Referee or Umpire

[walter]

My association has had long and sometimes heated discussion when it comes to evaluations and classifications. This year, the powers that be have decided to attempt to implement a system whereby officials will be classified as Referee(s) and Umpire(s) within each level of ability (i.e. junior high/middle school, junior varsity, varsity). We have all been given the opportunity to submit a list of characteristics that define what makes one a referee and what makes one an umpire. Being that this forum has been incredibly valuable to me and I respect that vast majority of opinions and experience demonstrated here, I thought I'd throw it to you. Our association has a rating committee made up of evaluators and the assignors. Over the years, they have been tasked with grouping people into categories such as 1A and 1B for varsity, 2A and 2B for JV and 3A and 3B for lower levels and new officials. The "A" level within each classification was to be for the best of the class (the referees). The problem is that people have been moved from one category to another, many times based on years of service, service to the board, etc. and not basketball officiating ability. Therefore, as you can imagine, the Board has become extremely top heavy ratings wise as people have been moved up and never come back down. This year, we have hired evaluators (well respected former officials who no longer work for the board or for their college conferences) and have taken peer ratings out of the mix. In order to be fair, the evaluators have sought input from their former college supervisors and fellow officials and have asked us (the members) what we look for in classifying someone as a referee or an umpire. We have eliminated the A & B classes and have simply gone to varsity, junior varsity and lower level ratings. Within those ratings, the evaluators will group the referees and umpires and then the assignors will use those groupings to assign games. Please, if you don't mind, could you take some time and list characteristics you feel make one an "R" v. an "U". It is our hope to put together a qualities list so that each person will know what the valuators are looking for. Thanks and I apologize for the rambling.