Not Enough Games

[JRutledge]

That is just crazy to me. We have assignors in this part of the state, but they only have one or two conferences. An assignor might only have 10 schools to assign. And that assignor is not associated in most cases with a particular official's association. At least on the varsity level, at best I might be lucky if I get 3 assignments from that assignor. So it is almost by necessity that you work for more assignors and work a large area. We have an availibility sheet that we send to different assignors and they work off of that. Or one day you might get called (around this time of year) and be asked to go over next year's schedule. Around here, the more guys you work for, the better it helps getting assignments in other conferences.

When I was trying to work for certain assignors, the first question that is asked, "who do you work for." And when you start rattling off names, that helps you and they tend to like the fact that others think you are good enough to work varsity for them. But for the most part, I am staying in the area for lower level games. Just because they are played earlier in the day or evening and you do not have to fight traffic to get there. And that is very common among officials in my area to work for a lot of guys.

So if I piss off 1 assignor, that might only cost me 3 games. And I probably can pick those up with the other guys, depending on what I did with the 1 assignor that I made upset. If I double book or not show up, that can hurt me overall and word will spread around. And in some cases, different assignors do not even like each other. So if you piss of the right one, the others will not care that much.

Peace

[BayStateRef]

Originally posted by JRutledge
That is just crazy to me. We have assignors in this part of the state, but they only have one or two conferences.

Crazy to me too, but I have to work with what I've got. My assigner has 5 leagues -- four for boys and girls; one just girls. That's a lot of games. He "owns" this corner of Massachusetts. Because of his huge store of games, other assigners are not happy with him, because they know his feeling about guys who work for multiple people. One assigner, with one league, begged me for just one or two dates. He said if he got one date from every ref who worked for the first guy, he would be all set.

I recently have been approached by several refs who are urging me to go to other assigners, but I have been reluctant. I like the games I get. I especially like that they are close to work and close to home. And I get as many as five dates a week, with the majority of them sub-varisty double headers. This is my fourth year and it's worked OK for me. But I know plenty of guys who absolutely will not work for this assigner and others who swear by him.

[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by BayStateRef
He believes I am available on any day when he has not assigned me. And if a game is cancelled well in advance, he is especially sure I am available, since I had already committed to him.

When I questioned him about this, he was quite blunt: if I want a lot of games, I had better be available. If I am not available, he said he would not have many games for me. This guy simply does not like to make two phone calls.

As another Bay State ref, I can empathize with you. I now work for 3 different assignors (HS, Juco, ECAC). What I do, is to give an empty availability sheet to my ECAC assignor (college games). When I get that schedule, I give my juco assignor an availability sheet with my ECAC dates blocked out. When I get my juco schedule, I give my HS assignor an availability sheet with my ECAC and juco dates blocked out. That makes everybody happy.

If after I've gotten all three schedules, I get an add-on college game, I immediately update my "unavailable" dates with my HS and juco assignors. That way they know not to "waste" a phone call on me later. Yes, that may cut down my availability for HS games, but oh well.

There is also the understanding that if I get called for a higher level game, I will be released from a lower-level game that I've already accepted. That doesn't make everybody happy, but it's the way it is.

[BayStateRef]

Originally posted by ChuckElias
There is also the understanding that if I get called for a higher level game, I will be released from a lower-level game that I've already accepted. That doesn't make everybody happy, but it's the way it is.

I can't accept this thinking. To me, an assignment is a contract. I do not expect my assigner to replace me because "someone better" is suddenly available. And I will not back out of a game because I found "womething better" from someone else. If that costs me higher-level games in the short-run, I can live with it because I know that my integrity and reliability will be worth more in the long run.

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by JRutledge
That is just crazy to me. We have assignors in this part of the state, but they only have one or two conferences. An assignor might only have 10 schools to assign. And that assignor is not associated in most cases with a particular official's association. At least on the varsity level, at best I might be lucky if I get 3 assignments from that assignor. So it is almost by necessity that you work for more assignors and work a large area. We have an availibility sheet that we send to different assignors and they work off of that. Or one day you might get called (around this time of year) and be asked to go over next year's schedule. Around here, the more guys you work for, the better it helps getting assignments in other conferences.

That's crazy for me. Our local assoication elects booking agents for each sport. If we don't like someone, we get rid of him. He assigns all 5 conferences that we service. If there's a problem, I have one man to deal with.

There's one individual who assigns small private schools in our area. He's the secondary booking agent that I wrote about. I just work a few extra games for him, when I'm available.

Originally posted by BayStateRef
I can't accept this thinking. To me, an assignment is a contract. I do not expect my assigner to replace me because "someone better" is suddenly available. And I will not back out of a game because I found "womething better" from someone else. If that costs me higher-level games in the short-run, I can live with it because I know that my integrity and reliability will be worth more in the long run.

Just because someone has an accepted arrangement with supervisors to do this does not mean they lack integrity or relaibility. While it may not be right for you, that doesn't make it wrong.

[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by BayStateRef
I can't accept this thinking. To me, an assignment is a contract. I do not expect my assigner to replace me because "someone better" is suddenly available. And I will not back out of a game because I found "womething better" from someone else.

This is not a matter of integrity. I'm not calling in "sick" to my lower-level game, in order to secretly take a better one. I tell the lower-level assignor, "Bill, Lou needs me Wednesday night at such-and-such. I gotta turn back my Wednesday game to you". It's understood that if an official is needed at a higher-level game, that's where the official goes.

