Evaluators, assignors, superiors....

[ronny mulkey]

If we could limit this to a High School discussion only.

I see a lot of posts on this board that preface their answers with do what your evaluator or assignor tells you to do. In general, good advice. My question is where do these assignors go to stay abreast of the rules? How often do they say *uck what the casebook says? Do they actually say if you handle it like the interp says, you won't get many games in my group? Are they openly expressing disdain for a Fed ruling during meetings, camps, clinics? Do they only express their philosophies on general things like 3 seconds, intentional fouls, bench decorum, etc. or does it apply to all rules? Are any of y'all able to have input into these philosophies? If any of y'all are leaders of your group, do you actually say ignore the casebook on this particular ruling?

[Jurassic Referee]

I'm an assigner and an evaluator. Reports from other evaluators in our association flow to me,also. If you're going to do your job properly as an assigner, you have to know the general capabilities of each official that you put out on the floor.You also have to be very aware of personalities too. You can have the 2 or 3 greatest officials in the area, but if they don't get along, you're better off keeping them away from each other if you can. Also, our Association is set up so that all complaints come to me, also. The easiest complaints that we get to handle are the ones that we can respond to by saying "hey, what the officials did is exactly what the rulebook tells them to do". Nobody can argue that. It can be very hard to justify any complaint, though, where the official tried to make up his own rule to fit a situation.

As for philosophies, I don't think that our's are too much different than any one elses'. We want our guys to be strictly neutral, use commom sense, avoid meaningless battles if we can,and be as consistent as possible. Naturally, that's not what the schools are gonna get every game, though. Any officials' group is composed of some good to great officials, average officials, and some officials that probably shouldn't be out there if we had more bodies.

How do I stay abreast of the rules? Well, it's a heckuva lot easier now with the internet, and websites for the NFHS,NCAA,NASO,etc., as well as forums like this one. If you pay attention, you learn a lot just visiting these sites on a regular basis. This site alone has numerous officials that I would call very knowledgeable. They know the rules,but also as importantly, they can tell us how to apply those rules. The other plus that this site has is that some very astute coaches come here also. I find their their point of view of some situations can be very helpful.

[Edited by Jurassic Referee on Jan 17th, 2004 at 11:29 AM]

[Bart Tyson]

My question is where do these assignors go to stay abreast of the rules?

Camps and rules meeting.

How often do they say *uck what the casebook says?

Campers are there to listen, Not say "ya but". So, the subject of casebook doesn't come up.

Do they actually say if you handle it like the interp says, you won't get many games in my group?

The closest I come to this is, don't be a rule book official. You may be the best at calling traveling in the country, but you won't be working some leagues.

Are they openly expressing disdain for a Fed ruling during meetings, camps, clinics?

NO

Do they only express their philosophies on general things like 3 seconds, intentional fouls, bench decorum, etc. or does it apply to all rules?

What ever the subject happens to be and if it is necessary to give their philosophy.

Are any of y'all able to have input into these philosophies?

Not at camps. Listen and say OK.

If any of y'all are leaders of your group, do you actually say ignore the casebook on this particular ruling?

No. When explaining a play, we don't say, "the case book says", we just tell them how to handle it. But, it may very well be based on the case book. If someone said something that was contrary to the case book, it was only because they were not knowledgeable of the rule/case.

[JRutledge]

This is where the term "call the obvious" comes into play. When you "call the obvious" you can almost never go wrong. If you call a play that rarely happens and is not specific to the NF interpretations, you can and will get yourself in trouble. Not only do officials have to call what is a solid interpretation, but we have to call what is understandable and acceptable as well. If we make the unusual call on usual plays, well we might not be around much longer. There are many plays that are in the casebook that never happen the way the casebook draws it up. So we have to act accordingly.

I think you are looking for people to say that someone said to ignore something in the rulebook. The reality is I cannot think of a situation where that is true. But I can remember someone saying that "make it be there." Which means if you are going to call something, let everyone see the same thing before calling Ts and intentional fouls and the more it affected the play the better. And in certain rules, I have been told about +'s and -'s of making certain calls.

Peace

[zebraman]

Our assignor attends the rules interpreter clinic, takes the NFHS test, and attends our meetings and many games. I have never heard him purposely suggest to do anything that isn't supported by the rule book or official's manual. I think you see that more at the college level. If he says something philosophical that is a little controversial in one of our meetings, we don't have any problem disagreeing with him and putting him in his place. :-)

Z

Our assignors are actually zebras themselves. My subvarsity high school assignor is the President of our association and a college/high school zebra. He'll usually encourage us to talk to our mentor (if we're in the mentoring program) about situations, etc. My parochial school league assignor (5th to 8th graders) strictly works that league just like the rest of us. If something comes up, he'll usually try and answer it, otherwise, he'll ask one of the more experienced guys in the association to answer it. I never have a problem with this assignor, as he usually trusts my judgement and knows that I have additional resources to fall back on if I need help with a situation or whatever.

[PS2Man]

I will say that I have been told what are good calls at camps. I would not call that ignoring the casebook or the rulebook. I guess it is how you look at it.

[Mark Padgett]

I really can't help you. I've had assignors and evaluators - but never a superior.

[dblref]

Originally posted by Mark Padgett
I really can't help you. I've had assignors and evaluators - but never a superior.

Not true -- you are married. Ask your "superior" if she considers herself to not be "superior".

[Mark Padgett]

Originally posted by dblref

Not true -- you are married. Ask your "superior" if she considers herself to not be "superior".

Oh no - we are equals. Just ask our checking account.