Monthly D1 Assigning?
 

I'm not a D1 official, but the change to monthly assigning at the D1 level is playing with my D2-JUCO scheduling. I've got several assignors to juggle, and the added wait time is not helping. A buddy of mine told me that D1 NCAAW is doing the same thing.

Does anyone know why they pushed it back?

I do not know if there is a "change" but there certainly seems to be some issues with schedules based on the uncertainty of protocols. So it trickles down to those assignors that have significant D1 officials on their staff at the lower levels. Schedules have the last several years that I have worked for D1 officials that are supervisors, they wait until they get their D1 officials on staff, get games. Then when they know who can or cannot work, then they release the schedules in parts. The only ones that I worked for that did not do that were not D1 officials themselves. I still do not have schedules from all my assignors. One D3 assignor gave some games out throughout the year, but stated that he would give out more when the D1 and D2 schedules were given out.

And in my case, we might have dates, but not sites until later on in the year. For example, I might know what my October and November schedules are, but will not know where I am going specifically in December through February. Then as the season goes, they drop the sites for specific dates and that from my understanding is common, even to D1 officials. One reason is supervisors might have to make changes to one or two people on the crew for conflicts or whether the game will be on TV or not. If you notice, certain officials are always on TV.

Again, COVID changed a lot of things because many did not play games at all last year. One of the JUCO leagues I worked, did not play at all last season. Another D3 league I worked, did not play as well. So much is in the air for certain programs and conferences, you have so much delay.

Peace

Scholastic Assignments ...
 

While I can't comment on college assigning, I can comment on how we get scholastic (high school, middle school) assignments here in my little corner of Connecticut.

Before Arbiter was invented, we got our entire schedule for the season at one time, on paper, in the mail, after we had sent in our availability calendar (also by mail) to our assigner. Of course there were changes (weather, etc.) that were often phoned to us, occasionally mailed to us. Those of us that would work for other assigners (Catholic middle schools, recreation, travel, etc.) would then contact those "mini" assigners with our "open" dates.

After Arbiter was invented, our assignor decided to "trickle" out our assignments (he didn't have to rely on snail mail or phone calls anymore) so that he could easily make last minute changes (weather, matchups, etc.). Most of our guys hated this. They were used to making plans (vacations, holidays, other assigners, etc.) around their assignments, and now they had to do the reverse, making plans (vacations, holidays, other assigners etc.) early, blocking out dates on Arbiter, allowing the assigner to make assignments around blocks. We eventually got used to it. Some of the "mini" assigners (Catholic middle schools, recreation, travel, etc.) actually began using Arbiter and were able to "link" availabilities.

We now get our scholastic (high school, middle school) assignments about two weeks in advance, allowing our assigner to easily make last minute changes (weather, matchups, etc.). As JRutledge mentioned earlier, we often get to see some information (date and time of game, but not level, gender, or site) about a month in advance.

And, of course, we have to keep our Arbiter blocks up to date, even for small stuff like a family gatherings, movie nights, poker nights, etc., or we get fined if we have to turn back an assignment because we didn't block out that date.

For the record, this is not about Arbiter. Most college assigning does not even use Arbiter for their games. He was asking about the delay that is taking place because D1 has not assigned many games as they usually has. This has little to do with the software that is used.

Peace

Similar Reason ...
 

Could be similar to the reason why my scholastic assignor "trickles" out our assignments, so that he could easily make last minute changes, especially in this age of COVID, as was already mentioned by JRutledge.

All of that is of no relevance to the OPs question. All of the college officials on this forum came up through HS systems (and most are still part of one) and fully understand how HS assigning works. College assigning is completely different as college officials most always work for multiple supervisors, whether at equivalent levels or varying levels. There is a trickle down effect in college scheduling. As Jeff stated, the delays and changes to the norm are most likely related to COVID or COVID protocols that supervisors need to account for.

This is really above your skies. Sorry, nothing about this has anything to do with what is happening at your local high school arena. Division 1 drives the college assigning at all levels, because many staffs at all levels of college basketball has to likely account for the officials that might be unavailable to work their games because of bigger checks and opportunities. And there were several D1 conferences that did not pick up any new officials because of COVID challenges to run camps or to they added people just to fill in or be on site if members of the staff were tested positive. The only way the high school stuff comes into play is officials like myself that still work high school will give back games when we get the college game. And honestly, assignors have to deal with that or they will lose officials. Just part of the overall process but not what the OP was about.

Peace

Above My Pay Grade ...
 

Absolutely. You college guys are way up there with Bezos, Branson, and Musk, while I'm down here with Orville and Wilbur.

At a lower level, similar to how most of our local officials would rather work a single high school varsity game for $100 (better game, more prestige, more money) than three recreation games at $25 each.

