Insight on latest officiating compensation...

[ChuckElias]

To answer the original question, these figures are for Massachusetts:

HS: $44 (JV), $62, (V) (2-whistle)
JC: $100, no travel (2-whistle)
NCAA (all figures for 3-whistle): $110 plus travel (D3), $135 plus travel (D2). D1 pay varies by conference.

[ChrisSportsFan]

I agree with Tim and filter out what I don't want to hear. I hit 3 camps and worked all summer long and had specific things I wanted to focus on every time out. My plan is to move up. All that said, those chances to work bunches of rec/ MAYB/ AAU/ etc in a weekend and a pocket full of money will be mixed in. All I was saying originally is that; if I'm a disserning adult that is getting told this, how many of the younger guys take this info as gospel. Some of these guys, for whatever reason, are trying to sabotage the association.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by ChuckElias

Rut, I agree with you that I'd rather travel to do a college game than do rec ball. However, I think there are some people who would say making $250-$350 in a weekend is not a waste of time. Just the other side of the coin, that's all.

I was not using everyone else's point of view for this statement.

There are people that think Anna Kornakova(sp?) was the best looking on the Women's Pro Tennis Tour. That does not mean I have to agree with them.

Peace

[zebraman]

Originally posted by mick

Z,
What does your phrase mean. Is that so important?
mick

You've never heard that before Mick? It can mean different things to different people. For me, it means that the game of basketball was very, very good to me as a kid. Kept me out of trouble, gave me something to do, gave me some confidence that I would have probably been lacking otherwise and gave me a couple years of free college.

Because of that, there are times that I do some officiating (volunteer when I really don't feel like it or sometimes paid officiating for a league or tournament that isn't my cup of tea) because of my love and respect for the game and a certain sense of obligation I suppose. In other words, I don't always have to be "fairly compensated" for my time because I feel like the game of basketball has given me far more than I've given to it in my lifetime.

Z

[mick]

Originally posted by zebraman
...I feel like the game of basketball has given me far more than I've given to it in my lifetime. - Z

YU.P., Z.
You have passion.
That's a good thing.
Keep it up.
mick

[Larks]

In the Cincinnati area there seems to be a trend to hold rec ball fees down. People expect you to run for an hour for $14.00 but act like you are being paid D1 money.

For me, I made the concsious decision to focus on high school ball so I generally dont work rec during the season. This isnt for financial reasons as obvioulsy I could make far more money working rec. Its about the quality of play and the challenge.

I may work some AAU or rec ball out of season but in general, when I take these games, I try to balance fun (as in, if a buddy calls I may take the gig), the money (I wont drive across town to work two games for $14 each) and the challenge (I will work something like an AAU tourney gig for maybe $15-18 a game because it should be interesting to work). If the gig doesnt meet these criteria, I'll only take gigs at $20 an hour / game. It's not that I am trying to make more money or that I am better than $14....I just think that it's time for us to start working for reasonable fees. $14 a game is 1980s pay.

Of course, the obviously arent missing me in rec land as I know a bunch of guys who will work for whatever.

[abode]

Larks... You made my point in reverse. I'm finding some rec leagues with ex pros and NCAA players that care more about the quality of their officials than some of the higher formal levels of play... and they are willing to pay for quality.

One of the problems I often see is that the egos sometimes rise to the higher levels of play instead of good quality and I associate that with inadequate or unstructured compensation.

[Kevzebra]

Here is the breakdown for our region in Kentucky (it varies by region and we have 16 regions serviced by 14 officials associations):

Varsity $70 (2) or $60 (3) No travel

JC $75 and up

Just a comment as to why certain people take HS and others take rec leagues: Generally the people doing Rec leagues do not have the talent or the mentality to do anything else. They are out for the money and it shows. I started out doing rec leagues, but what the people that run the leagues want in an official is to keep the players happy and the money coming in. Thank god I don't have to do those anymore. The people that run them don't care about the officials. I hear those guys bragging about "doin the A league at such and such", and I snicker, knowing they can't handle anything else!

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by BushRef


I guess that depends on how ya define FUN. The league I learned to ref in was full of arseholes, and once I got the hang of things, when it wasn't my night to play, there wasn't much more fun then showin up at the gym with my stripes and tossing out the arseholes.

Of course this is personal preference. I am sure some people think getting tattoos and piercing all over their body is fun, but that does not mean I have to agree. I would rather work a league where I do not have to throw out people that are causing problems every game. To me that is not much fun. If it is for you, that is great. I would rather not have the aggravation and keep my sanity not dealing with those fools, then work a game just for a couple extra bucks.

Peace

[JRutledge]

If there is that much stress involved, I would rather pass.

Peace