Yup, Intramural Officials are the Problem

[SMEngmann]

I primarily referee at the HS level and got playoff assignments this year, but I still officiate frequently at my university for intramurals because the university contracts with my local association for officials. The pay is decent (30) and the proximity to home (across the street)make it easy to do those games, especially when I want to work on aspects of communication and game management. It's the same as rec ball with the constant griping, even with trained, certified officials calling the games.

This writer's completely off base in many ways. Nobody else pointed out that he's evaluating D1 refs in addition to the IM refs, plus he said it's impossible to be completely impartial, which is ridiculous to anyone who's called a game. He longs for pickup games with no officials, let him have them. Instead of a "more intensive" training program for IM officials, they should institute some sort of fine system for technical fouls to keep jerks from popping off, and use the funds to develop an enhanced "training center."

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally posted by Jurassic Referee

All right another Youngstown State University football fan. Go Penguins!!

MTD, Sr.

[williebfree]

Dear Trevor Behar:

I am sending this response to a recent article you wrote and circulated, “Campus Recreation in need of better-trained referees for intramural sports.” A few of my friends made me aware of your commentary. I assume your article was written in a tongue-in-cheek tone; however, it is unduly critical of a group of individuals who for the most part passionately apply their skills to provide a fair game within the rules of the game.

I have never written an article for a newspaper, but I have read many articles and columns. I mentioned this fact to offer my qualifications to judge your work as a writer. It appears that you feel these “qualifications” are sufficient enough to provide a basis for judgment of basketball officials.

Let’s take a look at your first paragraph…
It's a never-ending struggle during the life of a referee. He's trained to call it as he sees it – (C’mon Writer!!! Write it both ways!!! Women officiate too!! How can you make a statement like that? You Suck!!! ) - not making calls favoring one team or the other, being completely unbiased in all ways.


Having re-read your paragraph with my inserted comments might allow you to understand the abuse an official tolerates during the course of their work. Additionally, keep in mind, as a writer, you are afforded the opportunity to proofread your work before it is presented to the public. This is not an option for an official.

I am interested in what you think of my observations. By the way, I have a few follow-up story suggestions…. Interview (as impartially as you can) some of the IM referees, or volunteer to participate in a training session. I can tell you, without reservation, that it will be an eye-opener.


Respectfully,

State-certified sports official, 7 years

[CaptStevenM]

Originally posted by williebfree
Dear Trevor Behar:

I am sending this response to a recent article you wrote and circulated, “Campus Recreation in need of better-trained referees for intramural sports.” A few of my friends made me aware of your commentary. I assume your article was written in a tongue-in-cheek tone; however, it is unduly critical of a group of individuals who for the most part passionately apply their skills to provide a fair game within the rules of the game.

I have never written an article for a newspaper, but I have read many articles and columns. I mentioned this fact to offer my qualifications to judge your work as a writer. It appears that you feel these “qualifications” are sufficient enough to provide a basis for judgment of basketball officials.

Let’s take a look at your first paragraph…
It's a never-ending struggle during the life of a referee. He's trained to call it as he sees it – (C’mon Writer!!! Write it both ways!!! Women officiate too!! How can you make a statement like that? You Suck!!! ) - not making calls favoring one team or the other, being completely unbiased in all ways.


Having re-read your paragraph with my inserted comments might allow you to understand the abuse an official tolerates during the course of their work. Additionally, keep in mind, as a writer, you are afforded the opportunity to proofread your work before it is presented to the public. This is not an option for an official.

I am interested in what you think of my observations. By the way, I have a few follow-up story suggestions…. Interview (as impartially as you can) some of the IM referees, or volunteer to participate in a training session. I can tell you, without reservation, that it will be an eye-opener.


Respectfully,

State-certified sports official, 7 years

If you want to send him an email, you might find it on our campus directory. http://www.ncsu.edu
Then click on directories in the upper right corner.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

All right another Youngstown State University football fan. Go Penguins!!

MTD, Sr.

Actually, these are YSU's cheerleaders.

[drinkeii]

I have a slightly different perspective on this. I run an intramural program within my high school. We have approximately 960 students, and I run four sports - Volleyball, Basketball, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, and Flag Football. Most seasons, I have approximately 230 students from the school involved in that particular sport that is in season.

I'll confine my comments to basketball, since that is what this thread started with. I have 8 officials this year for my league, which contains 22 teams and a total of around 180 full length games (not bad, for a high school intramural program), and involves 240 students. I train the officials myself, being a PIAA official for 4 years in basketball, and a few more years in a couple of other sports. I usually have most of the refs stick around after they start for the remainder of their high school career. This year, I had 3 veteran refs, and 5 newbies.

In general, I am able to control complaints about the officiating, which is mainly due to the fact that I am in attendance at probably 85-90% of the games (we only have one game running at a time), and a trusted colleague is present at the rest. However, the kids do complain, and the officials do mess things up occasionally. They do not get paid - we have snacks for them after the games, and they receive a half a credit for community service from the school for the amount of time they put into their work.

I do training over the summer before the season, by having them come in, discuss rules, practice mechanics, and then do some officiating of the open gym kids that come in during the summer when I do open it up for our students. In general, some of them pick it up quickly, and some struggle throughout the season. I have our assignor assign the officials reasonably carefully, not putting two newbies on a game until late in the season, and putting two veterans (or myself and a veteran) on the games which would be more likely to be higher levels of competition.

