I say Fish away....

[Larks]

Anyone catch the article in the latest referee magazine about fishing for games?

While I think that calling assignors and asking for specific games is bogus, I dont think it's a big deal for me to keep assignors updated on my open dates. In fact, most of the assignors in Cincinnati ask you to send your opens in throughout the season.

I know assigning is done differently throughout the country but why is this practice considered agressive?

I'm not talking about sending christmas cards or hams or whatever. I am simply talking about conducting the business related to the assignor / official relationship.

In sales there is a line and it's goes like this.....make sure you ask for the business. So if I have the opportunity to talk to an assignor, am I wrong in saying, __________ thanks for the games this year. Can I go ahead and hold the same Fridays for you next year?" as an example. Too agressive? He can always say "I am not going to work on that until August, I'll give you a call". But he could also say "yep and hold a couple Tuesdays for me too.

Or, ______, I have an open Friday on Dec 22nd (I do actually) if you need a fill in. I dont know about elsewhere but if you have a pulse and raise you hand on a Friday around here, you are pretty much going to get a game. In fact, I almost believe that you could commit to zero games in advance in SW Ohio and simply by being available, you will end up working 30 games. A couple assignors actually mass e-mail about 300 refs once a week with games to fill.

But I digress....On or about December 20th, I am going to send out an e-mail to the 6 guys I work for saying I am open and I'll bet anyone on this board a hot fudge sundae that I'll get a game because somone is sick, hurt, the league added a game, whatever.

Is this wrong? Is it wrong in your area?

Why shouldnt I be proactive in trying to schedule my opportunities? I am as you know, a self employed independant contractor. Who is anyone else to tell us how we go about filling our schedules?

[JRutledge]

What you have described is very similar to what happens here. More and more assignors are going to the electronic method to assign games and to know the availability of their officials. I do not have to give a schedule to many assignors anymore because of the use of assigning software, but I still keep certain assignors up to date with my schedule the same way Larks described. I do not see anything wrong with doing this and it is encouraged in my area. There are always last minute changes and assignors want to do as little work as possible to look for replacements.

I have not read the article yet (I just got my copy today) so I will have to see what it says for myself and see why the author would take that position.

Peace

[Larks]

EDIT: My bad, It's not in the referee magazine, it's the NFHS publication. I just got it yesterday.

He doesnt take a position but implies there are concerns in the officiating community about the practice of sending your open dates to assignors etc.

A couple of the assignors use online software here. Most are still on their own. That may change next year as I hear the OHSAA is looking into new software that will integrate the whole process.

[stmaryrams]

It's the same here in Central OH. Most assigners ask for your open dates or use one of the association web sites to find open officials.

That seems different than some of what was in the article like the asking for a specific matchup.


GO BUCKS!

Without Woody and Bo it wouldn't have become THE GAME.

Just because you hate the team doesn't mean you don't repect them, God Bless you Bo.

[Jurassic Referee]

Assignors need to know the up-to-date availabilities for their officials for all of the extra games, changes, additions, etc. that always come in.

Simply e-mail or fax your availability to your assignor(s), saying that you are available on these dates if needed. Nothing else really needs to be added to that. Update it as you fill in dates. Most assignors will appreciate that; it makes their job easier when the inevitable changes and cancellations come in.

E-mailing a hot fudge sundae to an assignor sometimes isn't a bad idea either.

PS- do not mass e-mail your availability to all 6 assignors at the same time. Take the time and send it to each of them individually. You'll get more games out of doing it that way.

[rainmaker]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

E-mailing a hot fudge sundae to an assignor sometimes isn't a bad idea either.

PS- do not mass e-mail your availability to all 6 assignors at the same time. Take the time and send it to each of them individually. You'll get more games out of doing it that way.

E-mailing mass hot fudge sundaes is also a really bad idea. It messes up the ISP's server quite nastily!

[Ref Daddy]

I am part of a 500+ person chapter that this year finally converted to all 3Man at JV and V levels. Obviously the normal scheduling processes and game distribution was effected significantly.

Its put a lot of issues on the table and chapter meetings have been quite vocal regarding the big games and who got them and who didn't.

Seems best you can do is make yourself visable. There is nothing wrong with wanting, asking, looking for opportunities. Go to meetings, camps, sessions and network.

You couldn't pay me enought to be an assignor in a chapter but I can say if I was I'd want to know who was interested in advancing, working, filling in, growing.