numbers up in assoc.,way up!

refjef40 · #1 (**permalink**) Sun Jan 18, 2004, 11:14am

In my local H.S. assoc. last year we had a pretty good ratio of officials to games.This year we are up about 20 members from then.All I've ever heard in my years is we need more officials now we have to many.In my softball group last year we were way short.In basketball we are lucky to get a game or two a week.You can tell this has caused a lot of friction in the membership.Is this happening anywhere else or just here?Does anyone think the board should try and force anyone out or just ride with it?It's funny because all I ever heard was we need more people and now we have them and everyone is grumpy about it!

ace · #2 (**permalink**) Sun Jan 18, 2004, 02:05pm

I dunno we have 700+ members in our association and its no problem getting games.. .Even Varsity games aren't hard to come by once you've reached that level.

BK · #3 (**permalink**) Sun Jan 18, 2004, 02:13pm

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.

refjef40 · #4 (**permalink**) Sun Jan 18, 2004, 03:13pm

to ace I'm curious as to how many schools are in your assoc. ours only has 16.We also cover a private league and
a j.h. and don't have enough assignments.

davidw · #5 (**permalink**) Sun Jan 18, 2004, 08:37pm

We've had something similar.

One of our first meetings this year our assignor announces how 'up' in number of officials we have and down in number of teams we are covering. Numbers down for AAU teams and rec teams (by quite a bit). So combination of less teams more officails makes for fewer assignments to officials. He was trying to do some 'preventative' work.

There seems to be some unhappy. Probably more from those who rely a little too much on the income part of the avocation.

We have been very successful in our recruiting and retention the last 4-5 years. In some respects we've replaced one problem for another. But I believe the current one is more manageable than the other was.

ace · #6 (**permalink**) Mon Jan 19, 2004, 01:38am

HAHAHA I dunno HISD takes up quite a bit. I know that my regional assignor covers 26 some odd schools... depedns on which regional assignor you work for... our chapter assigns 30,000 some odd ball games a season.

dblref · #7 (**permalink**) Tue Jan 20, 2004, 11:58am

Quote:

Originally posted by ace
HAHAHA I dunno HISD takes up quite a bit. I know that my regional assignor covers 26 some odd schools... depedns on which regional assignor you work for... our chapter assigns 30,000 some odd ball games a season.

My association covers about 50 HS and we have about 280 officials. I work a minimum of 3 nights per week and for the next 2 weeks, I will be working 5 nights. Usually a freshman game at one school and varsity at another, or a F/JV doubleheader -- sometimes do the clock also if a d/h.

Tim Roden · #8 (**permalink**) Tue Jan 20, 2004, 12:26pm

Don't you love officiating. If we have too many officials we complain. If we don't have enough officials we complain. If you have too many, are you doing 3 person yet? I keep hearing that we are not because we don't have enough officials yet who can do 3 person. Yet when a 3 person game comes up I am never asked though I have attended camps and can do 3 person. I guess you have to be an assignor to know what the correct number of officials has to be to be comforible.

CLAY · #9 (**permalink**) Wed Jan 21, 2004, 04:49pm

In my assoc. we do not have enough officials. We always seem to have enough officials to do the varsity level games, we just don't have enough to do freshman j.v. level.
I thought that was odd, since the freshman play on different nights. I now know why we do not have enough officials, it's because the varsity officials do not want to do freshman,or jv. games only varsity. And as in any assoc. the assignor is going to use his best officials for the varsity level games. We call it he "Home boy club"
A few years ago I get my assignments for the freshman, jv, games both boys and girls. In with the assignments was a form letter stating how long you have been an official and and how the assignor felt you needed to work harder and have more experience before moving up to the varsity level.
After the season started I got a call from the assignor to do a varsity game to fill in when another official called in sick 2 hrs before the game. At that time I only lived 2 miles from the school. I asked him why today I was experienced enough to do a varsity game, when he had just sent me a letter telling me I was to work harder and get more experience before moving to the varsity level. He stated he was in a bind and was unable to get another official there in time. I then paused, silence on the other end. He said to me, you are going to tell me shove this game up my as* aren't you. And I said yes Iam, you are not going to use me to get your butt out of a jam. He said that he deserved that and did not blame me for not doing the game. The next year I was on the varsity schedule.

Camron Rust · #10 (**permalink**) Wed Jan 21, 2004, 05:46pm

Quote:

Originally posted by CLAY
In my assoc. we do not have enough officials. We always seem to have enough officials to do the varsity level games, we just don't have enough to do freshman j.v. level.

