Distance travel for games

[26 Year Gap]

Furthest I have gone one way is 90 miles. Most trips are at least 35 miles.

[Ref_ Fred]

I have a question for most. Officiating is not my primary form of employment. Typcial Varsity games in my region are Tue, Thurs and Friday. When a double header Girls/Boy , the girls start at 6:00Pm and immediately following are the boys. It's no problem when I do boys. 8:00 Pm is a typical start unless OT. Both of the association I work for would like Varisty official to be there for pregame 45 to 60 minute before game time. How do you most of you manage if you have a game time of 6:00pm and considering you also have a 45 min pregame conference with partners. How do you travel 50 to 60 miles and get there in time? In northern VA you might as well forget getting there on time if you have to travel 50 miles during rush hour. How do you do it? I have to turn down the 50 miler games..

[refhoops]

We cover games up to 60 miles away from my home but typically games are within 30 miles and we receive no mileage.

Our association requires us to arrive 30 minutes before game time. We have many who arrive at least an hour before game time, this gives them time to relax and unwind before there game and offers a buffer should there be an issue with traffic. However, there are many times, especially with sub-varsity games, when partners arrive less than 10 minutes before game time. Because of my schedule, many times during the season I will work a early sub-varsity game and then a varsity game at another location. The pre-game more times is nothing more than introduction to each other and lets get captains. My opinion is that if you cannot get there at least 30 minutes before game time, don't accept the game. It is not fair to player and coaches wondering if they are only going to have 1 official work there game and it is not right to your partner who is wondering if you are going to show up.

[Official99]

I have never gone further than an hour away for high school.... NCAA is a different story, I've traveled entirely too far for games!

In our high school association we don't get paid milage. If we travel more than 50 miles one way, we get an extra $10 to our game fee, and $20 if we travel more than 100 miles one way. The funny part about traveling 100 miles one way is it's NH... the widest part of the state is only 114 miles. You'd have to be traveling far up north to make 100 miles one way.

[stripes]

In the Salt Lake City area, for HS the farthest is 250 mi one way (the last 50 on a dirt road and no gas stations!). JUCO is now about 200 mi one way and NAIA is in town.

[zeke]

Originally Posted by refhoops

We cover games up to 60 miles away from my home but typically games are within 30 miles and we receive no mileage.

Our association requires us to arrive 30 minutes before game time. We have many who arrive at least an hour before game time, this gives them time to relax and unwind before there game and offers a buffer should there be an issue with traffic. However, there are many times, especially with sub-varsity games, when partners arrive less than 10 minutes before game time. Because of my schedule, many times during the season I will work a early sub-varsity game and then a varsity game at another location. The pre-game more times is nothing more than introduction to each other and lets get captains. My opinion is that if you cannot get there at least 30 minutes before game time, don't accept the game. It is not fair to player and coaches wondering if they are only going to have 1 official work there game and it is not right to your partner who is wondering if you are going to show up.

I agree on getting there at least a hour before. You have to have that unwind time. And some pregame that at least covers your areas of concern i.e. if the ball pops out in the backcourt and I'm at trail and you r @ center and I look @ u and u give me the hand flick (for touch) I will know. Most get to work with some of the same guys. Thats when I think its good to discuss plays, angles and situations.
If we r not constantly trying to get better we r hurting the game.