Why you officiate...

[mplagrow]

It's all about CONTROL! We ref because we are anal control freaks, and enjoy being in charge of EVERYTHING IN THE GYM! We can cite point by point, letter by letter, where the rule book tells us we are right and everyone else is wrong! If the President of the United States walks in, within the confines of those four walls, you outrank him!

Oh yeah, and the kids too.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by mplagrow

It's all about CONTROL! We ref because we are anal control freaks, and enjoy being in charge of EVERYTHING IN THE GYM!

I'm guessing that this is said in jest, but then again maybe not...in the mid-90's I went to a "try-out" type of camp. One of the evaluators stood up in front of the group, pointed to several of us and asked each the question "Why do you officiate?" As each of us (and I was one of the ones chosen) gave our answer, he replied with "Bullsh!t. Sit down."

Eventually he went on a little tirade in which he pointed out that we all officiate because it gives us POWER...we don't have that POWER in any other area of our lives, so we fulfill that need by blah, blah, blah...

When he finished, I raised my hand and asked the camp director (and small college assignor) if that was his thinking also. When he said yes, I told him thanks, gathered up my stuff and left...he called me a couple days later, we talked and I told him what I thought of that philosophy...few days later I got a contract in the mail. Weird...to this day, I can't really believe that is why anyone would officiate.

[Adam]

I'm with IREF4HIM. I didn't realize it so much until this year, though. I started because it was some easy money in college. I say "easy" because I knew the game pretty well; as a player, I was more smart than talented.
After college, I continued because it really was fun. As I started to work up slowly (it was hard to work up the ranks when I took about every other year off), I found that the better the ball I was working, the more fun it was.

Now, I've discovered it's a great stress relief. I've found that when I'm particularly stressed at my regular job; getting out to officiate really releases a lot of pent up energy. It's cathartic.

I'm confident enough in my knowledge and abilities, when I catch the inevitable grief, I can laugh.

I know I've got the best view on the court, and I probably know the rules better than all but, at most, a half-dozen other people in the building. For me, this isn't about power as much as it's about "being right." This is probably the most shallow reason I enjoy it. For those of you who have taken the "colors" personality test, I'm a green, and officiating fits my style.

[Ignats75]

That 3K I gross a year...before gas and mileage...and uniforms and supplies...and State licensing fees....and 2 different association fees.....and camp fees. Yeah, I do it for the money.

What's the cliche we were always told when going through referee school? There are always three teams on the floor....The Home, THe visitors, the officials. Well, I found out quickly it was true. SO this avocation feeds my competitive juices. I compete with myself to have a winning performance every time I step on the floor. I have, finally in my forties, found that team "esprit de corps" that I missed from my younger playing days.

[Jway44]

For me, officiating was my way of staying close to the game that I love. I knew that my basketball career was going to end at the close of my senior season in HS, so I started refereeing on Saturdays when I was still in HS. I have never put down the whistle and am now going on 17 years of calling the best sport in the world. Sure the extra money is nice, but for me, it is the one way that I can still be a major part of the game that I love.

[Dan_ref]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

I'm guessing that this is said in jest, but then again maybe not...in the mid-90's I went to a "try-out" type of camp. One of the evaluators stood up in front of the group, pointed to several of us and asked each the question "Why do you officiate?" As each of us (and I was one of the ones chosen) gave our answer, he replied with "Bullsh!t. Sit down."

Eventually he went on a little tirade in which he pointed out that we all officiate because it gives us POWER...we don't have that POWER in any other area of our lives, so we fulfill that need by blah, blah, blah...

When he finished, I raised my hand and asked the camp director (and small college assignor) if that was his thinking also. When he said yes, I told him thanks, gathered up my stuff and left...he called me a couple days later, we talked and I told him what I thought of that philosophy...few days later I got a contract in the mail. Weird...to this day, I can't really believe that is why anyone would officiate.

