Another Referee Assault ...

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

Speak for YOURSELF.

With the exception of acknowledging JRutledge's obviously busy schedule of games, job, and family, most of my comments in recent posts in this thread were about MY experiences with Connecticut middle schools.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

This is why I do not do middle school at all.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I'm not asking. You offered.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

"I figured that there were additional reasons, besides a Dad coming out of the stands (which was also in a recently posted video of a high school varsity game, the "pants" video, the one where you would punch the Dad) and poor locker room accommodations, why you don't work middle school games, and I was right. I figured (but didn't detail) that your "cup was already full" with high school and college games, job, and family, and I was right, especially with your line about relief that a game was cancelled ..."

This (above) was a reply to JRutledege's own post, with me agreeing with him, no way I could disagree, he has his own personal Midwest reasons.

Raymond is correct on this one (below), it was a presumptuous opinion on my part, possibly uncalled for, and possibly incorrect (I've been watching too many Perry Mason reruns on cable).

Originally Posted by Raymond

"A top notch experienced varsity official like yourself shouldn't even be considering middle school games, even middle school games that might be "worth the hassle". I'm sure that your varsity assigners, in two states, and your various college assigners would prefer for you to keep your calendar open. Even if you wanted to, would you have time to do any middle school games? I'm pretty sure that your high school and college schedule is already pretty full without any middle school games."

Bottom line.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

You don't need a reason. None of our business. I'm not asking. You offered.

[BillyMac]

Besides working a predominantly middle school schedule now due to my arthritis, because I'm needed due to my daytime availability, and because I enjoy it; I also coached middle school basketball for twenty-five years. We had a secure dressing room for officials with a shower (seldom used), had water available for officials at halftime, scoreboard with team fouls, cheerleaders, and started the games with a live performance (vocal or instrumental) of the National Anthem. Also enjoyed working in a Catholic middle school league on my off nights for about thirty years, even after I no longer needed the money or the experience. Taught in the middle school for thirty years, and had three children participate in middle school sports, at my school, one in basketball.

That's why I'm so passionate about middle school sports, specifically middle school basketball, especially middle school basketball in Connecticut.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

... less than ideal accommodations.

We've got some real issues in some of our high schools. Again, these are high schools.

Dress in guidance office. Obviously no shower.

Dress in nurses office. Also, no shower.

Dress in nurses office, but this one has a shower.

Dress in custodians area, right next to snowblowers with snow melting off them forming puddles. There is a custodian shower.

Dress behind the curtain on the stage on one end of the gymnasium. Obviously no shower.

Been to these schools once not in uniform, shame on them, been there twice not in uniform, shame on me.

And of course we have lots of showers with no hot water.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

With the exception of acknowledging JRutledge's obviously busy schedule of games, job, and family, most of my comments in recent posts in this thread were about MY experiences with Connecticut middle schools.

For the record, I am not busier than anyone else. Actually, there are officials busier than me. We all have limits and I am not working middle school basketball. Don't want to, that is it. Did when I was coming up enough. When I got choices I made them. Do not care what goes on in other states.

For the record, I do very little in Indiana. Do not care what Indiana does at that level. Only got my license in Indiana because I was close to many schools and my son and family lived rather close to multiple high schools. Thought I would give it a try. But work less than 15 games total in Indiana and not working middle school to fill out any schedule.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Did when I was coming up enough. When I got choices I made them.

I gave up recreation (youth and men), travel, and AAU many, many years ago. No longer needed the money. No longer needed the experience. My kids were starting to get involved with winter sports (basketball and gymnastics) and I wanted to be there for them. No longer needed (or wanted) to be out four, or five, weeknights and Saturday and/or Sunday.

Kept doing Catholic middle schools because I liked it. Great league. Great assigner. Great partners. Great money. Nearby towns. Gave it up for health reasons (arthritis) because all games were boy/girl doubleheaders. Some triple headers. Also the assigner, my mentor, retired and moved to Florida. Tried it for one season with the new assigner, didn't like it as the culture changed, partners changed, and the geographic area expanded across the river, meaning traffic bottlenecks over a limited number of bridges. My foot got worse and I was out of Dodge. Easy decision.

Now I just work for my high school assigner. Makes my life much simpler.