Your feelings are normal. Our chapter is going through a growth phase where the assignors are challanged and making tough decisions about assignments.

Turn your frustration into action. Get in shape, work summer ball, go to a camp, explore other nearby chapters or associations, find a senior menor in your group to talk too.

Don't give up. Take pride in what you've contributed, not frustration with what you didn't get.

I agree with what many have said, control what you can control and don't worry too much about the rest.

Work on being a partner that other people want to work with. Work on being that official that coaches don't mind having on the road or at home. Work on being the type of official who says things and other officials listen.

Between the military making me move and just getting crapped on I have had some serious heartbreak over the years. The one thing I can lean on is how other officials who know me feel about me.

Remember, being good can fix a lot of things.

But as you know in Indiana you don't advance on merit. Just remember it not always what you know it is who you know. That just don’t go for Indiana I am sure most places are the same way. I was left out of the tournament this year after adding 156 new officials for the sectional. This was a huge wake up call for me reminding me that I don’t just have to officiate well I have to play the politics as well.

I did not have a lot of time to address your thread directly, I will do that know. The bottom line is if you lived where I am, you likely would not see a post season game for another few years. In my state the people that give out those games are not part of a local association, but are apart of the state office. These individuals have to sift through a few thousand officials across the state in order to decide who may or may not get a realistic shot. You would be very lucky if you got a State Final in your 17 year (at least on the boy's side). There are so many officials where I live and a rating system that is based on years of data, it is very hard to stand out in a positive way. I do know of places that you could work a state final off the bat and there are officials here that in a 10 year period have worked more than one state final. That would not be at all the case here, because you would have to get in line with officials that were there before you were. Talent is not going to get you automatically past other officials. There are a couple of D1 officials that have not worked a state final because they have not worked enough post season games compared to other officials.

Once again, be happy or blessed that someone even decided you should work any post season. I know in each class they only need just under 200 or so officials to work the entire playoffs (state wide). And this is in a state where everyone makes the playoffs. So there are a lot of games, but not many officials as compared to who might be available.

Peace

Like others have said, it is out of your control so don't worry about it. Personally I just look at tournament games as frosting on the cake. I get more satisfaction from getting put on a good 4A matchup by an assignor that knows my abilities well than to get a 1A game from the state that only knows my ratings from coaches. I've been in for about 7 seasons and have my first tournament games this season on the girl's side. I was hoping to get a couple from the boy's, but it didn't happen. I'll just keep working hard and hopefully it will happen next season.

All, All I can say to you is thank you for your encouraging words and comment. I should be honored for the one post season game. I have truly worked hard in many ways. Not only on the rules of the games, but my mental and physical aspect of the game. I am going to be 50 in just a couple short months, from a selfish way I wanted to execel quicker and enjoy the officiating while I can still do it.

Tomegun, last year you and I spoke about this where I felt I was too old to want and do this. You proved me wrong, due to encouragement from officials like yourself and others on this web. I guess I really wanted this becuase I was able to taste it. I hope and pray that I will be able to do this again next year. Thanks to you all.

I believe this whole heartedly. If you can referee, you will get yours, it just depends on what level you get it. For me I might see my first college playoff game before I see my first HS one. I do believe there is a little bit of politics involved, but I also believe that if there is a man there older than me and just as good and maybe not even as good, that he deserves to stay there, because like someone stated earlier he has probably pulled the assigner out of some tough spots before and has always been there to help and I totally understand that. I believe that I am fighting more against guys who are just coming up compared to trying to knock the old veterean out. It's like Dick Bavetta in the NBA. He can stay there as long as he wants with almost no worries of getting kicked out for an up and comer. The people who have to be worried about the up and comer are the guys that are in there rookie to 5th or 6th year.

Sometimes people get the shaft and that in itself is upsetting, but 9 times out of 10 the good referees get there games. Good luck and keep working hard.

It just takes time....
 

I can only share my personal experiences. In my area, it takes between 4-7 years to get a full varsity schedule. I know folks who have done it faster, but that is the average.

One of the things that I have come to understand is that you can only go out and call the games that you are assigned. Take the games, do the best job you can for any game and let your work speak for itself.

Assigning is hard, because you want to have the best officials out there for the game you are assigning. You want to have officials that you trust to do a good job. In order for me to get a full schedule, someone else has to give up those games.