Of course we also have some local guys who would rather work three recreation games a short drive down the street from where they live at $25 each rather than travel 45 minutes in rush hour traffic to work a $65 subvarsity high school game.

Same here. As a former D1 official, our assigner is very understanding in that regard.

Delays And Changes ...
 

Agree.

Memory Like An Elephant ...
 

Just discovered that this, for the last two years, is no longer true.

No more fines, just an "unhappy" assigner, and we all know what that could mean.

https://tse2.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.A...=0&w=215&h=151

Chuck Elias, please comment.
 

I just wonder if this will effect other college sports. In the past Mark, Jr., would have most of his Spring softball assignments by the end of January. I assume that Chuck Elias can give us his take on college volleyball assignments.

MTD, Sr.

In high school, we don't have a system where if one high school supervisor wants you to work it automatically supersedes another high school supervisor. In college we do. In college, there are D1 officials who have D1 dates assigned to them without knowing what games they'll be working. Lower level assigners have to wait for their D1 heavy hitters to get their D1 dates before they can assign them D2 and D3 games. That is the delay that trickles down to the rest of us and directly ties into the OP's question And the delay in getting out D1 dates is most likely related to COVID protocols at different schools and conferences and the vaccination status of officials.

It's not about accepting a rec assignment 5 minutes from the house versus a high school varsity game 30 minutes away.

There is not always a equivalency or a correlation to what you do in your little corner of Connecticut. It is alright not to make it about your local environment.



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One High School Assigner ...
 

That for sure. 100% of our high school (70 high schools) varsity, junior varsity, and freshman assignments, as well as many middle school assignments, often scheduled by high school, or systemwide, athletic directors, are assigned by only one single assigner. I've never worked for more than one high school assigner at the same time. Never.

Back when I was younger and wanted to put money in the bank to prepare for three kids going to college, I often worked for three, or four, "mini" assigners (Catholic middle schools, recreation, travel, etc.). I told all of them that I would have to turn back these low level games if I got a late add on high school game. After a few years one "mini" assigner got sick of my allegiance to my high school assigner and gave me an ultimatum to show up for all of his assignments. I quit working games for him. Cost me some cash, but it was his loss.

My Catholic middle school assigner was the best. He used Arbiter and could "see" my high school schedule and my availability. And it was his rule that high school games took precedence over his Catholic middle school games, even at the last minute. Good basketball, great pay, great partners (most with high school state tournament experience, most games in the next town, or nearby towns. I left the league due to arthritis in my ankle and his retirement, but it was a great experience for over thirty years.

Here in my little sheltered corner of Connecticut, I can't imagine a system of multiple high school assigners, and/or where one high school assigner doesn't automatically supersede another high school assigner.

Always for me. Only one local high school board. Only one local high school assigner. Lower level games (Catholic middle schools, recreation, travel, etc.) always an afterthought, a "gig". No colleges.

Maybe I could get used to multiple high school assigners, but with the way my brain works it would blow my mind and I would lose sleep worrying about pissing off one of them, some of them, or all or them.

In basketball, guys working college ball is often about the opportunity and resume' building than the money. So you might make more working a college game, but you might involve more travel and time away to do that game. I work in a consortium that is associated with the Big Ten (or B1G). There are people that would rather go a couple of hours to work a game because it might help them with the people that actually assign the B1G in the long run. So again, really not the same thing we were discussing here with rec games. There are always officials that will take the easy money over the larger opportunity. Nothing wrong with that but not the issue in what the OPer was saying. Or some like myself work both an NAIA league and a Division 2 League for assignors that are active D1 officials. They also are connected to the same people so if you work camps or go to training, these are the people that will help you get those opportunities. And what better way is if you work for the people that give the feedback? That is one of the reasons why there is a delay in many assignments at this time because everything trickles down in the college ranks. Honestly many officials are not working high school games or a significant amount of games that they even care what the high school assignors want. Many D1 officials I know left the high school game alone or stopped trying to chase those opportunities in that way.

Peace

Nothing Wrong With That ...
 

Same philosophy here in the high school ranks, but obviously, in an entirely different universe. If I have a choice of working a high school game 55 miles away (my longest ride, have to fight John Deere tractors for a parking space), or lower level games just down the street, I'm working the high school game every single time.

Different priorities. Maybe they see no possibility of advancement to high school varsity games. Maybe they want to stay away from board "politics", confirming games with athletic directors/site directors and partners, business casual dress codes, requirements to stay late to observe varsity games, get there early for pregame conference, check the scorebook, captains/coaches meetings, constructive criticism for other officials, etc. We have more than a few guys who pay their local board dues every year (minimum attendance at meetings, minimum effort on refresher exam, etc.) just to maintain their certification ("members in good standing") allowing them to work their low level games back in their home towns, who block every date on Arbiter with our scholastic assigner, and who never see the inside of a high school gym. Regarding their local low level games, they just want to get in, get out, and get paid, in the least amount of time, with the least amount of (often off court) effort.

