into my unmasked face.