Continue to work hard and the tournament games will come. As you become the part of the "trusted" set of officials, bigger and better games will come your way.

Well, all I can say is it must be something about Virginia. The association I work in is run by the principles. We the officals have no say so in anything. Our commissioner is picked by the principles. So, well you all know about that...... Our commissioner says he evaluates officals, but works a full schedule. From what I understand he has worked more than any offical in our association, except for the crew he has which they work every game with each other. Last year there was some rumblings about how the officals were picked for the regions. A lot of top officals sat at home b/c the coaches picked who they wanted in the regions. So the top tier officals that wacked coaches for rule infractions sat at home while the gamer officals worked. Funny thing about this is that several of the officals that didnt get region games worked the state final games.
So this year the rumblings have come to a head. About 30 percent of the officals are quitting this year. Our by-laws were changed to state that any offical that is caught talking about the association or to any principle or AD will be suspended.
So all I can say is good luck.... At least you have an association that is run by the officals and not by the principles that has the commissioner in their back pocket

Have you considered starting another assn.? If there are as many disgruntled officials as you state, then get together and give it a shot. Chances are you won't get assignments from those schools, but what about other private/non-conference schools or even rec leagues? If the current regime is acting as you say they are, chances are there might be a few coaches who would welcome a switch and encourage their AD's/Principals to try a different Assn.

It may take a few years, but you could end up with your own assn. with legit assignments.

Since you brought this up, here is some perspective as it relates to where I live.

There is probably between 5000-6000 officials state wide where I live.

For Class AA Boy's Basketball there are 64 Regional sites. Each site has at least 3 officials for all 3 to 4 games. There are some nights where two games are being played at the same time and the IHSA uses another crew for those nights. So that might add only about 10-12 extra officials overall based on availability. So at the very least there are 192 officials (possibly a little over 200 might be realistically needed). The State Finals has 12 officials working when it is all said and done. The Class AA side is the last of all tournaments and this means that more than 95% of all officials are sitting at home during this time. You can only give so many assignments to so many people. Someone is going to stay home even if you rotated completely different people every single year. Then someone would not be upset they did not get a shot then. Then when someone is working that is not very experienced screws up a situation, then there will be many more problems.

Peace

Actually that is being discussed as we speak. That was one of the reasons they changed the by-laws. Some of the officals have been talking to some of the Coaches, AD's and principles about what is going on and the commissioner was told about it and recommended that any offical caught saying anything bad about the association be suspended. Two of the districts are pondering a change and has said that they would switch to an association that is run by the officals. One district even contacted the VHSL when they got wind of the problems with our association and was told that the principles need to get away from being the governing body because of the liability. The person told them that they could be held liable if an official was to be injured during a game or as long as they were on school property because of how our by-laws are written up. But it seems that a certain group of principles are not wanting to relenquish control and recommended that the officials sign a waiver next year.
What it all boils down to is that with the current situation we are in. We are employees instead of independent contractors. Some of the officals are considering hiring a labor attorney. But finding one in this area that is familiar with labor laws is another thing.
As for the region & state picks. Been there done that and could care less about if I get one anymore. I would rather see a young offical that has worked his or hers rear off to the be the best get it. Its priceless the see the look on their face when they make the big show. But the cloud remains. The commissioner and his crew work all the Region finals, nominates himself and his crew so they get to go every three years to the state and as time goes on the average age for our association get older and older each year.

A little more.... I was all worked up the year I thought I had "earned" a playoff spot and didn't get it. That lasted a few weeks and then I made a commitment to myself to make sure from that point on, nothing I did or said on the court would prevent me from moving up. I went to 5 camps that summer and got soooooo much better. I also got hired to work college b4 I ever got moved up in high school. For me, knowing that someone else thought highly of my skills was an encouragement to keep getting better.

Hey you aren't alone. I made the playoffs last year being my first year of eligibility. I got 2 rounds of girls games. This was my first year of mens college ball as well. This year I only got 2 games both in the first round on the girls side and being my 2nd of full mens schedule working for 3 assignors in 5 conferences. No boys playoffs what so ever. I felt if they were going to keep on the girls they would send me at least to the quarters or semi's.

Wow! I can't imagine working for an association that is not run by officials. The schools have zero say as to who works their games. I guess we're lucky.