Agree.

Again, this is why the OP's situation has nothing to do with how things are done in high school ball or your corner of Connecticut.

In college ball, you are taking the higher level game. So lower level supervisors are waiting for D1 officials to get their D1 games and release their open dates. This is why the OP is having his schedule affected as he waits for his supervisors.



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Thanks Raymond and JRutledge. I'm not sure how this topic snowballed, but I assumed it had something to do with Covid and now that's more or less been confirmed.

I'm curious now if there was a similar delay to schedules for the other sports, as I know no change affected soccer.

Yep -- and it means that while the lower level assigners were used to givebacks in September / October, they now need to deal with givebacks in November, December, January ... and it flows down the line.

I am sure it does indirectly. I know football this year at the D3 level has gone off without much of a hitch in my area. I have not heard of many stoppages or even officiating challenges directly to COVID. So maybe it will not be as bad in that sport as it has not been in football.

Peace

Last Minute Changes Related To COVID ...
 

Our high school assignments trickle out with only two weeks in advance. Many still don't like it that way. We've been told that this makes it easier for the assigner to make last minute changes.

That's in a normal year. During COVID last year we got our assignments only one week in advance, sometimes day to day.

So my uneducated guess to Player989random, maybe it has something to do with the possibility of last minute changes related to COVID.

Was my uneducated guess that much far from the more educated answers from our college guys?

Water Flows Downhill ...
 

While I don't work those games anymore, I'm pretty sure that the "mini assigners" of lower level games (Catholic middle schools, travel, recreation) were having difficulties assigning their games last (COVID) year due to our high school assigner assigning games only days, or hours, in advance.

Too Many Plates To Keep Spinning ...
 

You couldn't pay me enough to be an assigner (at any level). Too many plates to keep spinning. And yet, the last time we had a vacancy for our scholastic assigner position, we had a dozen people apply for the job.

Note: Salary for our assignment commissioner is $32,200 (70 high schools, many middle schools, 280 officials), plus our local board pays ($2,020) for Arbiter access.

Many years ago I was asked to take on the assigner role for my hometown's recreation and travel programs. I couldn't say, "No thank you", fast enough.

For years I took on the role of assigner for boys and girls unpaid (they're now paid) preseason scrimmages for my hometown high school (I coached in the school system). It was a real headache for only, at most, four, or five, scrimmages. Too many last minute changes (dates, times) from both the athletic director and the officials assigned. This was mostly before email. I was glad when the high school (and all Connecticut high schools, in all sports) went to a mandated (by the CIAC) paid scrimmage system through our high school assigner and Arbiter.

You really should stop talking about this. The season is almost a month away for many (not including scrimmages) and it has nothing to do with last-minute changes. D1 is operating very differently than last year and many things are being asked of the officials like showing vaccination status and more testing to all participants. No one is making last minute changes, they are waiting on the D1 to assign their staffs and the lower level college conferences are waiting so they can not make changes during the season because they did not anticipate that an official might work a higher level game. A D1 assignment can affect a D2, D3, NAIA and JUCO all at the same time. Because if an official had a lower level college game and gets a D1 assignment, there are supervisors that have to fill in the spot that person left. So they wait until most of the assignments are made so they do not have to make multiple changes because of someone they assigned too soon. The only way this affects high school is if someone that works high school is now offered a college game to fill in after someone moves up even if it involves several games.

Peace

Yes, your whole direction of the conversation was off-base to what the OP was asking about. He is very much aware of how HS assigning works.

Last Minute Assignments ...
 

JRutledge is correct. I was wrong. I should have said last minute assignments, not last minute changes.

Which is the way my high school assigner did it last (COVID) year, assigning games only days, or hours, in advance.

Possibility Of Late Assignments Related To COVID ...
 

While I probably gave too much (local scholastic) background information (changing from entire season published to a slow trickle), I was also probably not too far off with my uneducated guess: the possibility of late assignments (not changes) related to COVID.

A change from an open date to a late assignment can be considered a change, but that's semantic nit picking when looking at it from either viewpoint, and I've already admitted to my poor choice of words.

Again there are no last-minute assignments at the D1 level. They have all the time in the world and expectation that their games are going to be covered. Unless you are an NBA official, you are not making more money than a D1 official for each game. And unlike many high school or even lower-level college officials, guys and gals are getting on planes to officiate in many parts of the region or taking 4 to 7-hour drives to games for checks with a comma. Nothing last minute about what an assignor is doing. They are later this year because there are some challenges with who can work and where they can go because of the conference and school protocols. Kind of like the situation in the NBA where only vaccinated players, coaches, and officials can work games in New York. But again we are a month away from the season really being started at the D1 level. So nothing is last minute at this stage.