I will admit that the officials, for the most part, are not as good as some of the newer officials in our chapter. However, some of them are better than many of the officials in our chapter - they're able to get into position, they're able to recognise the difference between minor things to let go and things that need to be called, and they are trained in the real rules. I do agree with the previous poster that indicated that a lack of rules knowledge ("He's Reachin! or He's over the back!) generates a lot of the conflicts. Oftentimes, certified officials seem to want to call a game they wrote, by ignoring certain concepts like reffing the defense (where you would actually get a decent number of PC calls, as opposed to almost always calling blocks) or hand checks (which seems to be a lost call in many leagues I watch). There are several officials I have had in running this program for 5 years that I would put up against many of the veterans in our area, and expect them to do just as well as they do.

I don't feel you get what you pay for in this case. I feel that you get some people who are good, and some who are not destined to be officials, but as long as they have control of the game, and are "enforcing" (for lack of a better word) the rules, they are doing a good job.

[bigwes68]

I am an intramural official.

I am also the sports editor of my university's newspaper.

Looking at this column from both ends, this guy is a moron — he doesn't understand officiating and his journalistic skills leave much to be desired. He is correct about a good number of intramural officials being relatively incompetent, but he didn't make a very strong argument in his column. He didn't bother to take the time to go see how officials are trained, what the pay is, the crap they put up with every night...and he never mentions that there are a few decent officials on the floor.

At my university, beginning pay for a referee is $5.50 per game, usually 3 games per night in basketball (4 per night in flag football). I think it goes up a little depending on how many years you work, not completely sure.

Basketball training included — a 1-hour rules meeting on Monday, a 1-hour mechanics clinic on Tuesday, and a preseason tournament on Friday. The season started the following Monday. It is nearly impossible for new officials that have never put a whistle in their mouths to become the best in the world in that time span.

So yeah, Mr. NC State columnist. There are some lemons out there officiating intramurals. But it looks like there's at least one on the campus newspaper staff, too.

That said — I have worked with some officials this year that still have no clue. Just last night, I worked with a guy that doesn't understand that you have to blow your whistle any time there is a foul, violation, time-out, etc. And when he did blow it, I couldn't hear it. And it's not like it was some loud arena, either. I told him about it at halftime, and he said "My whistle has a crack in it." Yeah, so does mine. But you can still hear it if you blow hard!

Got me in trouble on a play last night. Apparently he called a foul on the defense near the top of the key, but no one — the players or me — heard the whistle. Kid drives to the basket, runs over the defender, I call the charge. He runs over to me, saying, "I already called a foul." Really? I didn't hear a whistle or see a fist in the air.

Night before, same guy. I look up one time, and he's on the same side of the court as me (2-man). How, after four weeks, did this guy not understand that you are always opposite your partner? "I felt like I needed to be on the side the ball was on." Wow.

I know he was trained better than this because I went through the same training. But what can you do about a guy that simply doesn't get it and doesn't care? We're hurting for officials anyway, so firing him really isn't an option. You try to tell him what he's doing wrong, but he doesn't care. And the players are all over you because it's so bad. Not good times.

Only one more week of regular season, then the playoffs start (I have the men's championship game, 3-man crew for that). Soon it will all be over, thank the Good Lord.

[Mark Dexter]

Originally posted by bigwes68

Got me in trouble on a play last night. Apparently he called a foul on the defense near the top of the key, but no one — the players or me — heard the whistle. Kid drives to the basket, runs over the defender, I call the charge. He runs over to me, saying, "I already called a foul." Really? I didn't hear a whistle or see a fist in the air.

I had a situation the other night that also led to problems. With 1.2 seconds left in a 1 point game, A1 drives baseline and there's a collision between A1 and B1 - the contact could have gone either way, or even been a no-call - one of my partners blows his whistle, waits, waits, then signals a player control foul.

A is obviously upset with the call, but probably would have accepted it a bit more easily had the L come up with a preliminary just a *bit* faster. I ended up having to T a rather well-respected former varsity player . . .

Thing is, this guy has pretty good calls, and will be a good ref - he just needs experience in making (and selling) the calls.

[CaptStevenM]

At work tonight my supervisor said that two people in campus recreation, the department that runs intramurals, are going to put out some letters in response to the column; after the letters are approved from by boss. I'll be sure to post them when they are published in the paper.

[CaptStevenM]

Originally posted by williebfree
Dear Trevor Behar:

I am sending this response to a recent article you wrote and circulated, “Campus Recreation in need of better-trained referees for intramural sports.” A few of my friends made me aware of your commentary. I assume your article was written in a tongue-in-cheek tone; however, it is unduly critical of a group of individuals who for the most part passionately apply their skills to provide a fair game within the rules of the game.

I have never written an article for a newspaper, but I have read many articles and columns. I mentioned this fact to offer my qualifications to judge your work as a writer. It appears that you feel these “qualifications” are sufficient enough to provide a basis for judgment of basketball officials.

Let’s take a look at your first paragraph…
It's a never-ending struggle during the life of a referee. He's trained to call it as he sees it – (C’mon Writer!!! Write it both ways!!! Women officiate too!! How can you make a statement like that? You Suck!!! ) - not making calls favoring one team or the other, being completely unbiased in all ways.


Having re-read your paragraph with my inserted comments might allow you to understand the abuse an official tolerates during the course of their work. Additionally, keep in mind, as a writer, you are afforded the opportunity to proofread your work before it is presented to the public. This is not an option for an official.

I am interested in what you think of my observations. By the way, I have a few follow-up story suggestions…. Interview (as impartially as you can) some of the IM referees, or volunteer to participate in a training session. I can tell you, without reservation, that it will be an eye-opener.


Respectfully,

State-certified sports official, 7 years

Your letter made today's paper. The published it in the letter's to the editor section. I'll let you guys know if any other letters make the paper.