I think this is a not completely true. Working college ball does not take a special type of job or commitment in many cases. This varies from one area to another greatly, but most college games start at the same time a HS game starts. If someone can go all weekend working a Men's League or JH games, they can work college ball at the same time as well. All college games are not 10 hours away and most assignors I know are not going to send people all over the place to work a single game. Now you might have to travel a little more, but I think people trying to act as if I spend more time working college games than I do working HS games is kind of an exaggeration. It really depends on where you live and the type of conference you work. I know many that are closer to college sites than they are working HS games.

Peace

I understand that fully, but I think that other guy's comments were misguided.

IREF,

I think we're missing Tome's point. He not criticizing HS officials who don't want to move up. He's criticizing HS officials who do nothing in the off-season to get better. HS officials who never study the rulebook. HS officials who never discuss plays and situations with other officials. HS officials who don't pay attention to anything said during the annual rules clinic. They just show up every year expecting to get full schedules then complain when they only get assigned JV games.

Give me a call.

JRut, it's a little different out here then it is in the Midwest. I have to drive 2 1/2 hours just to do my closest $75 JuCo game. One of my best friends who lives outside St. Louis can do his entire D2 schedule and a majority of his MVC/Horizon schedule in a 3 1/2 hour driving radius. There are 4 D1 schools within 30 minutes of my office but all the small colleges out here are spread all over the Virginia and North Carolina countryside. My friends who made the climb to D1 put in a lot of road time operating in the red while traveling to Florida, SC, NC, and all over Virginia to work $125 games.

I have to agree with this statement. Most college guys go to multiple camps during the spring or summer. I know a lot of very accomplished HS officials that only go when it is required. In my state to keep your IHSA license you have to attend every three years. I go to 5 or 6 camps every summer, even if it is the same camps every year. I know a lot of HS officials who only go to a camp every three years and only to keep their license. Then they will complain they had to pay money to do something that will make them better. At least in my experience this is the case.

Peace

My comments were not intended to put down someone who has no aspirations for doing college ball; I think I made it a point to highlight some of the BS that goes along with college ball.
If camp would be considered the summer season and/or practice, many officials that only want to do HS ball need to "play up" during the summer. As pointed out previously, many officials only attend camp when they are required and then they only go to their local camp. Going to a camp that might have better ball and/or instruction will only help. Isn't it only fair to be as prepared as possible when doing a HS game?
Along with college aspirations comes rules knowledge, game awareness, repitition, physical fitness (awareness of the necessity) and other things. Shouldn't those same things be put into an officials preparation for HS games.
I will speak from my own experience and I will tell you, if you have kids in the area where I work...good luck. Some of the officials aren't worth the whistle in their mouth. Their main concern is getting the big game, which they aren't ready for many times, and getting paid. The pursuit of the perfect game - which will probably never happen - should be a driving force for us all. Doesn't the saying go something like, "Shoot for the moon and at least you will be among the stars?"

Bump, bbref3103....

Still waiting.....

Wow.... JR you have an incredible memory and a little on the persistant side :D

And so am I... May be he/she is actually a basketball coach?

Man, I can feel the love exuding from this post! I do HS bball and HS and college softball here in WV. At one point I wanted to get into the D2 conference for bball but have since changed my mind. I have many fellow officials who do and they DO have to get off of work at 1 or 2 in the afternoon to make it to a school by 5:30 or so. Some work in other conferences and actually have to take a day off to get to thier games - I'm not interested in that.

As far as 3103 goes - I think his/her communication skills are lacking for certain. But his point of clock awareness I think is valid. I do work with a lot of D1 and D2 officials and have learned to have clock awareness during a game. If a coach calls time (especially at the end of a game) - I try to look at the clock as I blow my whistle - just a glance. If you aren't watching the clock, how do you know it has started or stopped? Looking at the clock IS important. I showed up at a game this year and watched the JV game before mine. I noticed the guy keeping the clock was stopping the clock on a made basket (must have thought he was in the NBA) and the JV officials were oblivious to it. (Of course I said something to one of them during a timeout because the game was going on and on and on. . .) I made sure during pregame to correct him as well. Bottom line is whether we do it or not, keeping track of the clock is a good habit to pick up. Are you telling me you ONLY watch the players?? You NEVER see that good-looking mother in the 8th row of the 3rd section?:D

We all do things and pick up things to improve. That's something that I've picked up and it gives me a better game awareness.

Hey, I've played this game before. I call Bull Sh!t!