Peace

See You Later Alligator (Bill Haley And His Comets, 1956) ...
 

I probably should have said "later" instead of "last minute".

Wait. I had already used the word "late" in post #26. I beat JRutledge to the punch.

Slowly, one post at a time, I've learned a little about college assigning in this thread.

Not a lot, but enough to comment on the subject to liven up a cocktail party.

It's just me, but I'm thinking he was looking for answers from folks who have some first-hand experience or insider information. I don't think the was looking for "uneducated guesses" that he could come up with himself. Again, that's just me.

AKA: misinformation ;)

What'cha Call Experts ...
 

No. Raymond and JRutledge have given me enough "first hand" expert information to impress hot single women at cocktail parties.

"Shaken and not stirred."

Two Cents ...
 

Agree. But since there appears to be no additional fees for making or reading posts on the Forum, I just thought I would offer my two cents, how we went from a full season of assignments published at once; to trickles two weeks at a time; to day to day, hour to hour, during COVID last year.

Even with my ignorance of college assigning, I was still able to (I believe) come up with a somewhat logical and close to the mark explanation.

JRutledge and Raymond did come up with the first-hand experience and insider information that Player989random sought.

or

I bet there is never a conversation in a locker room or officials' get-together where you don't jump in with your perspective, no matter what the subject is.

What does your high school assignment process have anything to do with this situation asked about in the OP? Nothing.

Even the stuff you mentioned has nothing to do with how games are given in my area and I work in 2 different states. Most of my high school games have been assigned since the summer. It literally has nothing to do with what happens in college other than people with opportunities will likely give a date or two back. But that happens without a college assignment. So more information that is irrelevant to the discussion we are trying to have with stuff about where you live that does not matter to most across the country.

Peace

Similar ...
 

This:

Guilty As Charged ...
 

I am so curious, want everything double checked and confirmed, and want all i's dotted and all t's crossed, that my colleagues have been known to restrict me to three questions at our local meetings.

Everything about basketball officiating interests me, and nothing about basketball officiating doesn't interest me.

Same thing with backyard chickens. Had a periodontist appointment today. Knowing that I raised backyard chickens, my periodontist had many questions for me because his adult daughter (a former student of mine) just started a backyard flock. I was more than pleased to oblige. A normal forty-five minute appointment turned into an hour long appointment.

Being a direct paternal descendant of Niall of the Nine Hostages, King of Tara in northwestern Ireland in the late 4th century C.E., I definitely have the Irish gift of gab.

Questions are great, especially when the subject matter is outside one's scope of expertise or knowledge.

In this case, I saw lots of statements, so I don't think your anecdote applies.

Dovetailing ...
 

Didn't have a lot of questions because I was mostly posting about my local high school assigning policy (something that I already knew a lot about), spitballing to see if something would stick and if it had any bearing on the original (college) post.

I found out that while there was some dovetailing, it wasn't really that much.

I'm never afraid to ask questions, but sometimes one doesn't know what one doesn't know.

The dominoes have finally fallen.

I just received a bunch of D2 and D3 assignments over the last 3 days. I've had to turn in one JuCo assignment and I have had a bunch of partner changes in my other JuCo games, including the one I ended up turning back.

This is the situation the OP was referring to.

My understanding is one of the consortiums just dropped their games for November over the weekend. I have literally 1 NAIA game (I have a tournament but that does not count for this conversation with 4 games over Thanksgiving) and 1 D2 game who said he only dropped games through November. I have about 3 D3 games but had them for some weeks now. Nothing in December and beyond other than JUCO which is likely going to be given back once everything really comes out.

All my supervisors were not very happy in the end because of the late assignments. Usually, we have most of the initial schedule in August or September. Not this time.

Who cares what HS is doing because that is not what the OPer was even referencing. Just one person. LOL!!!

Peace

Covid ...
 

COVID related?

https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.Y...=0&w=300&h=300

Two of my conferences just finalized and released their COVID policies for the season this past Friday and Saturday.

Draw your own conclusions.

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Connecticut COVID Protocols ...
 

Not sure what all the COVID protocols will be in Connecticut scholastic games this upcoming season.

Last year: Masks for all (players, coaches, officials, fans). Officials come in uniform (no locker rooms available for officials). Number of fans limited (varied from one school system to another, usually one, or two parents allowed per player, no student fans). Short regular season. No state tournament (just conference tournaments).

This year: Interscholastic athletic officials must be fully vaccinated for COVID, or be exempted from the vaccine requirement for reasons of medical contraindication or firmly held religious or spiritual belief. Governor's executive order in already in place (expires February 15, 2022) for an indoor mask mandate in all schools (fall indoor girls volleyball players and indoor girls swimmers (on pool deck) wore masks, as did officials, coaches, and fans). Full regular season and state tournament planned.

