The 3 versus 2 fallacies, a mini-rant - "Part deux"

[imaref]

Here goes.....

How did your state implement "3-Person" officiating? Did it just happen.....was there an experimental phase in....were college officials used initially at the tournament levels, to get the system rolling.....how are your officials "certified" for 3-Person mechanics.....are there any certification requirements to officiate 3-Person?

How are your "3-person" crews assigned? (mixed crew or regular crew)?

In states that are just starting out "3-Person" crews....how are the crews getting game experience when school districts and conferences aren't receptive.....for whatever the reason?

end of Rant 3 -

[JRutledge]

As I have stated before our state only decides what they are going to require in the playoffs when it comes to working 3 man vs. 2 man (or pay for that matter). Now our state back in 1998 made all playoff games assigned with 3 person mechanics. It was up to each school and conference if they wanted to schedule games with 2 officials and they would not see only 2 officials in the regular season or holiday tournaments. Well teams started to realize that 3 officials were not going anywhere, so they better have all their games with 3 officials so everyone was used to the system rather than when it really counts and find themselves out of the post season.

Peace

[jalons]

In Iowa, we have been told that the association/union will use regular season crews as much as possible in the district and regional tournaments, while the officials with the most recommendations (from the coaches) will work the state tournament.

This is the first season that Iowa is using 3 officials in the tournament. FYI, you have to attend one 4-hour "3-person clinic" to be eligible for assignments. Four hours and you are a pro......... this should be an interesting season.

[Texas Aggie]

There's 5 classifications in Texas public schools, which make up probably 98 or more percent of the schools in Texas that play basketball and need officials. I know the largest chapters in the state, and most of the smaller ones as well, use 3 man exclusively for the 4A and 5A classes (largest) of public schools. I'm sure they also assign 3 to other varsity games when schools (public or private) will pay for it. Playoffs in public school is all three man and has been for several years.

I think within 5 years, we'll have 3 man for all varsity contests and many high school sub-varsity games as well. Both JV/V doubleheaders and for 9th or JV tournaments used as paid "certification" clinics.

[zebraman]

Originally Posted by imaref

Here goes.....

How did your state implement "3-Person" officiating? Did it just happen.....was there an experimental phase in....were college officials used initially at the tournament levels, to get the system rolling.....how are your officials "certified" for 3-Person mechanics.....are there any certification requirements to officiate 3-Person?

How are your "3-person" crews assigned? (mixed crew or regular crew)?

In states that are just starting out "3-Person" crews....how are the crews getting game experience when school districts and conferences aren't receptive.....for whatever the reason?

end of Rant 3 -

Washington State: Started requiring 3-person at the state tournaments 3 years ago. At the same time, required the officials working state tournaments to be "3-person WOA certified" which meant attending a WOA-certified 3-person camp in the off-season. Our state's best officials want to work state so they got certified real fast. College officials w/ many years of experience still had to attend a 3-person WOA-certified camp to work state.

The rest of our state's officials (the ones who cared about their performance anyway) quickly realized that 3-person was where we were headed and got certified soon after.

Our state's officials had to take a huge pay cut for the first 2 years (it was deemed "experimental" during that time) as the 3 officials split the same fee 3 ways that we were splitting 2 ways prior. What could the schools say when they were getting 3 officials for the price of 2? Not much. I don't think it would have been accepted otherwise as the schools were completely resistant to 3-person back then if it meant any fee increases for them. 3-person fees are going up each year now but the sacrifice was from the officials to get it done.

Next year, our state mandates 3-person crews for all varsity contests statewide.

[ncaabbref]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

There's 5 classifications in Texas public schools, which make up probably 98 or more percent of the schools in Texas that play basketball and need officials. I know the largest chapters in the state, and most of the smaller ones as well, use 3 man exclusively for the 4A and 5A classes (largest) of public schools. I'm sure they also assign 3 to other varsity games when schools (public or private) will pay for it. Playoffs in public school is all three man and has been for several years.

I think within 5 years, we'll have 3 man for all varsity contests and many high school sub-varsity games as well. Both JV/V doubleheaders and for 9th or JV tournaments used as paid "certification" clinics.

As a fellow TX official, we indeed are using 3 person crews now for everything down to 1A in my part of the state (west). This puts a severe focus on both the need to recruit new bodies (we are down 30 members from last season) as well as development of proper game flow and management of the 3 person crew. The game is NOT officiated better by 3 officials out there afraid to blow their whistle, or concerned about "where they are supposed to be" instead of calling the game.

[Junker]

Originally Posted by jalons

In Iowa, we have been told that the association/union will use regular season crews as much as possible in the district and regional tournaments, while the officials with the most recommendations (from the coaches) will work the state tournament.

This is the first season that Iowa is using 3 officials in the tournament. FYI, you have to attend one 4-hour "3-person clinic" to be eligible for assignments. Four hours and you are a pro......... this should be an interesting season.

I think the tournament this year is going to have some very interesting officiating. I'm lucky enough to work in an area where we work a lot of 3 man, but there are some really good tournament officials in other areas that don't work hardly any 3 man at all. I don't think we have nearly enough education going on for the switch. I'm not sure how your clinic was, but I went last season and thought if I didn't have a decent idea of how 3 man worked I would have walked out of there more confused than anything. 4 hours of clinic with limited game time does little more than raise questions.