The only reason I brought up the college/pro thing was because it seemed like the original poster must have certain aspirations of either making officiating a career or just doing it for the power aspect of being an official. It just seemed odd to me that the guy was ready to give it up so quickly. Officiating 3 sports, essentially year-round, why would you do it if you didn't love the game and enjoy it just for what it is? If working varsity is that important, I'm guessing it might have been more of a power thing than a fun thing to begin with. Bragging rights maybe? I don't get it at all.

I agree completely. When my assignor calls, if I'm available I take the game - doesn't matter to me if it's HS varsity or 7-8th grade girls. Regardless of the age or level of the players, the game is just as important to them and they deserve the best officiating we can provide.

Coincidentally, Smitty & I belong to the same association, and it sounds like our schedules are pretty similar. It also happens that we are assigned as partners for one of those "small school girl's varsity" games he mentioned next week. It should be a blast! Unlike some of the larger community schools where the fans have become pretty jaded, the smaller communities really come out to support their kids - it's a real kick!

Hi Jerry,

I've got a question for you. Do you do baseball? I do both and I would refer you to the general discussion forum where I posed this very same question. Read some of the responses
I think you will find it interesting.

Gordon, I have done baseball in the past, I haven't done it in the past 7-8 years but had umped for 7-8 years through when I was in High school and College. Maybe it's tougher to ump high school and college games but I don't view it that way.

I will look at the discussion on the other board though.

What does that have to do with loving the game? I do not work JH games because I do not want to work 6 and 7 days out of the week. I also do not like to have to get off of work to get to 4:00PM games. I really am not seeing what you are doing shows more love than someone else. The level people work has a lot to do with your other responsibilities. I cannot see how anyone can love the game more than I do. But I am not able to work anytime I like and any level.

Peace

I disagree that Football is harder to referee than basketball. I do both and they are different sports. I would not equate them in any way.

Football has a lot more rules, but I think there is as much or more judgement in Basketball. To get the basics down in football is much easier. I can bet that you were not a white hat refereeing varsity football your first year. If so WOW! I would not want a brand new rookie doing a varsity game in football either. You should consider yourself lucky.

You have your positions in football and most of the time guys keep the same position. In basketball there are no "positions" You have to know the game all the way thru.

If it is no fun, give it up. You lose the edge on the court or on the field when it is no longer fun. I know of a few first year officials who are pretty good,(most of them their moms or dads taught them too) but those are the rare exception.

Ref the 8th and 9th graders for a while. You'll learn more about the exceptions to the game because everything happens in those games. In a year and a half I doubt that youve seen all the stuff that can go on!

You alone are responsible for your education and training. The routine association meetings going over rules, etc. just don't cut it. To become excellent at officiating any sport, it requires going the extra step and attending camps or clinics. Not to mention reading the rule book and case book every year (at least), taking rules quizzes, studying mechanics procedures, communication with partners. And of course, working MANY games.

There could be a whole new thread on which sport is most difficult. If you think basketball is easiest after two seasons, I would suggest a camp where probably every aspect of your game will be chewed up and spit out by the evaluators. The rules exam for basketball is far more difficult than the baseball exam. The basketball refresher exam can be failed by many veteran refrerees who don't keep up and study. I have seen it happen. You can't just pass a written exam and then improve your ability by just showing up year after year and working a few games. Years mean nothing about quality.

Lastly, I agree that officiating should be fun. But for me, fun is becoming the best official I can become, and eventually work up to the highest level I am capabable of or reasonably desire. Over ten years I have been to four baseball camps and four basketball camps. Each time it has enhanced my skills from major deficiencies early on, to fine tuning and making tiny adjustments at later clinics. I have sacrificed some games to attend these, but in the big picture it has paid off. I would caution Cowboyfan, or anyone, not to be in too big of a hurry to advance. Getting in over your head and screwing up can be detrimental to your reputation. It takes 4 to 5 years to realistically consider yourself "good."

I heard a senior guy say this to a young-in; "take your time going up the ladder, because it hurts if you fall off". He also said; "most guys who fall off and get hurt, don't come back".

Seemed like wise words.

Signed,
Confusious

I never said it did. Everyone has their own reasons for being involved in officiating and I have no problem with that. Personally, I don't believe you can devote the time and effort it takes to become a good official without an inherent love for the game.

It also appears to me from the tenor of the original post in this thread, that it's essentially a case of "sour grapes" on the part of the originator because after 1-1/2 years he's not getting the higher level assignments - not a very realistic position IMHO.

I'm fortunate in that my schedule is flexible enough to allow me to work the occasional early game which, unless I get tagged with the occasional double, allows me to get home at a reasonable time for dinner & an evening with my family. Nor do I want to work 6 day a week. My assignor knows & respects that, but also knows that if he gets in a bind I'll do what I can to help out.