No word yet on number of fans allowed (will be decided by individual school systems), or locker room availability for officials.

Still all has little to do with the original question. This was not about high school officiating at all, but why scheduling is taking so long than normal.

And yes some assigning might be COVID policy related but not much else. Institutions are trying to decide as compared to last year what they will do that is different or if they will keep some of the same policies they had before.

Peace

COVID Protocols ...
 

My post wasn't about the original post of the thread, but was a response to a very recent post by Raymond regarding COVID policies.

I thought that my post would spark some interest from others to share their state scholastic COVID policies.

Which is exactly what I did in my post, note "Last year" and "This year".

Well, for college assigning, supervisors and conferences commissioners have to account for multiple states and their individual policies before publishing the conference policy. That may affect where some officials can and cannot work. It may affect where some officials choose to take assignments. That begins the domino effect that has no equivalency at the HS level.

Complex ...
 

Understand. Sounds complex. Glad I'm not involved with such. Thanks.

We already have several scholastic officials who have chosen not to work games this year because they choose not to sign an affidavit that they are fully vaccinated, or complete the necessary paperwork with the state association that they have a medical contraindication or firmly held religious or spiritual belief (Note: There is no testing option).

I'm not sure if they're opting out because of COVID in general (as many did last year, 40% of our guys chose not to be assigned games last season due to health concerns), or to protest mandates, citing medical privacy concerns.

Then start another topic. But this kind of is irrelevant to the OP. As Raymond said, multiple states and multiple institutions have many more things to factor in than a local high school. And conferences are playing teams likely from other states or other parts of a state. So the issue or issues that would be related to them has nothing to do with high school where you might be in the same school district or the next school district over. Nothing wrong with that conversation, but not relevant to college assigning and their process. The only way it affects what high school does is if officials have to choose to work a high school or college game on the same night. Otherwise one has nothing to do with the other.

Peace

Walk And Chew Gum ...
 

Done. Maybe JRutledge can be the first to post.

Yes, I just got a flurry of assignments, and luckily only two were conflicting and they were D2 vs JUCO, so the assignor was fine with it.

I will say I have one D3 assignor who won't accept any turn backs "unless it's D1". I'm not sure if he realizes how much of his staff works D2, but it's at least 50%, so we'll see how long that lasts.

Fortunately for me, I work for assignors that know that a good deal of their staff works for other assignors that they know and they often talk to maximize your schedules with other assignors. But this situation is unusual where it appears there is more of a fight for spots and they might work together but expect some loyalty to them. It is hard because there are only so many games to go around at one time.

Right now I have mostly D3 stuff out. I have literally one D2 game in November. And the biggest consortium I am a part of has not put anything past the first Saturday in December at this point (as far as I can tell). Going to be very interesting the next coming days and months.

Peace

Yeah, ask the D2 assigners if they view D3 games as equivalents.

They don't and neither do the officials. But also some areas have only a plethora of D2 in an area and might not have D3 in the area or vise versa. Officials just want to work.

But I bet D2 pays more than D3 anyway and clearly has more prestige. I hate when officials are caught in the middle of this, especially now.

Peace

I agree with you. I was intending to point out that the D3 assigner who doesn't view D2 games as being a higher level - is a dick. Another example of a low-level assigner thinking more highly of himself and his league than he should.

Fortunately, all the assigners I work for across three different levels of college basketball, and my high school assigner, know where they stand on the hierarchy.

I was not disagreeing at all, just adding to the fact that some parts of the country have fewer multiple levels of college ball to deal with. Or they have fewer so they do not care if D2 is assigned because they do not have that many games to deal with. In an area like mine, we are surrounded by JUCO, NAIA, D3 and D2 and people can work multiple games in the same basic area. There are areas that have absolutely no NAIA for example and NAIA in some cases pays more than D3 and JUCO. I have had assignors say, "A JUCO game is better than any D3 game." This might be true on paper, but there might be a better atmosphere in a D3 game than any JUCO game. I know officials out west for example that have no D3 in their area and they work a bunch of D2. Hard to do that here because a lot of D2 is given to guys that work D1 already and you are trying to get whatever they are not being considered for. Because if a JUCO assignor told me that he did not want me to get off a game to work a D3 game in my area, I might stop working for that person altogether. JUCO is probably in some cases better talent, but for the lack of a better word can be a shit show.

Peace

I totally agree with everything you said. You have to know what a particular assigner views as a "better" game, but assigners who view themselves as on-par with higher-level leagues should STFU. Maybe convince your commissioner to pay as much money as those leagues and then you can start talking.

