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  #1 (permalink)  
Old Mon Dec 25, 2000, 10:18pm
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Question

Well this question started this post because of someone in my last point.

Why do officials do rec. games? I realize that someone has to do them, but why do we allow ourselves to get abused, mistreated, and pick up bad habits doing these kind of games. I am not talking about summer ball, that is different, completely different. I am talking about leagues where either the players are not go enough to play with their schools and/or the coaches cannot coach in a more organized level.

I only ask because I feel that these leagues usually are not run very well, the rules are not as defined as it goes with a state run organization. I feel that many bad habits are picked up, and at least talking about me, I dread doing them. Why do I seem like the only one that feels this way. Just asking.
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Old Mon Dec 25, 2000, 11:04pm
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Like alot of people I started out in rec league, and I continue to work them more out of a sense of duty than anything else. Luckily I dont do many but when my assignor calls I always go.

When we do HS games we are used to being treated with respect by the players and for the most part the coaches at least have a clue about the rules. When you do rec league the teams are full of NBA wanabe coaches and players who watch the games on tv and think they can treat the officials like they do on tv. Well I've got news, the amount of crap I put up with is directly proportional to the amount of money I'm making so you can either chill out or leave(I actually told a coach that once)

Now that I'm through venting, when I call a rec game I use it as an oppurtunity to practice my mechanics, even though we're using a runnig clock I still stop the clock and chop the time in, it's also a great place to practice dealing with unruly coaches and players. So when it's all said and done maybe there is something to be gotten from rec games,still does'nt make them much fun










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Old Tue Dec 26, 2000, 12:56am
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I worked my first season of rec league games last year. In all honesty, it was horrible. Average players, unprepared coaches and facilities that were not even close to meeting the standard. The pay was ridiculus and on more than one occasion my partner did not show so I worked the game alone. That was a pleasant experience.

I worked this league because of the guy that ran it. He had helped me out when I started officiating, so I did it to return the favor. I did get some positives from this league. A chance to work (every game helps), a little cash and learning to deal with unruly players and coaches.

It was my first and LAST rec league to work...
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Old Tue Dec 26, 2000, 02:37pm
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We have Adult rec. and Youth Rec. I set my standard of conduct level from the first game. It normally takes a game for players to no what they can and can't get away with. If they don't learn(we have a four Tech. and you are suspended for 1 calendar year.). I agree with it is a great place to work on mechanics, floor posistioning and especially dealing with people. It has helped me determine what words and comments work or escalate the situation. I think the key to working rec league, is set your code of conduct and do not sway. Players need to adjust.
During and adult game I T'd up a player, he came over after the game and told me if Gosh Darn(Profanity) offended me that he did not want me to do anymore of his games. I asked to be assigned to is next two games. After a couple games with the teams, when I was on the floor with my partner, it settled down!

AK ref SE
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Old Tue Dec 26, 2000, 02:42pm
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Willie Sutton said he robbed banks because "that's where the money is." I do rec leagues because that's where the games are. Typically, you can get 7 or 8 rec games to every one sanctioned game.

For the past 12 years, I have been on the board of my local rec league (3rd grade through 8th - 1200 kids), even though I have not had a child in the program for the past 6 years. I ref on Saturday mornings for them (for almost nothing - and I actually donate that money to charity) so that they can get a experienced official who is willing to train new officials.

If it wasn't for me and about 3 others, this league would have virtually no experienced refs and I like to think that we are giving back something to our community.

I work other rec leagues because: there is constant work, I get to work with friends a lot and frankly, I need the exercise. I prefer this kind of exercise because it is fun.

Besides, if I didn't, how could I be Dave's official biographer?
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Old Tue Dec 26, 2000, 03:33pm
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Rut,
I work rec games, occasionally, because I like working with my old partner.
Also, I feel that I see the same contact, and violations and situations that I will see in varsity and college ball.
I use it to hone the edge. The players are civil and there is just enough pressure to perform in order to give 'em a good game.
I'll work one night a week for $20.00 per game just to blow off the stink.
My games aren't nearly as crazy as Love2Ref's. If they were I may not want to do 'em.
But I don't know of any bad habits that I pick up.

mick
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Old Wed Dec 27, 2000, 01:57am
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Rut,

I worked at the Hoop last spring and summer because I wanted to get in as many more games as I could before this year. It's a great way to get exercise, and I don't have to pay a gym membership! I've gotten used to the parents and the coaches, and I enjoy the children, most of the time, expecially the younger ones. Dealing with the attitude and the criticism has taught me how to be a better parent. So I am gaining more than enough benefits to make up for the abuse.
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Old Wed Dec 27, 2000, 03:49am
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Obviously, rainmaker I am not talking about a spring and summer league. Often times these leagues are where players that play on varsity teams or lower level players play together and run offenses and defenses that they do during the regular season.

