Age a Discretion??

iref4him · #1 (**permalink**) Thu Feb 01, 2007, 04:21pm

I have a friend of mine. He is probably in th top 20 officials in the state. He has gone to the state tourney's and has a DII Men's end of year tournament. He wants to move up to DI. He met with a league commisionor today who told him that he has all the tools and can work at the DI level. But, he is 49 years old. He was told that no DI conference will pick him up due to his age. He called me quite dejected. He was told that he probably won't be picked up because if he made it he would only have 5 years to give a conference, before he is to old.

Should age have a bearing on one's ability or not?

Jurassic Referee · #2 (**permalink**) Thu Feb 01, 2007, 04:28pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by iref4him

Should age have a bearing on one's ability or not?

It shouldn't, but it does. They'll give him other reasons rather than telling him that point-blank though.

mplagrow · #3 (**permalink**) Thu Feb 01, 2007, 04:35pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

It shouldn't, but it does. They'll give him other reasons rather than telling him that point-blank though.

Good thing you've already been promoted all the way to the top, JR!

Jurassic Referee · #4 (**permalink**) Thu Feb 01, 2007, 04:48pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by mplagrow

Good thing you've already been promoted all the way to the top, JR!

Yeah, right.....

It's just a fact of life that some of the criteria that they use to pick new staff might be kinda discriminatory and violate a few laws here and there. Which is kinda funny to me, because every time I see a big game on TV, it's officiated by some combination of the usual crew of old bad-bodies.

JRutledge · #5 (**permalink**) Thu Feb 01, 2007, 05:07pm

Anytime you are involved in an athletic event or activity, the age of all participants will factor in some way. It might not seem right, but it is right. It is a reality that the older you get the more your health is likely to break down. I am sure any D1 assignor wants someone that will be around for several years than someone that they might have for a year or two and then they will have to find another person to work. Now I worked at a camp that was in his mid-40s and I would have never known it by how much shape he was in and his young look. I am sure he has a chance to get hired, but his age might hinder him in the end. Maybe someone will look past his age if they factor other things into the equation like his athleticism. Is it unfair to use age? Is it unfair to sign players like Bonds and Clemens when they are in their 40s? There are always exceptions to this rule, but the fact the older you are, the less likely you will be around. I am sure that part of age is the biggest factor, not just someone's ability.

Peace

Scrapper1 · #6 (**permalink**) Thu Feb 01, 2007, 09:18pm

Tom Lopes has said that he didn't ref his first D1 game until he was 40 years old. He has since been to the Final Four. Having said that, I think that when you get much past 40, the window of opportunity is not open very far.

JRutledge · #7 (**permalink**) Thu Feb 01, 2007, 09:22pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

Tom Lopes has said that he didn't ref his first D1 game until he was 40 years old. He has since been to the Final Four. Having said that, I think that when you get much past 40, the window of opportunity is not open very far.

From what I have understood, being 40 years old or around 40 years old is when a lot of officials are hired at the D1 level. I have been told if you are around 47 that is usually the cut off.

Peace

mick · #8 (**permalink**) Thu Feb 01, 2007, 09:35pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRutledge

From what I have understood, being 40 years old or around 40 years old is when a lot of officials are hired at the D1 level. I have been told if you are around 47 that is usually the cut off.

Peace

Well buddy, you better git ready. Yer approaching the optimum.
Good luck with it!