JuCo ball is incredibly hit or miss. I have worked in two different NJCAA conferences. The facilities, personalities, and level of play can be on either end of the spectrum. The only thing that is consistent from school to school is the pay, and I guess at the end of the day that is what matters. And both of those assigners are well aware that they are at the bottom of the totem pole and are always accommodating to their guys who get higher level games. That's the way it should be.

Here is a portion of an email I received from a supervisor today.

"The D1 leagues on the East Coast (consortiums) have decided this year to hold their schedules and release periodically. Most have released November but not December yet! As you might imagine this puts D2 and D3 in a fix!"

Sorry Billy, explaining to us how high school assigning works where you officiate will add no insight to this conversation. I still referee high school basketball and this has nothing to do with my high school schedule.

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That's like a JUCO supervisor saying he won't release you for a D3 game, only D2 and D1 games.

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Arbiter is also a problem in this respect. All your Arbiter assigners can see whether you have a game or not even if you don’t share your schedule. A lot of them will pass over you even if you show as open but have a lower-level assignment. I know an assigner who doesn’t use Arbiter for this exact reason.

Way Out Of My League ...
 

While I fully agree that I can not add any expert (or otherwise) insight to this conversation (way out of my league), there is some similarity between college and high school assigning, but only if one assumes that the high school officials work lower level (recreation, travel, middle school games not assigned high school assigner, i.e., Catholic middle schools), a similarity that I can demonstrate by rephrasing Raymond's email.

High school assignments will be held and released periodically. As you might imagine, this puts recreation and travel assignments in a fix.

Many years ago, before email and computer assigning, in the days of snail mail and phone calls, we got our full season high school assignments first, and after that we got our full season (from multiple low level assigners, park and recreation directors, league officers or coaches, hometown officials, etc.) recreation and travel assignments (with weather related changes coming later), with low level assignments coming in some type of priority order based on officials preferences.

After the invention of email and computer assigning, and after a particularly nasty winter of bad weather, our high school assigner discovered that it would be better for him to "trickle" out our high school assignments two weeks at a time. Of course, that forced recreation assigners and travel assigners to do the same.

Last year with COVID, our high school assigner often published assignments days, or even hours, in advance. While I no longer work lower level (recreation, travel) assignments, I can imagine the problems ("fix") this generated for lower level assigners.

Apples and oranges (D3 college game has little to do with sixth grade girls travel game), but they're still both fruit (and need assigned officials).

It's still a hierarchy, granted, not as important, but it's still a hierarchy.

Of course, many of you work for multiple assigners at multiple levels, multiple high school assigners (different leagues, individual schools, different states), and multiple college assigners (multiple levels and multiple leagues at the same level), making for very complex assignments, with lots of "big money' at stake, lots of miles to travel (many by plane), and many assigners to appease.

I've never had more than one high school assigner (same all across the six local boards in Connecticut), and I've never worked for more than two, or three, low level assigners at any one time.

And I only pledged allegiance and was only totally loyal to two assigners (high school and Catholic middle school). For the rest, for low level games, easy come, easy go. Maybe I'm available, maybe I'm not, maybe thank you, maybe no thank you. I have skills and experience that are needed, there are not an unlimited number of available, experienced, skilled officials, I work on my terms, I can always shop around. Supply and demand.

The college woes that many of you are experiencing doesn't come close to comparing to the high school and low level woes that high school guys like me can experience.

I have at least one supervisor whom I know doesn't look at the notes or the info attached to somebody's name. All they look to see is whether or not they are available.

I am lucky two of my D3 supervisors are really good friends and they work together on their schedules.

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Arbiter is a problem in almost all respects, for officials. I hate it.

Priorities ...
 

For over thirty years my high school assigner got along well with my Catholic middle school assigner. Why? My Catholic middle school assigner had a policy that high school games had priority over his Catholic middle school games. No need to block out dates on our high school schedule once we got our Catholic middle school assignments. My Catholic middle school assigner had no problem with a 4:00 p.m. phone call informing him that I picked up a last minute high school game that night (official illness, or injury, last minute weather reschedule) and could not work for him that night. That's why he was successful at attracting, and keeping, the top officials for his games. Many of his Catholic middle school games were officiated by state tournament level officials.

Some low level assigners didn't get along with our high school assigner because these low level assigners would ask their guys to block out their low level assignment dates (if asked, I refused, often quitting) with the high school assigner after the "dust cleared" after initial high school assignments were published (example, block out every Monday and Wednesday not already officiating a high school game to work local mens recreation games). This got to be a big problem as we moved from a boys only board to a boys and and girls board, needing high school officials six days a week.

Still, these are minor, often easily surmountable, problems compared to you college guys, especially those who also still work high school games on your college off nights.