The rules exam for basketball is far more difficult than the baseball exam.

I beg to differ with you on this. Compare baseball rules to basketball rules. Baseball rules are much harder to master than basketball of this there is no question IMHO. Especially when you start discussing interfence and obstruction to say nothing about balks and situations where you can an advantagous fourth out (I'm not kidding), first time by, batting out of order I could go on and on.

An advantageous fourth out? What the heck is that? Just kidding, of course I know what it is. That's what I meant about another thread could cover this. I suppose this is a matter of personal opinion and experience and there is no wrong or right answer to which sport is easier or harder. I personally find baseball exams to be easier (for me). I personally find baseball easier to officiate, but this is after ten years of continued experience and repeated study of all the little intricacies (balks, obstruction, interference, base awards, etc.).

It doesn't really matter. My point to the original poster was that basketball rules, mechanics and game management can't be mastered in two seasons (same with baseball). They can't be mastered at all without dedication to improve.

I started a thread on the general discussion forum baseball vs. basketball. I was just interested what people thought. Each sport to work has it's own individual challenges and subtleties. I agree it takes a number of years to be truly competent at whatever sport you officiate. You know Rome wasn't built in a day.

In my opinion, the only reason to quit given in your post that you are not having fun.

We all officiate for different reasons, and I think one off the reasons all of us do it is because we love doing it. In my first year in my association I worked 8 varsity games (4 at the 2A level, 4 at the 3A level...Texas schools go up to 5A in size). However, I had been officating independantly for 2 years and had called a couple hundred games. I also went to every camp available in the area. That gave me a chance to work in front of the "powers that be" in the association and the assignment secretary got to watch me work a lot (even worked a couple of camp games with him).

I also started officiating when I was 42. Many of the things that make you successful in business translate well to officiating. I understood that appearance and attitude were important. I knew how much dependability, flexibility and willingness to help out regardless of the level were valued...because I value those in my business life. I had also developed the interpersonal skills needed, I just needed to learn how to apply them in the environment of a basketball game.

Those are things that can only be developed over time. IMO, that is why it takes a few years for officials to get the higher level games. In some ways, our situations are the same. I had to take last year off. During that time, the assignment secretary changed and this person does not know me nearly as well nor has he had a chance to see me work. Accordingly, I have only worked 2 varsity games this year. I understand I have to develop some capital with him before he is going to put me in more varsity games and I am fine with that...but then, because of my age when I started there is no reason to have aspirations beyond a decent high school varsity schedule so I do not view it as a serious set back.

Cowboyfan
 

There is much to say and many here have said it very well. Chuck Elias really hit it on the head - you have absolutely no idea of the evaluations being made of your performance. And if you don't have the big games, then you don't cut the mustard yet. You have been evaluated and you just didn't know it.

I'm not trying to offend you, but there is no possible way you can have accumulated the required experience to work top level anything in 1.5 years... in any sport.

Ask any of those that are ahead of you how many YEARS they spent getting to where they are. Experience is needed and in general that takes years of time and strenuous effort.

I worked in a Regional, Adult slow-pitch tournement with only a couple years of experience. I wasn't near the official I am today, 20 plus years later. They needed a body and I happened to be one of the better choices at the time. I didn't do well and likely wasn't strong enough to have worked the plate (slow pitch softball... the plate! Oooh baby that's demanding). I only worked my first High School state championship (fast-pitch softball) last year. Worked State American Legion Baseball championship this last year also!

As others have said, it seems that to rise to the top in basketball is more difficult - more competitive than other sports.

Another thing that is common to officials is that we all tend to think we are better than we really are. And the younger and the newer we are, the more we think we are being cheated due to politics. And those that think they are superstars deserving to be promoted immediately (whining and begging, pleading for bigger games) are generally the worst.

I would ask you to continue officiating, but you've got to discard your ego. I only know of a couple officials that worked Varsity level Basketball in less than 4 years... and it was a couple more years before they worked the top games. And in general, I don't think they were ready. It was an eye opener for them.

As the veterans will say "You've got to pay your dues." And I will add, being promoted without paying your dues, will end your career... quickly. And you won't have a choice, like you do now. ;)

You have got to be kidding me. Slow down there big boy. Just because you are successful in one sport does not mean you are automatically successful in another. Basketball takes a lot of skill that you do not use in other sports to be successful. I work football and baseball and basketball has always been the most competitive and the hardest to master. You cannot expect in less than 5 years you are going to be working the big games already. If you were that good someone would have picked you up to do those games. Pretty much everything else that has been said is right on.

How in the hell did you get a state final in baseball in such a short period of time? There must not be many good umpires around. I have worked baseball for over 20 years and I have not reached that accomplishment yet. I am close but just it just has not happen. It also does not help that I worked in more than one place. But damn, 2 years?