Girls v Boys

[rainmaker]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

I believe this does fall under the category of manure-stirring. Way to go.

I do think as you move up to the older levels, the play is different. I believe the saying is, "Girls play horizontal, boys play vertical". Some officials decide they want to do one or the other, so they don't have to adapt to a different game every night. Many people also feel that the boy's game is the "better", or more prestigious game, and the girl's game is harder to call. Therefore, assignors and AD's are more willing to assign those "better" games to the "better" officials. Around our area, most of the schools hire their own officials; we have very few assignors at the HS level. So most of the time, officials work both for a school, unless an official specifically states they will only work boys or girls.

I don't think the difference is greater at the older levels, Jim. JH girls' really is the hardest and requires its own set of skills that is much different from JV and V girls, at least the well-played JV and Var.. From JH to Var boys is merely refinement of the same skillset. Girls' games require far more decisions, far more judgment. Is that a foul, or isn't it? Was there advantage or wasn't there? Do we call all that type of travel, or none of them? How early in the game are we going to be able to establish a set of predictable threshholds? And that all goes quadruple for JH girls.

Refs that are required to work both because of the set-up of their leagues or associations, are the most likely to be the best at both, if they (this is starting to sound like Greek chorus) can recognize and master both types of officiating.