The first time this happened to me was several years ago before I ever got a varsity HS game. I was scheduled to do a 7th/8th grade game and my HS assignor called me and said he needed me at a JV game. Well, at that point in my career I was very excited to fill in for that JV game. But I was committed. So I told him that I was supposed to be at this other game. And the HS assignor said to me simply, "Well, you tell Bobby hi for me." And that was it. He needed me, so Bobby needed to replace me. End of discussion. That's just the way it works here.

It makes it a little tougher on the assignors, definitely, but it's great for officials, b/c you know that you will never be held back from a great opportunity b/c somebody's unwilling to "give you up" to another assignor.

[BayStateRef]

Originally posted by ChuckElias
It makes it a little tougher on the assignors, definitely, but it's great for officials, b/c you know that you will never be held back from a great opportunity b/c somebody's unwilling to "give you up" to another assignor.

I was taught differently. My board interpreter said we should never give up a game for a "better" one ... at least not if we wanted to advance. He told how he had a varisty game scheduled when he got a call to do a college game (on very short notice). He said "another time" and told us to do the same. The guy who called him thought he was crazy....better money, exposure, etc. I understand your position and why you hold it....I just don't think that way.

[OldCoachNewRef]

Here in New Jersey (Board 34)there are 2 assignors. One for independent and one for High School. We are told the first day of class that HS takes precedence. If you are assigned independent and the HS assignor calls, you are to accept the HS and then call the independent assignor and tell him you are taking a HS game, he will then find a replacement. This seems to work well for everyone involved (allows you to "move up" the ladder).

[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by BayStateRef
I was taught differently. My board interpreter said we should never give up a game for a "better" one ... at least not if we wanted to advance. . . I understand your position and why you hold it....I just don't think that way.

That's fine. And if, in your neck of the woods, that's how it's done, then you should do it that way. But if both assignors agree that you should go to the better game, you'd go, wouldn't you?

[JRutledge]

I think also one of the reasons our system is that way, our area is too large to give all the assignments to one person. Also we do not have individuals that belong to one association.

But I understand that much of this is about what you always had to work under. But I for those that work for one guy, who does all your assigning, what if you piss off that one guy? Are you just screwed? I realize that some of you might have a vote to get them off, but if the guy that hates you, keeps his position and is never voted out?

Peace

[BayStateRef]

Originally posted by JRutledge
But I for those that work for one guy, who does all your assigning, what if you piss off that one guy? Are you just screwed?

This just happened to a fellow ref about a month ago -- just before the season started. He had a major falling out with his assigner with whom he had worked for two years over the number and type of games. He essentially "fired" the assigner. We are in suburban Boston and there are a lot of games available from many assigners. It meant he had to scramble to contact three of four new guys, and maybe travel a little further (emphasis on little) but it has worked out well for him. Since he is available for freshmen and JV (freshmen starts at 3:30), he is in a good position. There is always the need for refs for the early games.

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by JRutledge
I think also one of the reasons our system is that way, our area is too large to give all the assignments to one person. Also we do not have individuals that belong to one association.

But I understand that much of this is about what you always had to work under. But I for those that work for one guy, who does all your assigning, what if you piss off that one guy? Are you just screwed? I realize that some of you might have a vote to get them off, but if the guy that hates you, keeps his position and is never voted out?

It is about what you're used to. I can't imagine having to contract directly with schools like some of these guys do, but that's there way of life.

As for pissing off the assignor, it's probably best not to do that, no matter how many or how few you work for.

[ace]

Well here in Houston we've broken our sub-varsity assignments down to HISD; Northwest/West/Southwest; South, South East, Lower East; Upper East, Northeast, North. So thats 4 secretarys PLUS 1 Varsity official. 700+ Officials 30,000+ Games. However theres this one area of town that they have a hard time getting sub var. officials to show up for so a guy and his son(who are in good standing with the chapter) Took that area on since they live out there and are in good rep with the schools. They've negotiated better pay for this one school district/town to secure officials for everygame. They never have a no-show or one guy on the floor. The varsity officials sitll come from the chapter secretary. I live so far in the northwest corner that this area is only about 15 min away from me. Closer than most sites within the School District I live in. The outlying area who used to get no-shows schedule two weeks before the season for the entire season. The Asst. secretary for my area schedules 2 months at a time. My games in the other area have been filled for quite some time now. When I told my scheduler I was unavialable on some high school nights he asked why and I said I was commited to another obligation and he kinna figured the rest out from there and told me to go with my conscience. He's hurting for good officials on High School nights. But I was already committed to these other dates. He said he can fill MS games whenever but really needs the better officials on HS games. If something happens where Im free - He gets first dibs by 2:00 PM. After that my other scheduler has me for emergencys. Has it henderd me getting some games? yeah probably. I dunno what I'll do next year becuase I'll be game for all levels from both assignors. I guess work one HS night with one scheduler and the other with the other. But yeah... Usually one official doesnt work for two scheduler because of the regions and legistics of it all. But in this area things are a little different because of that outlying area. I try to make it up to the chapter sec. by working tourny games AFTER other games. Like i'll work 2 tourny games in the morning with one sec.- then have 2 more that afternoon/night with the other.

[tomegun]

I thought it was a common thing for an assigner to understand if you "trade up" for a game. This isn't normally a scheduling thing since assignments trickle down from D1 to middle school. If you are needed at a higher level it can cost you. It can cost you money and let's face it we would do some games for free maybe but on the whole we do not do this for free. It can also cost you when you are trying to move up. College schedules normally reflect how an assigner feels about you. It increases from year to year until it levels off and then decreases. This is normally so some things may differ. If that college assigner gets turned down for a high school game how do you think he will feel? Even a JUCO assigner will normally understand if you get a call for a higher level game.