All of our games are assigned by the association. We cannot contract for games on our own. Coaches can "scratch" 2 officials, but the scratch is only good for a year. Coaches have no say over who we send to states. Our assignor sends a list of officials to the state high school league office and that offices decides who will be selected.

Coaches in our area submit a list of 15 names of officials they want to work their Varsity games for the regular season.
The Assignor then uses this list, for each individual school, to make Varsity assignments for the entire year.
The Assignor has the flexability to assign another official (not on the Coache's list) to that school if one of the 15 officials has a conflict...i.e. doing a college game that night.
This can be a great way for an official to get "his break", and work for a school he might not otherwise be "selected" for.
This list of 15 officials, compiled by the Coaches, also counts for ONE HALF of our ratings in our association.
The other HALF is our fellow peers ratings of us.
Needless to say...Coaches have some power in our area.
Some officials like it...some officials don't. Some officials say, "Why work for a school that dosen't want you?"..."It's their game let them hire who they want"!
Some officials say, "It's too much of a good ol' boy network."..."The Coaches have too much power, it might affect the way SOME officials will call a game."
There is a saying, "The cream will always rise to the top."
Whatever system you have...learn to deal with it...be the best official you can be, and let the other "stuff" work itself out.