NCAA Refs

actuary77 · #1 (**permalink**) Mon Nov 01, 2004, 01:58am

Are NBA refs the only ones considered "professional refs"? I know for a fact that if you're an NBA ref, that's your full-time job with a hefty annual salary.

How about NCAA refs? Are they full-time refs as well or do they just do this on the side and have other full-time jobs?

Correct me if I'm wrong but I know NFHS refs are just part-time and do this on the side. So are NFHS refs called "amateur" refs then?

Also, how does one become an NCAA ref? Does one always have to go through the ranks of officiating NFHS games first or can one apply and get licenced directly by the NCAA with no high school experience?

Just curious because as I read more and more of these threads, I become more and more excited about a possible (part-time) career in basketball officiating.

ChuckElias · #2 (**permalink**) Mon Nov 01, 2004, 08:06am

Quote:

Originally posted by actuary77
How about NCAA refs? Are they full-time refs as well or do they just do this on the side and have other full-time jobs?

NCAA refs are not salaried the way NBA refs are. NBA refs work for the NBA. NCAA refs are independent contractors just like you and me.

There are a few top level NCAA refs who earn enough money officiating that they don't have other jobs. At $2,000 per game for the biggest matchups in the top conferences, an NCAA ref could make over $100k in a season. But the majority of NCAA refs are like me; they work a few D2 and D3 games a season and make a few thousand dollars from it. Even officials who work in D1 conferences do not necessarily work enough of those games to make a living at it.

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So are NFHS refs called "amateur" refs then?

You can call them whatever you like, although we clearly are not professional referees. There's no real official status.

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Also, how does one become an NCAA ref?

Usually, by applying to some college-level "board" or organization for collegiate officials.

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Does one always have to go through the ranks of officiating NFHS games first

Usually, but there are exceptions. For example, high level college players, or high level officials in other sports may sometimes be accepted to a collegiate board based on their experience.

To work D1 ball, it is usually necessary to attend some sort of try-out for the assignor.

JRutledge · #3 (**permalink**) Mon Nov 01, 2004, 10:57am

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ChuckElias

Quote:

Also, how does one become an NCAA ref?

Usually, by applying to some college-level "board" or organization for collegiate officials.

I have read before that you have to do this in your area, but that is not the case over a good portion of the country. I work college ball and I all the other officials that work college do not belong to any organization for officials. All you have to do here is go to camps and get hired by the assignors. Of course that can take time to move up depending on the level, but you do not have to join an organization to get a shot.

Peace

Back In The Saddle · #4 (**permalink**) Mon Nov 01, 2004, 11:03pm

I attended a camp this summer by a big name D1 official and an entourage of other D1 folks who work lots of games in conferences you'd be impressed by. Having similar stary-eyed dream of reffing college ball full time, a bunch of us asked them about it.

Even the big name official has a day job. Some of them are school teachers. But all of them have regular day jobs, very understanding bosses, and they fly out to the game, work it, and fly back for work the next day.

Mr. big name does actually go from game to game during the week. But he's in the office when he's not on the road.

JRutledge · #5 (**permalink**) Mon Nov 01, 2004, 11:13pm

BITS,

That is true to some extent. There are some very big time officials that might work, but they are not in the office every day. You would be surprised how many do not have a regular job out side of officiating. They might own businesses or manage a company, but they are not always in the office. Now I am talking about the official that might work 80-100 games a year at the D1 level. That is different than the guy working only 30 games a year. Not all officials at that level are working 10 different D1 Conferences. Some only work 1 or 2.

Peace

Back In The Saddle · #6 (**permalink**) Mon Nov 01, 2004, 11:41pm

JRut

You are probably right. Mine was a pretty small sample (about 10 D1 officials).

One thing that cheered me greatly, however, was that it is possible to have a good D1 schedule and keep a normal job. Hopefully that'll be important for me some day

JRutledge · #7 (**permalink**) Tue Nov 02, 2004, 08:32am

Quote:

Originally posted by Back In The Saddle
JRut

You are probably right. Mine was a pretty small sample (about 10 D1 officials).

One thing that cheered me greatly, however, was that it is possible to have a good D1 schedule and keep a normal job. Hopefully that'll be important for me some day

If you are talking about a normal job as a situation where you have to attend every day from 9-5 no matter what, I would say no. But many officials at that level are either in management, sales or education it seems. Those jobs have great flexibility to come and go as you please.

Peace

Mark Dexter · #8 (**permalink**) Tue Nov 02, 2004, 08:44am

Quote:

Originally posted by Back In The Saddle
JRut

You are probably right. Mine was a pretty small sample (about 10 D1 officials).

One thing that cheered me greatly, however, was that it is possible to have a good D1 schedule and keep a normal job. Hopefully that'll be important for me some day

I don't know if 'normal' really applies to these jobs. I actually worked with a D-I ref this summer, and he had a job where, during the winter, he was able to have a very flexible schedule, but he makes up for it in the non-basketball months.