numbers up in assoc.,way up!

[BK]

A Very Fine Line!!!

Assignors want more referees to pick from so that they can get fewer calls when the best guys are out on the court. They also want to be able to fully cover the heaviest nights. I know in our association, the week before Thanksgiving and Christmas is very hectic...almost ALL varsity officials get a JH assignment sometime that week. Recruitment and retention are the life blood of an association...you can't weed out and retire the guys that need to be sent out if you don't have someone to take their place. Our association figures that we will keep 1 out of every 6 rookies after 3 years--about the amount of time it takes to get a consistent varsity schedule. I usually enjoy getting a night or two off during the regular season...I'm probably going to be found in a gym that night, watching a buddy or a ranked team from the area. Fluctuation in numbers is a natural ebb and flow...if the numbers continue to stay on the upper end, is it possible for your board to recruit new schools? Are there opportunities with private schools or rec leagues to be assigned within the association? There are plenty of opportunities...if a guy wants to referee.