Number Of Officials ...

[BillyMac]

From the NFHS:

Behavior Campaign Planned in High School Sports as Many States Report Increase in Officials

As the 2021-22 school year draws to a close, there is some good news to report on the officiating front, and next steps to take before action begins again this fall.

In a survey by NFHS Director of Officiating Services Dana Pappas, 28 of 36 participating state associations reported an increase in the number of registered officials from 2020-21 to 2021-22. Overall, in these states, there was a six percent increase in the number of registered officials this past year, as compared to a nine percent decrease between 2018-19 and 2020-21.

While some of the participating states reported decreases in officials this past year, four states -- Delaware, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota -- currently have more registered officials than before the pandemic.

We salute the great work done in all these states to address the nationwide shortage of officials; however, as was discussed at the recently completed NFHS Officials Consortium, steps must be taken to improve respect for officials and behavior at high school events if new officials are going to be retained beyond three years.

While I'm sure that some of this increase may be due "campaign(s) ... to improve respect for officials and behavior at high school events", isn't most of the increase simply because perspective officials feel safer attending training classes, testing sessions, scrimmages, and games due to the success of vaccinations in decreasing hospitalizations and death due to COVID?

Or the need for some "breadwinners" to make some extra money due to hyper-inflation? During the Great Recession, between 2007 and 2009, we were turning away many applicants due to a lack of space in our training classes.

[Raymond]

I'm going to attribute a vast majority of the increase to folks in my category, didn't officiate in 2020-21, but came back in 2021-22 as well as new officials who deferred entering the avocation to 2021-22.

I'm willing to bet next scholastic year (2022-23) will be either even or a decrease with a lot of veterans who came back this past season realizing they enjoyed time at home better than they enjoyed all the jerkish fans, parents, and coaches.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Raymond

I'm going to attribute a vast majority of the increase to folks in my category, didn't officiate in 2020-21, but came back in 2021-22 as well as new officials who deferred entering the avocation to 2021-22.

I agree. There was no mass increase in new officials. It was exactly as you said...some of the people that skipped 2020 came back. 2021 was still way down for most areas in most sports.

Originally Posted by Raymond

I'm willing to bet next scholastic year (2022-23) will be either even or a decrease with a lot of veterans who came back this past season realizing they enjoyed time at home better than they enjoyed all the jerkish fans, parents, and coaches.

You may be right on the end result, but I think it might be due to a different cause (or a combination of the causes).

I think you might lose people that stayed around all along as well as those that came back, but not because they liked being at home.

I think the bigger impact will be burnout. In 2021-22, we had a similar number of games as in the past but did them with about 15-20% fewer officials. As a result, everyone is working more games per season than they ever have. That is taking its toll on a lot of officials. Those that would have several more years left may hang it up because it just isn't fun any more with so many games.

If the issues (both understaffed and environmental stress) don't get fixed, the burnout effect is going to get a lot worse.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

I think the bigger impact will be burnout. In 2021-22, we had a similar number of games as in the past but did them with about 15-20% fewer officials. As a result, everyone is working more games per season than they ever have. That is taking its toll on a lot of officials ... it just isn't fun any more with so many games.

Bingo. Happened to me. For the first time ever, I worked too many scholastic games. Never thought that I would ever say that about scholastic games. There were times that I was praying for snow to get a day off. And I'm retired and have few family responsibilities. I can't imagine working as many games as I did this past season, often working six scholastic game dates a week, and having a day job and family responsibilities.

[ilyazhito]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

I agree. There was no mass increase in new officials. It was exactly as you said...some of the people that skipped 2020 came back. 2021 was still way down for most areas in most sports.

You may be right on the end result, but I think it might be due to a different cause (or a combination of the causes).

I think you might lose people that stayed around all along as well as those that came back, but not because they liked being at home.

I think the bigger impact will be burnout. In 2021-22, we had a similar number of games as in the past but did them with about 15-20% fewer officials. As a result, everyone is working more games per season than they ever have. That is taking its toll on a lot of officials. Those that would have several more years left may hang it up because it just isn't fun any more with so many games.

If the issues (both understaffed and environmental stress) don't get fixed, the burnout effect is going to get a lot worse.

I especially felt burnout when doing rec games on the weekends in addition to high school. It was getting so bad that I had to cut out rec games for my own sanity and to help myself out with my graduate courses.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

I especially felt burnout when doing rec games on the weekends in addition to high school.

I went through the same experience as a young official. Weekends and weekday "off" nights. Worked for many different assigners other than my high school assigner. Youth recreation, travel, mens league, Catholic middle schools, etc. Did it for a few reasons: experience, "networking", but primarily for the money. Mortgage, car payments, young family, lots of financial responsibilities (back when teachers in Connecticut were not well paid). It was a great feeling when I was able to give up most of that to just do scholastic games, and eventually just work for my high school assigner.