what would be the minimum requirements you would expect the host school to provide to you as a referee?? what would you consider to be unacceptable? how would you go about addressing a situation that you felt should be better??
Anyone ever have to literally beg for water? get dressed in an area that is not private or does not have a shower? not greeted by game management? not escorted to and from the court? treated as if you were a nusance or a distraction? Not have the table personel around when you go over and check the book? what are some of your other complaints, and how do you deal with them??

I keep water in my referee bag so I don't have to beg if the school fails to provide it (most of them do - can't remember the last time it wasn't provided).

At some of the smaller private schools, we get dressed in rooms that have no showers. They are limited by their budget. No big deal in my book.

Some schools are great about greeting us when we get there, others not so great. Sometimes the gym manager is busy with other duties when I arrive, but I'm always able to find him/her and get escorted to the official's room.

The only time I've ever been escorted to and from the court is at state tournaments.

I can't remember a game when the table personnel wasn't at the table when I went to check the book.

If anyone in our association has complaints about the way they are treated, they take it to our association's board of directors and let the board take it up with that schools A.D. Our association also gives an annual "host school" award to the school that gives us the best hospitality. Most of the schools in our area take pride in how they treat us and they work to win that award.

Z

My experiences have been about like yours Z.
Although, I frequently have no table crew at over there at the ten minute mark, especially in these December tournaments.
Anything that needs to be addressed is handled by the association board members.

We had amusing example last week. Our president is a local HS teacher and the showers at his school had no hot water for the officials. He was very embarrassed at the meeting about it and said that it would definitely be fixed.

Your annual hospitality award is a great idea. I will have to suggest it to our board.

PA mandates that officials' chapters give sportsmanship awards to one high school in their chapter...this includes not just hospitality by the host, but actions by the players, coaches, and fans. The one problem that I do have a lot is not being greeted by a game manager, which can be a real inconvenience since no one else ever seems to know where the officials' locker room is. But again, if we ever have any problems, we contact our game assignor or president.

I find that each school does the best it can. Some of the schools around here are lucky to be able to have lights in the gym, let alone extras for the ref, like water or showers or towel.

What I do insist on is (1) a lockable location where I can leave my stuff, and I'm sure there aren't 20 keys floating around. A coach's dressing room is usually pretty safe -- of the door is left locked. (2) I also insist on a room where my partner and I can chat and relax alone! No coaches, no ADs, no table personnel asking questions. (3) The last thing I always expect is to be treated politely by the AD, and not harangued about the game.


I get better treatment when there's a female AD, or a female head coach who has thought about the needs of a woman ref. (shower, privacy, access to partner). It's amazing how many schools don't consider the possibility of a reffing partnership consisting of one male and one female. Only once have I capitulated on this issue and we took turns dressing privately while the other waited in the hall. Now, when I go to that school, I dress at home, and let my partner know he should, too.

Rainmaker,

You'll like this. The newest high school in our district actually thought about the officials when they built their school. Imagine that! There are TWO little officials rooms next to each other that each have sink, a locker and a small shower. Directly across the hall is a larger room where the officials can have their pregame. The same key works for all three rooms and they give it to the referee upon arrival. I love working at that school.

Z

You're right -- that's fantastic! I'm tempted to apply for a grant for that AD to do some consulting around here!