association kowtowing to the schools
 

anyone else have games assigned like this:

given a game that is about 25 miles from your home city. game is at 7:30 with jv at 6. One varsity guy is given $25 extra and it then becomes his job to make sure all four officials (jv and varsity) get to the site, driving them there. That means all the officials are supposed to arrive at 5:30, or whatever, in time for the jv game. varsity guys then get to sit through entire jv. To me, this is just another example of our association being completely screwed over by the schools. No way am I taking a varsity game where I am expected to show up 2 hours early and all I get is an extra $25 if I am the driver and nothing extra if I am not the driver.

any comments on this; anyone do it the same way? I feel like Boise is still in the referee dark ages

please no comments about how you ref for the love of the game and for the kids and would do it for free and I should stop whining because you used to get paid only $10 bla bla bla :)

We do it similar here. My first varsity game in this association was about a 90 minute drive. I was the driver, and there were 5 of us total for two JV games and two varsity games. 4 of us each worked two JV games simultaneously and the 5th guy waited. After the JV games, my JV partner and I worked with the 5th guy in the varsity girls game. The other two JV guys worked the boys varsity game with the same 5th guy.

I got mileage on top of my check for the JV/V games. We aren't required to ride with the driver, though, as my JV partner drove himself to the games and left after the V girls game. But, only one guy is getting mileage.

Other schools that are closer (45 miles or so) will pay one person on each crew (2 or 3 depending on level) mileage.

Each official for each game is paid their own mileage around here....at the rate of about 44cent/mile 1-way.

I think it is silly and downright cheap to pay two crews 1 mileage and expect them to ride togehter and wait through the other crew's game (assuming the games are not at the same time in different gyms)....at least without paying them extra for waiting and extra 1.5 hours.

I think in both cases it is absolutely ridiculous. If mileage is going to be paid, it should be paid to each official, or at the very least on a per game basis (as in each crew on each assigned game gets mileage). To force someone to arrive at least a game early or to have to stay at least a game after just to receive mileage is wrong in my opinion. That's extra time away from job/family, and in my opinion, just serves to prevent people from getting into officiating. I travel long distances to work games, and only take mileage as a deduction (don't get paid for it), but only because I have chosen to join another group, since it's my choice, and I have a number of schools and options to choose from, I don't complain. But if the 90 minute drive is the only game in town, I think that the policy is borderline disrespectful to the officials who are making a big personal sacrifice to work the game, and it's unprofessional in that it doesn't serve the game.

The only time we get the "1-person mileage" nonsense is during post season. And oddly enough, the assigning (and paying) body is the State Association. Guess the bureaucrats hate having to multiply more than once a game.

We don't do 1-person mileage around here. We're on the 0-person mileage system. :rolleyes:

Sounds like $5 per official, correct? 2 officials in JV game, 3 officials in V game. I call the JV officials, tell them to their a$$es to their game on time, then when I get there give them $10 to split among themselves. That leaves $15 for the Varsity crew, which I would keep if I drove the crew.

I can't imagine it is very convenient for everyone to ride together. The five of us (3V, 2JV) on a typical night, all leave for the game from miles apart. Probably no one is any closer to someone else than 10-15 miles, to as much as 40 or 50.

I don't have a problem with the extra time at the site. When I work JV, I always stick around for the next game anyhow, and the Varsity crew is there 90% of the time for the JV game. I've heard that the assn. asks them to be there. There is no extra pay for it.

It is nice to have them around for evaluation/assistance and for discussing game situations. It is also good in case your partner is a no show. One of them can step in and get to work early.

In Montana we get one mileage for two games. More than two games, there are two mileages. More often games are scheduled freshman and JV is one crew, Varsity is another; so two mileages. Smaller schools may only have two squads and generally if the other officials don't or can't make it they give something to the driver. Usually the more inexperienced are working the early games and the Varsity officials can "evaluate" them on an informal basis.

When I first started, my assn. had what they called a "jumper" system where the varsity officials would be assigned 3 (9, JV, V) games for one night starting at 4:30. They would sign in and take payment for all three games. They would find a younger official to fill their first 2 games, and then pay them either in cash or with a personal check. Usually, the fee would be about the same every game and the varsity officials would usually work with the same guys all year long.