I thought that was odd, since the freshman play on different nights. I now know why we do not have enough officials, it's because the varsity officials do not want to do freshman,or jv. games only varsity. And as in any assoc. the assignor is going to use his best officials for the varsity level games. We call it he "Home boy club"

rant on
The solution for that is to have rule that if you refuse to do a few JV/Fresh games, you don't get varsity games. There are many JV/Fresh officials that would be happy to pick up a couple varsity games.

Last year, I had the opportunity to work with an official who is arguably the best official in the association (several smaller D1 conferences plus some time in the PAC-10). His schedule usually consists solely of big varsity matchups. Well on this this night my original partner called in sick. The assignor called this guy a couple hours before the game and he came. It was probably his first JV game in several years (not because he says no but becuase he's usually assigned bigger games). He worked it like it was a PAC-10 game on ESPN and loved every minute of it. I'm sure if he were assigned a girls 8th grade game, he'd happily take it and make an enjoyable game out of it. People like that make the assignors job easy and are a pleasure to work any game with.

A study I read about a few years ago pretty much cuts right to the core of the issue. 80% of the group surveyed as part of the study felt they were above average in their group. Obviously, at least 30% of them were wrong. Most people are not fair judeges of their own abilities. Most can usually recognize when another person/official is significantly better than them. However, when the differences get less obvious, most people put themselves above the other individual when from a neutral view the opposite is apparent (Sort of sounds like what opposing coaches think about close calls).

I can't count the number of times I've sat next to an offical in the stands who has been critical (quietly) about those on the floor when in fact they were not really any better. In my most recent example, the guy had finished the freshman game and was watching the JV game with me while I was waiting for my game.

I think it is fine, to a degree, to discuss the officials on the floor when it is done so for the purposes of learning/teaching and is done in a decent manner. His intentionk, unfortunately, was not that but was to only knock them down.

rant off

Quote:

Originally posted by CLAY

A few years ago I get my assignments for the freshman, jv, games both boys and girls. In with the assignments was a form letter stating how long you have been an official and and how the assignor felt you needed to work harder and have more experience before moving up to the varsity level.
After the season started I got a call from the assignor to do a varsity game to fill in when another official called in sick 2 hrs before the game. At that time I only lived 2 miles from the school. I asked him why today I was experienced enough to do a varsity game, when he had just sent me a letter telling me I was to work harder and get more experience before moving to the varsity level. He stated he was in a bind and was unable to get another official there in time. I then paused, silence on the other end. He said to me, you are going to tell me shove this game up my as* aren't you. And I said yes Iam, you are not going to use me to get your butt out of a jam. He said that he deserved that and did not blame me for not doing the game. The next year I was on the varsity schedule.

This is the exact opposite of what I would have done. And, with some assignors, you'd be getting the fresh/JV games forever.

When they call with a game at a higher level, it's an opportunity to establish that you can do it.

You're lucky that your assignor reacted the way he did.

zebraman · #11 (**permalink**) Wed Jan 21, 2004, 06:15pm

Clay,

A lot of officiating is about attitude. Have you ever heard the expression "check your ego at the door?"

First of all, the letter your assignor sent you was probably an honest evaluation on his part. IMHO, you should have thanked him for trying to help you by telling you what you needed to get up to the varsity level.

The "home boy club?" Sounds like a name for the best officials in your group by those who are jealous and not willing to put in the time and effort to get there.

I'm sure that I am one of many, many officials who got their first ever varsity game years ago as a "replacement" for someone who was sick or injured. I looked at is an opportunity and never looked back. You looked at it as an insult and kicked the gift horse in the mouth. I'm suprised the assignor didn't tell you to shove your entire officiating career up your ***.

We're supposed to be in this for the kids. Even today, if our assignor called and needed help on a game of any level (yep, even junior high), I would gladly do it if I was available. And yep, I would work it just as hard as any varsity game.

Z

JRutledge · #12 (**permalink**) Wed Jan 21, 2004, 08:17pm

Clay,

You just gave many of us another reason that certain officials stay doing lower level games.

If you get that kind of opporunity, take it. Of course your family and job comes first. But if you want to advance in officiating, take the opportunity. Or at the very least, do not complain because you are at the bottom.

Man you are very lucky he did not tell you what to do with your future games. If it was I, you might be lucky to get a 5th and 6th grade game.

Peace

Tim Roden · #13 (**permalink**) Thu Jan 22, 2004, 12:29am

I agree. As I told one of the Board members today who was in the store where I work. I don't care if it is 8 and under girls or 5a Varsity boys. Give me a call. I did do some 8 and under girls last week. What a challenge. Hardest officiating I have ever done.