I am sure that some of you assign games and I wanted feed back about how it is done in other areas. I just left an area where they have one assigner who assigns games and he does the assigning a month or two before the season starts. I was going to start varsity basketball this year. Instead, I get to my new area and discover that the assigners, there are many, do their assigning two years in advance. I have been seen by a couple of the assigners and they all say they would give me varsity games right now except all of them are filled. Not only are they filled this year but they are filled for next year as well. So I can only get varsity games starting in 2006-7. Are you kidding me?

Why in the world would you assign games years in advance. How tough is it just to assign a couple months before the games start. It was never a problem in my last area and I cannot see why it would ever be a problem unless you are so lazy that you cannot get it done in a month.

How can I agree to a contract for next year, I have no idea what my life will be like next year. I am an official who moved up quickly through the ranks, 2 years in JV and now starting varsity, but now I have to waste two more years of JV ball because the assigners have this system of working years in advance. I think it is completely lame and it really hurts the "new" guys in the area: guys getting back into the game after taking some time off, guys that move, and guys that are ready to move up a level.

Do other areas assign like this or did I just get lucky?

Never heard of that before, and I find that impractical. Too many things happen in a season to assign games that far in advance. And it really does penalize new officals and transfers. Sorry man, tough luck.

Our assignor schedules games every two weeks and provides us with our game sheets every other week. I am sure that he schedules a litle further out than that, but I can not imagine scheduling 2 years out. You have schols change classifications, officials move, schools open, schools close, officials schedules change. i can not imagine that. It definitely seems that they would have a hard time getting transfer officials. Your assignor works for the prinicipals, or at least that is how it is in our association, not the association. At your next meeting I would suggest adding this in when your president calls for any new business.

I know in southeastern Ohio many schools contract with their officials a year in advance. In fact while I was living there (working Freshman and JV ball) I watched varsity officials meet with the AD and schedule their game(s) for the following year. I thought it was strange since I had come from an area where the assignor scheduled monthly but that's the way they do it. I know Indiana is very similar as I have a friend with football contracts for at least the next 2 years.

Blewthat, I'm with you that it is an odd practice, but for those who 'grew up' in that type of system it is the way things go. As they say, "when in Rome..."

Good Luck!
OCReferee

I know some schools here in IL have varsity football crews scheduled out till 2008

Our assignor schedules out about 3 weeks in advance. The system you describe sounds ridiculous in many, many ways.

Z

Sounds like you moved to Ohio. OhioHSAA rules currently allow schools and OhioHSAA Certified Assignors to assign games as far as two school years past the current one. At one time schools and leagues could assign as far in advance as they wanted. I know it is goofy but that is how it is done at the varsity level and in some cases at the jr. varsity level.

When I attended college in Miami in the mid-70's, we received our Greater Miami Athletic Conference Basketball Officials Associaion (all of the public schools and the two largest Catholic schools) and our South Florida Basketball Officials Association (all other schools in Dade County) assignments every two weeks. I do not know how it is done in Dade County now, but I know that several of the LOA's across Central Florida give their officials their assignments before the start of the year and it is for that season only.

When I lived in Los Angeles (1982-84) the Los Angeles and Southern California sections of the CIF required all of its officials to submit their availability for the comming school year in September and the assignments were mailed out in October.

I know of one urban myth here in Ohio, where an basketball official died during the off season and his wife did not bother to let assignors know that he was dead. But the best story is a true one. The officials for the Regionals and Finals are assigned by the main office of the OhioHSAA in Columbus. Three years ago the OhioHSAA assigned an official to a state championship game, who had been retired for two years and was living in Florida. No one can figure out how it happened because it was obvious that the official had not attended an LOA meeting or State Rules Meeting in two years.

blewthat,

Just had another thought. The chances of all refs being available based on such advance scheduling are slim. There may be a lot of "fill-in" opportunites for refs who have conflicts come up or get injured etc. Also, maybe some games will get added (always happens around here) that you can get in on too. Not ideal, but an option to get your foot in the door.

Z

Be very careful who you complain to and how loudly you do it. Even though you feel you have a legit beef with the "system" powers that be within that system take a dim view of boat rockers. Bide your time. Good things come to he that waits. Good luck. You will make new friends no matter what level you work.

In my area we have 2 assignors one for high school ball and one for everything else. Both of these assignors usually assign on 2 week terms. Usually the most notice you have for any game is 2-3 weeks, and that doesn't happen that often. Sometimes they'll call every week, or sometimes they'll assign a month in advance. It all depends how much basketball is going on, but usually we expect a phone call every two weeks.

You're not alone, I sat out for a year when we moved and then had to prove myself to the assignors in my new city with JV games. I just took them and tried to show my stuff. We had some guys go down with injuries, guess who got called to fill in.

Also, what Zebra44 said is very true, nobody knows you there and you're creating your reputation right now. You don't want to be known as a complainer. If you need to talk to someone about it then go outside the reffing circle.

Good luck, it'll work out.

My big mouth
 

Where was this thread last week before I opened my big mouth ? i am a new official and the schedule came out and I didn't think i was assigned enough games. So I complained and quickly got put in my place by assignor. So now i will be quiet,be available and be positive.. Lesson learned. I did score 100 on my officials certification test.. See Dad being a professional student has an upside, i know how to take tests LOL

Congratulations. Not many experienced officials, let alone new ones, score 100% on the FED tests. What's the sectret to your success?

Btw, what test do you have to take for certification in your area? NFHS1? IAABO? NFHS2?

Well, here in Southeastern Indiana, we don't have a lot of assignors. I assign for the varsity baseball and we already have the 2005 Spring Season assigned and are currently acquiring schedules for the 2006 Season.

The Athletic Directors vary in their time to schedule out, but most of them are at least one year in advance. When the season starts, or midway thru it, they start to work on getting officials for next year.

Yeah, it is hard to know what you will be doing in your life, but go ahead and sign contracts. If something comes up, there is always plenty of guys who will take the games for you. I like this. I wouldn't want to just know my schedule for two weeks at a time.

yea, you guessed it, I am in Ohio
 

glad to hear that most places do not use this system. thanks for all the replies, nice to have someone to commiserate with and I agree wholeheartedly that I do not want to piss people off, exactly why I used this website and did not use my name or exact location, trying to keep my annonymity. The real problem is that I may not be in Ohio for more than 2 years so the games that I am signing up for, the varsity schedule in 2006-7, is probably just a farce, I will have to turn the games back when I move.