Player Delays

[SC Official]

Originally Posted by Raymond

Wish I had some kind of clout in the NCAA officiating world, because I would not mind being part of some kind of rules committee at that level. I'm amazed at the lack of attention to detail.

As things stand now, between missing most of last season with a knee injury and not wanting to officiate this year because of all the COVID safeguards and restrictions that make officiating not fun, I might be headed off to retirement.

I actually contracted CV-19 from my wife and have fully recovered, so I'm not concerned about catching it. All the interpersonal stuff I enjoy about officiating is pretty much going to be eliminated for this season and I think I will have lost all my fire by the time next season rolls around.

I haven't even looked at any of the rule changes nor did I take the NCAA test and I'm not taking the high school test.

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I find myself not missing it as much as I thought I would, either. I talked to a friend who assigns high school recently and he thinks that is a very common sentiment - i.e. officials realize they don't miss it as much as they thought they would, so many will end up just calling it quits thus making the shortage even worse.

Don't blame you at all if you end up deciding to hang it up, but glad to know you recovered nicely from your illness and injury.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by SC Official

I find myself not missing it as much as I thought I would, either. I talked to a friend who assigns high school recently and he thinks that is a very common sentiment - i.e. officials realize they don't miss it as much as they thought they would, so many will end up just calling it quits thus making the shortage even worse.



Don't blame you at all if you end up deciding to hang it up, but glad to know you recovered nicely from your illness and injury.

I have three friends who were more successful than me at the D1 level who were forced to take breaks from officiating because of their full-time jobs and all three of them just walked away after realizing officiating wasn't as important to them as they thought. I used to think they were crazy, but now I can see it myself.

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[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Raymond

I have three friends who were more successful than me at the D1 level who were forced to take breaks from officiating because of their full-time jobs and all three of them just walked away after realizing officiating wasn't as important to them as they thought. I used to think they were crazy, but now I can see it myself.

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That was generally my experience when I retired from baseball (and I've heard it from many others). But, I did pick up volleyball and that might be part of the reason -- plus it's a whole new experience, so it's more of a challenge and I'm learning more, ... and all that makes it fun to work.

[SC Official]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

That was generally my experience when I retired from baseball (and I've heard it from many others). But, I did pick up volleyball and that might be part of the reason -- plus it's a whole new experience, so it's more of a challenge and I'm learning more, ... and all that makes it fun to work.

I started enjoying basketball more when I picked up football.

[SC Official]

Originally Posted by Raymond

I have three friends who were more successful than me at the D1 level who were forced to take breaks from officiating because of their full-time jobs and all three of them just walked away after realizing officiating wasn't as important to them as they thought. I used to think they were crazy, but now I can see it myself.

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I feel for the officials who inevitably are going to get cut from D1 leagues due to the combination of change in supervisors and reduction in available assignments. Happened to a couple people I know already, and some of them don't have "real" full time jobs other than officiating multiple sports year-round.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by SC Official

I feel for the officials who inevitably are going to get cut from D1 leagues due to the combination of change in supervisors and reduction in available assignments. Happened to a couple people I know already, and some of them don't have "real" full time jobs other than officiating multiple sports year-round.

Happened to me this year; got dropped from my D1. I saw the writing on the wall a long time ago though, so I wasn't surprised or devastated when it happened. The head of the ACC consortium is from the town I lived in for my entire 19 year career (moved to a different town in the same area 2 months ago) , so I knew what his vision was going to be when he got hired.

I haven't kept up with anybody to see who else has gotten dropped, but I was telling friends of mine to look out over the last couple years and some of them thought I was crazy.

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[SC Official]

Originally Posted by Raymond

Happened to me this year; got dropped from my D1. I saw the writing on the wall a long time ago though, so I wasn't surprised or devastated when it happened. The head of the ACC consortium is from the town I lived in for my entire 19 year career (moved to a different town in the same area 2 months ago) , so I knew what his vision was going to be when he got hired.

I haven't kept up with anybody to see who else has gotten dropped, but I was telling friends of mine to look out over the last couple years and some of them thought I was crazy.

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I don't know the full story but apparently one of the D2 leagues in the southeast is requiring officials to bear the cost of testing in order to work games in that conference. Lot of officials are balking at that idea and saying they won't work - might lead to a lot of the veterans in that league hanging it up altogether.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by SC Official

I don't know the full story but apparently one of the D2 leagues in the southeast is requiring officials to bear the cost of testing in order to work games in that conference. Lot of officials are balking at that idea and saying they won't work - might lead to a lot of the veterans in that league hanging it up altogether.

That issue was brought up by one of my D3 conference supervisors. He said he's looking into getting the conference to pay for testing. If officials are going to be required to test before every game they work or every week, that's going to be a significant expense. I haven't even paid attention to what the requirements are going to be for testing.

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[SC Official]

Originally Posted by Raymond

That issue was brought up by one of my D3 conference supervisors. He said he's looking into getting the conference to pay for testing. If officials are going to be required to test before every game they work or every week, that's going to be a significant expense. I haven't even paid attention to what the requirements are going to be for testing.

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Unless the conference is proportionately increasing game fees (ha...ha), there is no way officials should be bearing that cost – and assigners should have the stones to tell the commissioners just that. I wouldn’t work in any league that required me to pay to comply with a policy they chose to implement (that was that costly).

Imagine if you pay for a test only for you to lose the assignment through no fault of your own (cancellation, postponement, assigner felt like it, etc.).

[bucky]

Originally Posted by Raymond

Happened to me this year; got dropped from my D1.

I am not interested in the "why" aspect of you being dropped. Rather, were you at least given a reason? Were you at least contacted or was the method of "dropping" just the fact that you were not renewed?

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by bucky

I am not interested in the "why" aspect of you being dropped. Rather, were you at least given a reason? Were you at least contacted or was the method of "dropping" just the fact that you were not renewed?

I was contacted with a boilerplate email. No reason given. The supervisor over the years had made it clear that if he drops you, you won't be given a reason and he won't entertain any communication after the fact. However I'm still in Arbiter and receiving all the emails and communications... SMH

There was a time in my career this would have been devastating. But between my age, a new spiritual outlook on life, a knee injury that caused me to miss 90% of last season, and the disruption caused by COVID, I think the stars are aligning to tell me this is a good time to hang up the whistle. I have some decisions to make and act upon concerning my 9-to-5 career that probably require the focus I used to dedicate to officiating.

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[LRZ]

That's a terrible way for that supervisor to operate. Is it so difficult for him to be open yet honest with the referees who work for him? Has he no sense of decency? How discourteous.

If things change for you and you have the time and inclination, Raymond, think again about the HS test. I returned to officiating (soccer, basketball, baseball) in my mid-60s, after I retired; as my officiating career winds down this second time, I still get a great deal of pleasure in officiating, even at sub-varsity levels. You too might find school sports rewarding.

[LRZ]

I'm in my early 70s. What I have enjoyed about officiating is being involved in my community, giving kids my best effort, the team work with a good partner, and the exercise.

I always said that when I couldn't keep up any longer, I'd retire, so this was likely to be my last year, in any event. It's not a good feeling to have retirement thrust upon me by circumstances.

I'll miss officiating, but I will be able to replace its role in my life: bike ride, kayak, practice guitar, volunteer at the local hospital. My days will be busy.