I am talking about rec. leagues (and this could be a regional thing) that are far outside the supervision of school coaches and administrators that you would be involved in during a NF game of some kind. At least where I am from, you would never see a HS player or even JH player for that matter playing in a rec.league during the season. And really most of the rec. ball that I am even talking about is "Adult" leagues. In those they run no offenses for the most part, and if they do they run what I call the four star offense (4 players above the 3 pt. line standing still, while having one post player in the middle). And the problem with these types of leagues is that half the players stand on one end while the rest try to do the Laker fastbreak of the 80s.

Yes you can work on hand mechanics and some positioning, but the things you do not see can hurt you. And if you do HS and JH games, at least you will never see that kind of play that you see in rec. leagues.

Now over the years of my openly critical views on this, I have come to realize that some people do rec. leagues during and after the season for HS and JH kids that play during the regular season. But that is not what I am talking about. I am talking about the lowely adult NBA and WNBA wannabe leagues that former players and some players that never played in their life telling you how much you stick as an official.

Quote:
Originally posted by rainmaker
Rut,

I worked at the Hoop last spring and summer because I wanted to get in as many more games as I could before this year. It's a great way to get exercise, and I don't have to pay a gym membership! I've gotten used to the parents and the coaches, and I enjoy the children, most of the time, expecially the younger ones. Dealing with the attitude and the criticism has taught me how to be a better parent. So I am gaining more than enough benefits to make up for the abuse.
[Edited by JRutledge on Dec 27th, 2000 at 02:52 AM]
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Old Wed Dec 27, 2000, 08:45am
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Rut has a point!

I agree with Rut's assessment of doing "Adult wannabe NBA stars" rec league games. I picked up a full schedule of adult rec league games at the company I work for. They play with slightly modified (running clock, two halves, etc)Nat Fed rules. This will be the first and ONLY year I do these games!

I have only encountered two advantages to working rec league games. First, the games tend to move at a quick pace and a referee is typically scheduled for a number of games in one day and a referee can get A LOT of exercise. Second, I can work on my mechanics without being scrutinized or having them matter that much (but I still work on them).

The drawbacks I have encountered: Beligerent players (whom I handle with Nat Fed rules, refs who only do REC league ball and don't undestand fumble-dribble-fumble, and an extreme variance in the level of play from player to player.

I honestly see a lot better ball at the Freshman and Junior Varsity level. The same kinds of fouls and violations are commited and my mechanics are more important. I am forced to be conscientious so I am forced to try to use good mechanics.

BUT, I also understand "giving something back to the league that helped get you started on your refereeing career."
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Old Wed Dec 27, 2000, 12:02pm
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I guess like everyone else on this thread, I was unaware that you meant adult leagues. I will do women's leagues, and there is one men's league I do each September to get in shape. It is the Oregon Society of CPAs league (really!). They play in Sept and Oct and it's the first rec league of the year. All the guys are about 5'6"" and wear taped glasses. Their jerseys have pocket protectors. They may not play well, but their scorebooks are a sight to behold.

Of course I'm kidding about the quality of play. Even though it's not as good as many of the other rec leagues around here, the guys are pretty mellow and usually there's no problems.

I won't do any of the other men's leagues any more. We call them "jerkball". Rut is right (there - I said it and my head didn't explode). They are full of wannabees and neverwuzzes who were cut from their high school team because "the coach was biased" or some other such nonsense. They all think they could play in the NBA but most of them actually play like they're in the NHL.

No thanks.
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Old Thu Dec 28, 2000, 01:45am
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Rec League

A Game is a Game -if its assigned by your board the officials are bound to provide the service. If the heat is too much for you at a men's rec league , with few or no fans, how can you handle the big games?
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Old Thu Dec 28, 2000, 02:01am
Do not give a damn!!
 
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Re: Rec League

It has nothing to do with being able to handle it, but whether it is worth doing. At least in a HS game if I T a kid, that kid might not play again that game because a rule or if I throw him or her out of that game, they miss the next one. Someone mouths off at you in a NBAwannabe game, who knows what the consequences.

Tell me how many big games have 7 players on one end, while the other three hang out in the BC because they are tired and laze?


Quote:
Originally posted by Peter Devana
A Game is a Game -if its assigned by your board the officials are bound to provide the service. If the heat is too much for you at a men's rec league , with few or no fans, how can you handle the big games?
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Old Thu Dec 28, 2000, 09:15am
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Re: Rec League

Quote:
Originally posted by Peter Devana
A Game is a Game -if its assigned by your board the officials are bound to provide the service. If the heat is too much for you at a men's rec league , with few or no fans, how can you handle the big games?
I disagree that "a game is a game". It is the prevalent negative attitude of the PLAYERS that's the problem. Some of the players never played HS ball and never learned any restraint, and for the most part these "wannabes" seem to be the major problem. Some of the players who played HS or college ball let there coaches do the complaining. Now that they don't have their coach, they feel justified in complaining. I am beginning to understand why we allow coaches a little leeway. I would rather have one coach on the sideline complaining than have 2 or 3 players on each team on the floor complaining.

I have officiated two adult rec league sports (soccer and basketball) and both of those experiences were TERRIBLE compared to ANY high school event. My best experience in Rec League ball compares very closely to my worst experience officiating a HS game.
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