What is the difference between:

Certified Official
Recognized Official
Registered Official

What's does it take to become each one? Are there certain benefits for being one or the other in being assigned to games? Does this differ if I want to do college matches? What do you need? Besides Luck!

In Ga.
Registered-base entry line for officials

Approved-must be registered for 2 years, pass all tests
with 75 or better attend state clinics and call at least
10 varsity boys and 10 varsity girls games (JV games count as 1/2).

Certified- must be approved for 2 years pass all tests
with 85 or better, attend state clinic and call at least
10 boys and 10 girls varsity games.

The only time this makes a difference is in the later rounds
of the state tourney you must be certified.

In Illinois:

Registered -- pay your dues, pass the part I test every year (these requirements also apply at the other levels)

Recognized -- Registered for at least two years, pass the Part II test open book, coach and certified evaluations at any game

Certified -- Recognized for at least two years, pass the part II test closed book, coach and certified evaluations at varsity games.

I forget the specific definition of "pass the test," and it varies by test and level.

The Recognized and Certified requirements are only required once (assuming you meet them and are promoted), not every year.

What Bob said!!!----In Illinois
 

Basically everything Bob said, but you must stay at a level for two years before you can be promoted. The evaluations include 6 people. You have to have at least 2 Certified officials evaluations and 3 school evaluations (either coach, AD or school administrator).

Once you get to the Certified level, you are considered for the playoffs first, if all things are equal. And only Certified officials can become a Clinician with the state.

Now these requirements are really only in the state of Illinois and do not affect college or any other level. Actually, I am not aware of any college distinctions of this nature.

So basically...
 

what your looking at is atleast 4years of loyal service, before you can be certified. There is no fast track?!?

And since there isn't a level of distinction for the college level, if your assignor is confident in your ability, have you ever seen officials that didn't get the playoff games, but were put on some low vis' college matches?

Re: So basically...
 

You can get some credit for experience in other states. I think it allows for only one year between levels (instead of two). Also, it takes two full years between levels, so it's a minimum of well into your 5th year before you can become certified.

Quote:

And since there isn't a level of distinction for the college level, if your assignor is confident in your ability, have you ever seen officials that didn't get the playoff games, but were put on some low vis' college matches?

Everytime I look in the mirror. I even know of some officials who have done college games before they have done varsity games (the college assigners are often different than the HS assigners).

Re: Depends on the state
 

Well, this depends on the state. I have heard officials going deep into the playoffs in some states and not working that long at all. But in Illinois, it might take you 15-20 years in order to be considered for State finals competition. They are changing some things, but it might not change that much. Now these rankings do not affect your possibility of getting varsity games at all. In my first year I did some fill in stuff for varsity games, and my second year I had varsity games almost entirely. But I have never been given an opportunity to get the playoffs (right now I am "Registered" and going for promotion to "Recongnized" this year). That might change after this year, but we will see.

Two levels in Michigan
 

Level One : Registered

Level None: Unregistered

Add to Illinois Rating Info
 

I belong to the Bloomington-Normal Officials Association and the association meets in a building right next to the IHSA HQ in Bloomington. Dave Gannaway (sp??), (President) spoke to our association one evening about how FOOTBALL playoffs were being assigned in Illinois - (I don't know if this is being used by basketball but believe that if it isn't, it will be soon). There are a number of different criteria he is using.

1. Number of Varsity Contests officiated.

2. Coaches/Ad's ratings

3. Assignors "top (10 or some number) officials in the association" list.

4. Certified Officials ratings

5. Certification Level (Registered, Recognized, Certified) - which obviously takes into account number of years of service

6. Test Score on mandatory exam.


There may be others but these are the ones I recall off the top of my head.

Each area is given (I believe equal) weight and the best overall "score" gets assigned to playoff games with the highest scores getting the state games. He only takes a certain number of officials from any one "REGION". Each region is represented by a proportionate number of officials from that region.

Mr Gannaway seems pretty pleased with the results thus far.

But please keep in mind that this is information I gleened from the conversation.

As far as officials working College ball, I know of a man personally who has worked some D3 college ball in his FIRST YEAR!! Talk about setting yourself up for a beating!

In Colorado, we use the IAABO system of Certified, provisional, and trainee. All based on how you do on the test. There are first year officials that are certified and there are third year officials that are provisional. All certified officials are required to be evaluated during the season for purposes of selecting state playoff officials.

Here in Michigan's U.P., we don't have assignors. How you are supposed to get games is the A.D. will call you to schedule you for the following year. What it has come to is refs calling the A.D. to schedule themselves. I hear A.D.s complaining all the time about a few guys calling in the summer a full year and a half before the season being booked. If you try to do it the proper way you are left in the dust. Consequently some teams of officials are working 3 or 4 nights a week, others once every two weeks. As far as being selected for Tourney time, there is a six person committee (school administrators) that select District and Regional officials. The "Old Boy" network and politics play a huge role as you may imagine. These people do not see certain officials ever to evaluate them, one reason being the sheer size of the U.P. It is a six hour drive from one end to the other. It would be nice if there was a system in place that awarded assignments by a rating of a supervisor or a panel of former refs, so you could find out what you must improve on to get post season work. The state has a rating system (by the coaches) but even if your ratings do qualify you, it is still basically the same veterans going year after year. But I guess officiating is a microcosm of life, and that's life.

You're either registered in NC or you don't work HS ball. We have a rating system based on clinic attendance, scrimmages, years of experience, varsity games worked the previous year and closed book exam score. You must be a Class 1 or 2 official to work any type of tournament or playoff game. Booking agents assign regular season games and sectional playoff games and recommend officials for the regional tourney and state championship. The NCHSAA has the final decision.

THERE IS ABSOLUTELY, POSiTIVELY NO INPUT OR EVALUATION BY THE COACHES! :)