Great post.

btw...when you opened that envelope did you also find your uncashed check for the camp fee in there?

Now THAT would have been SOMETHING!

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by Dan_ref

Great post.

btw...when you opened that envelope did you also find your uncashed check for the camp fee in there?

Now THAT would have been SOMETHING!

HA! No freaking chance...

[Dan_ref]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

HA! No freaking chance...

At least some things remain predictable

[rainmaker]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

I'm with IREF4HIM.
Now, I've discovered it's a great stress relief. I've found that when I'm particularly stressed at my regular job; getting out to officiate really releases a lot of pent up energy. It's cathartic.

I'm confident enough in my knowledge and abilities, when I catch the inevitable grief, I can laugh.

I agree to a point. A couple of years ago when my then 6-yr old was in and out and in and out of the hospital about 7 times in 6 weeks or seomthing, the reffing was a good distraction some days, but some days it was too much. Still, when I could be in that laughing it off mood, it was a great help. A little pleasure and a nice little endorphin rush to get me through the next few hours of crisis. And when he was actually in the hospital, I didn't need to find a babysitter!

[refnrev]

Originally Posted by iref4him

There are so many reasons mentioned already that I am not going to re-hash those. The one thing I love about officiating - For 1 1/2 or more --> the cares of the world and what's going on in my life are forgotten. I am in the zone and I have escaped into that zone. Everything else is gone. Sounds crazy but it is my stress relief.

___________________________________

Doesn't sound crazy to me. Makes perfect sense!

[mplagrow]

Of course, I was speaking tongue in cheek. To an extent.

[Ron Giacoma]

Originally Posted by bgtg19

Everyone (O.K., not everyone, but a lot of people) goes through a stage where they think about hanging up the whistle. I'm going through that now. (Not for age or health reasons - I'm in my 30s and in good shape - just wondering whether all the time and cr@p is worth it.)

Although I'm sure we've had threads like this before, I thought it might be helpful to hear why you do what you do. I certainly understand that my decision will be ... well, my decision. I'm not looking for you to decide for me. I'm just looking for you to share YOUR reasons which might help me as I explore my own. Thanks.

It's the next best thing to playing the game .

[26 Year Gap]

I love basketball. I loved playing it. I loved teaching kids basketball skills in a program I ran in my small town. I loved teaching kids plays in the junior hoop program. But as I reached the highest level of coaching that I desired, and after viewing a lot of junior high & AAU contests, I thought that I could do that [again]. So, after 26 years removed from my previous certification, I took the class 4 years ago and passed the test. I have enjoyed the challenge of improving and hopefully to move up. I like the exercise. AND I get into a lot of games for free because I stay for the nightcaps.

[MJT]

1. I love the intensity of the game!
2. The challenge of working a game, and at the end of that game having both coaches honestly saying you did a nice job.
3. The fun I have working with the people I do, and meeting new people.
4. Walking in the house, see my wife hold out her hand and say, "where's the check?"

[HawkeyeCubP]

1. It's fun. Some people like to play certain sports. (I do.) I like to officiate certain sports. It's just fun. I didn't even play high school basketball. Just tons of fun. It's all intrinsic. Hard to describe.

2. I have a drive to be excellent at it, the likes of which I've only experienced with two other things in my life. That being said, if it ceased being fun, the dedication to learning and improving would immediately disappear as well, I believe (along with time spent on this forum ).

As for putting up with the not-so-fun stuff that rears its ugly head from time to time, and is hard to shake at times - - I think having some kind of support system is key, at least for me. My coworker, who is an official, similar to me, and my wife - mainly my wife. I come home and tell stories from the game(s) I just worked, then the next night she comes home and tells me stories from the game(s) she just played in at city league or university intramurals (where she works). (That is, of course, if we weren't already at each other's said games - then it's funny to hear her bring things up about situations before I even have a chance to.) It's extremely mutually beneficial.