You can set up Arbiter to not share that information. Now, this is also depending on how your Arbiter accounts are set up. I have over 20 different accounts with Arbiter varying from high school organizations to some college. Most college assignors do not us Arbiter at all. I had multiple that used Blue Zebra. Now a couple of college assignors left Blue Zebra to go to RefQuest Plus (Including the creator of the site). But my point is my high school assignors have no connection to the college assignors and I can literally not show why I have a block. So that makes it much easier to not give out direct information. That certainly is not the case everywhere I am sure.

Peace

Sharing ...
 

I'm certainly no Arbiter expert, but I do know that when my Catholic middle school assigner (who used Arbiter) wanted to "see" my high school assignments (also on Arbiter) to avoid conflicts, I had to "allow" him to do so by making changes in my Arbiter account settings (that did not allow my high school assigner to "see" my Catholic middle school assignments).

Who knows, maybe there's some type of secret "workaround"?

That is why many are getting away from it. It was good in practice where you could share calendars to some extent, but if you do not use it right, then people can overwrite blocks or see things you do not want them to see.

Now it feels like I am in the old days, when I get a game on one site, I have to go to 2 more sites to give blocks. Just very interesting how things come full circle and that is what Arbiter was supposed to prevent. But I would rather do it this way to some extent than argue over a blocked date.

Peace

All depends on how and who has an account. The IHSA for example took over an Arbiter account that we do not have to "pay extra for" to use. So all IHSA schools have access to the site and can assign games, which means their assignors have access to the site and can assign games. That does not allow anyone else to be apart of their account or site. So if you work any other level outside of IHSA games, they have to assign through another Arbiter site. So there is no issue with middle school or college games.

The IHSAA (Indiana) went away from Arbiter for the most part and now use a site called Everlink. It is not really made for assigning games, but it is a school scheduling site, but they have changed settings to assign games. No college assignors use this site so it is literally separated from any college assigning. So basically I can keep those issues away as long as I update all the sites when I get a game from other levels or states.

And I do not do middle school and not doing middle school so that conversation is different from me.

Peace

MultipleSports hopefully will jump into this discussion, but it is my understanding that even if you do not share information it still shows up that there's something going on with your account on that day.



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Who Assigns Games ???
 

All scholastic assignments are supposed to go through our scholastic assignment commissioner, who uses Arbiter. All Connecticut high schools "load" their schedules into Arbiter, and then after they are "loaded", our assignment commissioner assigns all the games, and all changes (often weather related). And of course, about half of the high schools in our local area pay with Arbiter.

Two years ago some athletic directors discovered that they had the ability, on their own, to reschedule assignments (usually weather related) using Arbiter, totally bypassing our assignment commissioner.

I don't know all the details, but mistakes were made, and our scholastic assignment commissioner was pissed.

This is my understanding as well and has been confirmed by more than one person. Even if you don’t share any details of your assignments with other assigners they always can see that you have “something” on a particular day.

My understanding you can just block the time and not give details about the level or the site. That is what I do but not much of an issue anymore because so many levels now use different platforms.

Peace

Wow ...
 

Adding those non-Arbiter accounts to the 20 Arbiter accounts, and I have one word to say: Wow.

So many questions can be asked.

Can JRutledge live with officiating (I'm aware that he does multiple sports, and that he does them quite well) as his "full time" job? Does he work a day job, and if so, when does he find the time to do so, and do it well? What does he do with his officiating income? Does he need it to pay bills, or does he use it for "fun stuff", family vacations, expensive hobbies, season tickets to sporting events, casino gambling, poker nights, sports gambling, golf vacations, stock market day trading, collecting art, collecting coins, collecting baseball cards, collecting muscle cars, financing a failing singing career, villa in Tuscany, etc.? Or is he independently wealthy and only officiates as a "hobby"? He must have a very understanding family, right?

JRutledge: I don't expect these questions to be answered, they're too personal. None of my business. But damn, you're certainly one super-busy official.

I can tell you do not know how Arbiter works. The different accounts are for the assignors or organizations that have access to their own assigning accounts. It is required for college officials to register for the NCAA and separately the NAIA sites if you work both, which has no assigning capabilities (unless you work the Tournament I believe).

Not that dramatic, but if I work for one organization and they decide to have their own account, that is why there are so many accounts. IT is not so hard when they are all using Arbiter. You can limit what they each see about games you are assigned or have a contract for.

Peace

Marveling ...
 

Thanks for answering, I really didn't expect you to answer. I was just marveling.

If I may be so bold?

High school and college, multiple levels, multiple sports, multiple states, how many "assigners" do you actually work for? What's the most assigners (multiple sports) you actually worked for in any one year? What's the most basketball assigners you actually worked for in any one season?

Correct...but for college leagues that still use Arbiter, some coordinators will simply pass over you if you show that you have 'something.' And in a state where HS assignments are done thru Arbiter well in advance of college assignments, it cost me from getting more college games in the past.

