Monthly D1 Assigning?

[Player989random]

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?

[JRutledge]

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

[BillyMac]

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.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

... we might have dates, but not sites until later on in the year ...

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.

[JRutledge]

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

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

He was asking about the delay that is taking place because D1 has not assigned many games as they usually has.

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.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

... some issues with schedules based on the uncertainty of protocols ... COVID changed a lot of things ...

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

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.

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

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

While...

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.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

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.

Agree.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

... especially in this age of COVID ...

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

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.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

... we get fined if we have to turn back an assignment because we didn't block out that date.

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.

[Raymond]

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

Draw your own conclusions.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

Two of my conferences just finalized and released their COVID policies for the season ...

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.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

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

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

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

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Still all has little to do with the original question.

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.

Originally Posted by Raymond

Two of my conferences just finalized and released their COVID policies for the season ...

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

Originally Posted by JRutledge

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.

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

Originally Posted by BillyMac

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.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

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".

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