I know I have a few years, but I was just wondering how does calling college ball work?

How do you get into it?
Do you have meetings?
How many games a week/month?
What is the pay?
Can you call mens and womens?

Thanks.

200

Brandan,

Some officials get picked up at "tryout camps." Others get invited by word of mouth or get seen by the right person at the right time. It varies. I got asked to do a college summer league and then got asked to do games based on working those summer games (but then I declined due to the conflict with family).

Number of games a week/month depends on many variables.

Pay varies by level and conference.

At the college level, I do not know of any officials who work both mens and womens. Usually an official chooses one or the other.

Z

Go to camps run by the assignors.

Usually the conference assignor will have a preseason meeting. You also can go to the one of the 8 or so NCAA Rules Meetings held across the country.

I have worked as many as 1 to about 10 in one months. It varies from year to year.

I have made $80-$125 for a JUCO or D3 game.

Usually you have to do one or the other. Most officials cannot do both at the same time. Especially the higher you go up in the college ranks.

Peace

How many different levels are there. Does it take up alot of your time?

Junior College
NAIA
NCAA D-3
NCAA D-2
NCAA D-1

How much time it takes up depends on many things. However, to be a successful referee at the college level (or the H.S. level for that matter) certainly requires time and dedication.

Z

Brandon, I can't speak for all levels of college ball, or for all areas of the country, so I'll just give you my personal experience, if that's alright.

I work D2/D3 in New England. I belong to the College Basketball Officials' Association (CBOA) and my games are assigned primarily through the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC).


It varies. As Rut said, many D1 conferences have try-out camps. In my case, I filled out an application, and had to get 3 recommendations from current CBOA officials. I got accepted into CBOA on an "associate" basis (basically JV games). After a couple years of that, I got "promoted" to varsity. Now, however, you have to fill out the application, but you also have to attend a try-out at a college scrimmage.

The ECAC assigns both men's and women's games. The officials who work the women's games have their own association (not CBOA). There are also other college officials associations in New England, but CBOA is the biggest and covers the most schools.


In my region, we have a mandatory pre-season meeting and an optional mid-season meeting.

How about per season? :) I get 15-20 games per season (D2/D3) and another handful of juco games. So the number per week/month varies. I had 4 games in December, but I have about 10 in January.


Juco (2-whistle) $110
D3 (2-whistle) $130 or $135. I can't remember which. . .
D3 (3-whistle) $118.
D2 (3-whistle) $140.
D1 varies by conference, but the minimum is about $400.


I don't know anybody who does. I was told by a D1 men's assignor that he can't use anyone who also does women's ball b/c the coaches complain about getting a "women's official".

Again, it varies depending on your schedule. But consider that we're required to get to the game site 1.5 hours before game time. The game takes roughly an hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours. Plus, college ball requires a lot more travel (in my neck of the woods anyway) than HS ball. An hour and a half drive is not uncommon. When I go to Vermont, the trip is more like 3 hours. So for a "short" road trip, figure an hour and a half drive each way (3 hrs total), get there an hour and a half early, plus the game. It turns into a 6.5 or 7 hour day. So there goes my Saturday. Either that, or I'm getting home at midnight on a school night.

And that doesn't even include the time and money that I put into camps during the summer, just so I can have a couple drinks with Dan.

Now ask me if I'd give it up. :)

Thanks for all the information Chuck. It really was helpful. Now, for the question you've all been waiting for........ Would you give it up ? :-p

As long as my heath is good and I have a job that can pull me away the answer is no.

Brandon, I am trying to do more college ball. I think it depends on what you like to do.

Peace

Well as stated before, I am only 15 and have a few years, but I would like to get into College ball when I am old enough. What is the age requirement, anyone know?

I do not know if there is an "official" age requirement. But I would assume that they want someone older than the players you will be officiating. This would depend on who is assigning those games in your area.

Peace

There's no age requirement that I have ever heard of for college ball. I know a NCAAW official who started working D3 at the age on 19. He is now 25 and works all levels of NCAAW ball.

You pay to attend those camps??

Yes.

Yes, but on the plus side, I've gotten enough diplomas to wallpaper my home office. :)

Brandon,

It seems that most of your questions have been answered. The only thing that I have to add is that I know of 1 person the works both men and women D-1 ball. He works both in the Big Sky Conference.

I think that is very rare for someone to do this. But it has been done. If this is something that you would desire to do, you would need to establish yourself well on one side or the other and then once you have what you want from it you can try and fit another conference on your schedule.

Brandon,
Since you are in Louisiana, check out http://www.gsoa.org. This is the group that handles most of the small college and JUCO, between Mississippi and New Mexico. They have about four to six camps every summer. Watch the web site to find out when they happen.

A reality check.

Ok, all the positive encouragement aside I think you need to consider the time AND travel issues carefully and realize what you have to do in juggling your "real job", family, and social agendas when doing college level ball.

Depending on your geographic limits, it is not uncommon to have to drive more than 200 miles to work a game (I have had a few trips of 400 miles one-way). Many conferences encompass multi-state locations.

You will have to be on-site at least 1.5 hours prior to game time which, when coupled with your travel time, could pose a problem with your "real job" when you need to leave work early. Not to mention that the weather could be a factor, rush hour traffic, car trouble, or your navigation skills get you lost (Rule #1 NEVER stop and ask for directions, you'll understand this when you are older).

You may invest more money than you earn for the event when you consider gas, meals, or lodging (if needed) which can quickly eat up that $120 game fee.

IOW, don't do it for the money, do it for the love of the game, or a means to a greater end.