Should we ref at schools we are associated with

[Mark Padgett]

I think the general consensus here is that you should try to avoid even the appearance of impropriety, but that in areas that have a very limited number of officials, some supposed conflicts are unavoidable.

Last week, my son worked a freshman game at the HS he graduated from 3 years ago. After the game, I asked him if he felt any conflict (the home team won in a blowout). He said he didn't, and that the only difference working there was that he knew where the bathrooms were.

[Mark Dexter]

If I officiated at my former high school, the only advantages would be for me - I could get into the dressing room without waiting for management, they would give me free food, and I could take care of angry fans just by looking at them and saying "I know who you are."

That said, I would never officiate a varsity game there, and would only do a JV game under the most dire circumstances.

[Bart Tyson]

Varsity - No. Anything else - OK. A few years ago i did a varsity game for the HS i attended. My assigner said no problem it will be one sided game. I didn't have a good game. It was because i tried not to be bias. I won't do that again.

[Pirate]

Our association has a "conflict of interest policy" that deals with the situation you presented. We don't want officials working a game in which they teach, coach (or have coached) or have an affiliation with ex-students or players. There are other "suggestions" we ask our officials to consider before scratching themselves from a particular team. If you would like a copy, leave your e-mail address where I can reach you.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally posted by Mark Dexter
and I could take care of angry fans just by looking at them and saying "I know who you are."

Even better - "I know where you live."

[Mark Dexter]

Originally posted by Mark Padgett

Even better - "I know where you live."

True, but I find that if you know where a fan lives, the converse is often true.

[Doug]

pirate, I'd like that, I find myself doing some games with schools/people that I am affiliated with and would be interested in looking at it. My e-mail is [email protected]

[moose69]

I know this feeling all to well. I work in a small association and have been assinged a few times to work the HS i graduated from just last year. My first year reffing, someone cancelled the day of the game. Our assingor was already working the game that had the guy cancel, i was absolutly the only one left on the list. I show up..and it's my school's team playing. so here i am, lil ole me working the quarter finals on girls i'm only 2 and 3 years older than in my first year reffing....I was scheduled to the the R but immediatly gave that up.... My school led from start to finish..thankfully.

Now in the summer rec leagues i do i don't care Michael jordan could be playing, and i'd probbably give him treatment the NBA guys do... but in a HS game, never take a game where there could be a conflict unless everyone else is at a funeral...there own that is..


Tyler

[Tim Roden]

I watched a Varsity game a few years ago where one of the refs was dating the mother of one of the star players. The game went south right out of the gate. Subvarsity would be ok.

[bigwhistle]

Why is there a constant in the posts that it is ok to work in a conflict situation in a subvarsity game? To these kids, and their coaches and parents, this is the most important game being played that day. Therefore they deserve a situation without a possible bias from the officials.

[Bart Tyson]

I don't think anyone said JV is not important. And i don't think we associate conflict of interest with JV. The JV games are more about learning and preparing for Varsity. I don't think we have JV teams going to State.

[rockyroad]

Voice of experience here...several years ago I worked a State Championship game in which one of the teams was from my school district (I teach 7th grade and knew only one player on the team)...they won and took home the trophy. Everything was fine...fast forward to next season: same team makes Championship game again, and I am at same tourny...get evaluated at top of list and do champ. game...the team loses by two in overtime: the you-know-what hit the fan. Letters to local paper, e-mails at work, nasty phone calls at home, etc...I will no longer work ANY game at ANY level for that school...again, I did nothing wrong, and was not the reason they lost, but to rabid fans, it sure LOOKED like it...it's best to just stay away from those games if at all possible.

[bluezebra]

It's the assignor's job to avoid these conflicts. When I assigned high school softball and volleyball in my area, I had a line on the availability form: "Are you, or a relative, associated with any school in our area"? We had teachers and parents who didn't work those schools' games, home or away. When my sons were in high school, I didn't work any of the sports where that school was involved, even though they didn't play the sports I officiated. When they graduated, no problem.

Bob

[Richard Ogg]

I've comment on this before. I don't think it ever wise, and particularly stupid at the varsity level. At other levels various degrees of "emergencies" happen. In my first or second year I became the emergency referee for a JV game my son was playing in. (Actually, he mostly played the bench, but no matter.) It was tied after 1, tied at half, tied after 3, and on a controversial call by me in the last 2-3 minutes our team (visitors) got 2 shots and held off to win by ~5. Ugly.

This year I ref'd one of my daughter's 8th grade games. The alternative was for them to have only one official. It was no big deal. I will probably ref every one of my daughter's games this year in the church league I help run.

My opinion on officiating games below varsity are:

1. make sure both coaches know and agree, and
2. work at a level below your skill (e.g., varsity-capable official doing MS is not likely a problem at all).