it just seems as though
 

the boys varsity refs are rated higher than the girls because there is greater competition for the boys side -- the girls side has fewer top officials to chose from out of their pool so its just a way to differentiate the officials who are vying for the boys side from those that are the best to those that are second tier.

in california -- at least SoCal -- ratings go from 1C (lowest) to 5A highest -- if you are a 3A you qualify for some girls varisty -- if you are a 4A you qualify for all GV and few BV -- once you get to 5C - 5A you go to top of the list for playoffs.

Sad to say, but the association I do games for are based on who you know. Although I have bust my butt and have gotten my share of high level games. In general it does not work that way..

So what you're saying is that refs who are interested in doing girls games are second tier? I think if I were you, I'd put down that shovel and quit digging right now.

I would say, rather, that many officials who recognize that they are second tier are interested in girls' games b/c it's generally the case that it's easier to move up on the girls' side. There are very obviously many first tier officials on the girls' side who chose the girls' game for their own reasons.

But for many male officials who can't or don't want to fight their way up the boys' ladder, the girls' side is an easier way to a good schedule.

I think that's true around here, anyway.

That is the case here. It takes longer and you have to have worked better games to get a state final on the boy's side. Also there is much more competition to work the boy's games. Many officials (most are male, we must keep this in mind) want to work the boy's games and girl's games are often an afterthought.

Peace

It is not PC to say it, but we all know that there are many officials who believe that the girl's game is inferior to the boys. That may or may not be the case, but many officials believe it. IMO, officials who choose to work only one side are making a choice based on what they want out of their careers.

I believe Chuck and Jeff have it just nailed as far as it really happens in my neck of the woods, many officials (males) who do not progress quickly on the boys side go to the girls and they move there. It may not be PC to say it, but they are not top tier officials and they do move faster on the women's side.

I stopped reffing girls games about 5-6 years ago. For me it was a question of time and pounding on my joints. I enjoyed the boys games much more than the girls and it was an easy choice about where to cut games out of my schedule. I have never regretted it once.

Home depot has a sale on shovels.

All kidding aside, It's obvious that most of us have started doing girls games as an entry level to Varisty games. The speed of the game and the level of play is below the rim instead of above the rim. After time you just get comfortable.

Let me give you a football analogy for a second (let us take gender out of it for a minute).

In my state we have 8 football classes. Class 8A is the largest class with the largest schools involved. It is widely thought of in football that if you are used to working the lower classes if football, that it is a bigger adjustment to move to the higher classes and call the game appropriately. Also the higher the class, the more likely you are going to see players that will become the Division 1 players. So the higher the level, the better the ball, and the better the officials need to be. In basketball we have two classes (that will change to 4 in 2007-2008). Even in on the boy's side, the better officials are seen to be the Class AA officials, largely because the players that are going to get recruited and play at the Division 1 level. When I started my basketball career, it was easier to work a Class A boy's schedule and much easier to work a girl's varsity schedule than it ever was to work Class AA Boy's. Even within Class AA Boy's there is a tier system and working certain conferences have more prestige than working others. No different than it is at the college level. Working the Big Ten or ACC brings more attention and accomplishment than working the Missouri Valley, Horizon or Sun Belt Conferences. Fair or not, we are always going to make these distinctions and the levels we work will help judge our abilities as officials whether we like it or not.

Peace

As much as it may offend some here...where I live when you start to get varsity games, it is usually the smaller schools (lesser program) girls varsity. As you get experience, you start getting the better girls varsity games with a little lesser program boys varsity sprinkled in. As they begin to view you primarily as a "strictly varsity" official, the local camps is where you need to show you may be ready for the better boys games.

You also see the "older" officals who want to stay on the floor but have trouble with the speed of the big boys programs decide to work exclusively in the girls game.

Many refs in my area work both sides, myself included. Some do only girls. Some do only boys. In general, the boys side is a little more competitive although there are some "girls only" refs who would do excellent on the boys side. It was easier for me to advance quickly on the girls side when I first started.

Interestingly, many of the "boys only" refs work college ball only on the girls side.

There are some "girls only" refs that get girls varsity games who I would not be comfortable with working a very intense, high-level boys game with. It would be too fast and too intense for them.

There are also some great "boys only" officials who are great at 4A games but do not do a good job at B or 1A boys games. They hold to the same "let them play" philosophy at B or 1A and the players at that level aren't able to play through that contact. I wouldn't want to work a girls game with them because of their inability to adjust down.

Our state is really pushing all officials to work both boys and girls. In fact, state dues are now a flat fee and joins you to <b>both </b>of your local associations (both boys and girls). You can still work only one side if you wish, but you are paying to join both. Many of our officials who have previously worked for only one side are going to do a few games for the "other side" this coming season. It will be interesting to see how it shakes out over the next couple of years.

Z

ratings
 

I posted because I was seeing what other states do as far as a ratings system goes. I see that some areas have officials rated as a boys varsity official or a girls varsity official. I don't know how well that works but here is my take on the subject: We all know that the top officials will be on the best boys varsity games. If you are rated a girls varsity official and want to move up to being a boys varsity official there are certain criteria that have to be met. I am very big on attending camp at least once every two years just to stay up to date with the changes and philosophy of the game. Even the top rated officials should try and make camp at least once in a two year period. If you are rated a girls varsity official there might be an opening on a boys game where you can fill in and see how you do.

I was in an association that rated everyone: beginner, aprentice, and master. The only problem is when you got to master there was a group of about 40 officials that rated master level, then the ones that werent getting the top boys game complained that someone with the same rating was. I think it works better to break the ratings down into more groups and letting the officials know what they need to do in order to move up to the next category is needed and having a set criteria to move up is needed.

I just dont know what system works the best. I kind of like the 5a, 5b, 5c. 4a, 4b, 4c. 3a, 3b, 3c and so on system that California uses. Does anyone have a breakdown of the exact system that California uses and what goes into determining a rating.