The system worked well, in my view, as the varsity officials would watch at least a half of the JV game, then critique the younger officials. Whatever milage arrangements were done were based on private agreement, as any milage paid by the school district was paid to the V officials.

This whole situation is dependent upon the strength and willpower of the leaders of the association standing up to school administrators in the negotiation of the contracts.

Personally, I have a hard time telling people that A) they have to go to a game early and watch due to car pooling requirements and B) that they are going to be paid a travel rate less then the standard IRS Mileage rates.

If you don't like the way things are done in your area, you need to either step up and help as a member of the board in your association, offer suggestions for change, sit there quietly and take what you get, or find something else to do in your free time.

Mileage pay is highly variable. Some places may just pay more per game and no mileage to avoid the minor extra comlexity in calculating pay based on miles (I know it's not hard, but it is work). Some may pay one mileage rate per game and expect the officials to split it and work out the travel.

Boisebball is new to the association. I'm not a ref, but I would think, knowing people and office politics in general, that would play a big part in his ability to change anything.

It's 25 miles = less than 30 minutes, and a gallon or two of gas. Why in the world would you even consider riding and staying?

First off, driving together makes for a very good pregame...something many officials spend too little time on as it is...so that is a bonus.

Second, part of our jobs as veteran officials is to mentor our less experienced members, so IMO, you should be watching a large part of that JV game anyway, and they in turn should be watching yours...riding together, bonding, pre-gaming, talking about interesting plays, watching each other work, and breaking down the games on the ride home is a great way to strengthen your association.

So what were you complaining about again?;)

We don't have that problem with regular season games - typically one person on each crew is given mileage if the leagues still pay it, but many leagues around here have simply gone to paying more per game and eliminated mileage all together.

But, this is our state's policy on post-season games:

Per KSHSAA Executive Board Policy, 36¢ per mile to assigned driver.

Note: The KSHSAA will assign “a” driver to pick up and transport other officials when convenient. It is understood that frequently this will require game officials to either arrive and observe a contest prior to the one to which they are assigned or, to remain and observe the contest immediately following theirs. The professional growth opportunities available through observation of officials in game situations, whether young and less experienced or veteran officials, remains an invaluable learning tool, in addition to the positive support and camaraderie it provides.

When such assignments are not satisfactory, officials may choose to drive themselves but will not be reimbursed for the mileage. Only the designated driver will be paid mileage.

GameTime
 

Here, on our local IAABO board, varsity officials are strongly encouraged to get to the game site in time to watch the first three quarters of the junior varsity game. The varsity officials get dressed and have their pregame meeting during the fourth junior varsity quarter. Between games the varsity officials are expected to give feedback to the junior varsity officials about their junior varsity game, mechanics, calls, game management, positioning, etc. The junior varsity officials are strongly encouraged to stay and watch the varsity game until at least halftime, and during the varsity halftime intermission, the two crews discuss the first half of the varsity game.

After we all go home, we are all expected to rate our partners and the officials in the other game. These ratings are sent, secretly, to our commissioner at the end of the year. There is some talk on our board this year that junior varsity officials, especially junior varsity officials with limited experience, should not be allowed to rate varsity officials.

It's not part of the "job." It's something we should do in order to give back to people that mentored us, but for it to be mandated is ridiculous.

That is all good, but is it necessary/reasonable to expect that the Varsity officials get to the JV game in time for the JV officials to dress, pregame, etc....perhaps 45 minutes or more before the game. On the flip side, is it reasonable to expect the JV officials to hand around after the varsity game while the varsity officials shower.

Seperate mileage for each crew (if mileage is paid at all) is the only equitable thing to do.

One reason I only work varsity games is that I can actually work at my day job longer. I don't have that luxury during baseball/football season.

We're expected to arrive at 6:30PM for a 7:30PM start around here. Sometimes we show up at 6:15PM. The day I'm expected to arrive at 5:15PM for a 5:45PM JV start and then stay until 9:15PM or later....

Exactly!

If I had to show up for a JV game, I'd have to give up officiating. JV games start at 5:45. To arrive at 5pm or before, I'd have to leave work at 4 for many sites....not possible.