Now, our state cut a deal with rSchool, so all schools use that for their schedules and for emailing officials contracts. All of these software companies are trying to make a buck and the state associations are either making money off the licensing deals or something else. Kinda like NCAA & state associations switching up shirts. The whole thing smells like a giant money-grab to me.

Arbiter Accounts ...
 

Now that I think about it, maybe I know a little.

When I log onto Arbiter, I have four accounts. Two for my local scholastic assigner (one for local scholastic assignments and one for local scholastic Arbiter Pay); and two for my state association (one for state tournament assignments (and announcements), and one for state tournament Arbiter Pay). Every official in Connecticut has two accounts with the state association, whether one usually works state tournament games, or not (somehow tied into criminal background checks and, for this year, COVID vaccination status (or medical contraindication or firmly held religious or spiritual belief), electronically "signing" a sworn affidavit). I used to have a fifth account, for my Catholic middle school assigner.

All the Chicago area assignors are under one account. But I might work for about 10 different people in total. Some wait until the last minute and get no games, but can fill open dates on Arbiter.

I work for 5 college supervisors (range from all levels except D1).

And I work mainly for 1 Indiana assignor, even though I am working one game for another assignor for one game.

Peace

Mens Recreation Games ...
 

In ancient times, before my local board assigned girls high school games, and we had more available officials than games to be assigned, our local high school assigner actually assigned a few mens league games, subvarsity officials couldn't opt out, it was viewed as a training ground. That stopped when we started working girls high school games, doubling our assignments.

Here in my hometown, we had a veteran official assign our hometown mens recreation games. Most of the games went to his longtime buddies, I was the new guy. I worked a few fill in games for him and found that it wasn't my cup of tea. Extremely lazy mechanics. Never any switching. Unsporting behavior almost always ignored. Every game I worked I felt like I was the new sheriff in town. While I didn't totally quit his league, I did tell him to put my name dead last on the fill in list. Thankfully, he complied.

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dBNMFCYB8...ERIFF%2B10.png

Impressive ...
 

Again: Wow.

Still doing football and baseball?

I do not work anything but high school and college. I do not work girls or women's basketball at all either. I keep it simple. Works for me and we do not have any assigning organization for the most part in Illinois. Assignors work for the conferences and they have very little if any affiliation with one group. The only one that does is the COA which the assignor assigns mostly Catholic League Members, but hires many more that are not members of the COA.

I do not have the stomach for middle school, Men's leagues, rec leagues or anything not associated directly with schools. Then again I have little time. About 4 days a week is enough.

Peace

Not sure where this notion that college assigners don't use Arbiter comes from. Four of my five leagues are on Arbiter.

Yep, and this exact conundrum is one of the reasons I am glad I live in a state where HS games are assigned 2-3 weeks in advance at the most.

It also is another flaw of Arbiter that they have refused to address.

I do not think anyone said that college assignors do not use Arbiter. Certainly the case for most of my career. My longest working league the assignor still uses Arbiter and has not given it up. But Division 1 was using Blue Zebra for the most part and many supervisors that are D1 officials have used that system. Now there is RefQuest Plus that is coming into play and used as an assigning site. Two of my supervisors have used that site and it seems like more are going to make that change. But Arbiter is the most popular site overall. But it is losing users and one of the reasons is the NCAA is walking away from the assigning piece of that site.

Peace

Recent email from supervisor:

"...attempt to schedule and knowing that the D1 Leagues have NOT sent out their dates/sites,it looks like a lot of you have been assigned and/or accpeted dates from other JUCO and/or D2 or D3 leagues that use Arbiter. When this happens, and even if you have not accepted these dates, if the other league uses Arbiter you show not available..."

"...I had a call with Arbiter about this and there is nothing they can do about this..."

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When an officials does not show up, all you have to do is click Potential Officials and then you can see where and the group that is making that official Unavailable

Hogwash. There is something Arbiter could do about it, they just don't want to.

I agree. They have kind of messed up their system somehow. These were not problems over a year ago. Not sure why it is now?

Peace

I agree. That behavior makes absolutely zero sense. In my system, I let officials declare which leagues schedules have priority and which one can block another one.

If true, that is actually a huge security/privacy hole. Assignor A should have zero visibility into what Assignor B is doing unless either Assignor B or the individual official grants access to that information.

Do they do it online or do they send that to you? That sounds like extra work that would be annoying. Not because you do not need to have some understanding, but are we talking the same level? Because if an assignor does not know that I would rather work a college game for more money than a high school game, then we have some bigger issues with the schedule. But then again we do not have assignors that have that much control over us. And no high school assignor should be acting like working their game over a college game (regardless of what I have to do to work the game), I would not want to work for them.

Peace