When will you know it's time to hang up your whistle?

[Love2ref4Ever]

Officiating is a love of mine, and being the best that I can be at this advocation is very important to me.I have been thinking about how will I know it's time to stop officiating.When this day comes I hope it will be a act of my own free will,instead of some assigners telling me that they can't put me on certain games anymore because I can't get up and down the floor.When this time comes how will I know it's time to hang up my whistle?

[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by Love2ref4Ever
When this time comes how will I know it's time to hang up my whistle?

You will clutch your chest, let out a gasp, everything will go black, and you'll hear a quiet voice say "You're missin' a great game, ref."

Chuck

[bigwhistle]

Originally posted by ChuckElias

You will clutch your chest, let out a gasp, everything will go black, and you'll hear a quiet voice say "You're missin' a great game, ref."

Chuck [/B]

Unfortunately Chuck, there are too many people still blowing the whistle who take this approach.

I do realize that your comment was made in jest, however.

[Brian Watson]

When 7th graders are beating you down the floor....

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by ChuckElias

You will clutch your chest, let out a gasp, everything will go black, and you'll hear a quiet voice say "You're missin' a great game, ref."

Chuck

St. Peter at the Gate:
"Before we get down to business why don't we discuss that
last block/charge..."

[ChuckElias]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dan_ref

St. Peter at the Gate:
"Before we get down to business why don't we discuss that
last block/charge..."

As long as it wasn't last night's. . .

Seriously, though, Brian had the best advice, I think. When you can physically no longer keep up, for whatever reason, you probably shouldn't be out there.

Chuck

[mick]

As you get older, different parts of your body may probably give you a tip off... a knee, a shoulder, and ankle, a tendon, eyes.... Stuff doesn't feel right or heal right anymore.

You may lose your "cutting-edge" philosophy and keep using the previous year's mechanics and uniform.

Maybe your shoes are not polished as well, or you don't get to the games as early as you previously did.

Your partners may start getting under your skin and your tolerance levels for fans, coaches and player may fall.

Perhaps, when you blow a call, you blow it off, instead of beating yourself up for a week.

I think the hints will be subtle and personal.

mick

[Talkinhoopsy'all]

Funny you should post this question becasue last year I had a good friend of mine call it quits. In my opinion he put into perspective the best time to know when to pack in the pearless (yes he was very old school), he said

"the desire is there but the fire is gone" it has been a year since he left and we chat from time to time and the fire is stll gone, but he has become a great mentor.

[rockyroad]

One of my mentors retired about two seasons ago...he was still physically able to get up and down the floor, had no health problems or anything like that...he simply said that he was no longer having fun, and that meant it was time to try something else...that's the best answer I can think of...

[Peter Devana]

Rocky Road seems to have it right - also when you start to think like Rut

[Mark Padgett]

When I find myself saying to myself, "Ya' know, that howler monkey was right."

Seriously, I agree with the post above that said it's time to quit when it's no longer fun. That's the main reason (along with exercise and the fulfillment of my passion that there is great value to our society in youth sports programs) that I officiate.

I almost hung it up two years ago, but I went to watch a few games and got "that feeling" back.

Of course, when I have to get up and down the court in a walker, that might be a tip-off.

[daves]

Originally posted by ChuckElias

You will clutch your chest, let out a gasp, everything will go black, and you'll hear a quiet voice say "You're missin' a great game, ref."

Chuck

A number of years ago I was officiating a game with an older gentleman. I started to worry when he threw his nitroglycerin spray into his pants pocket before the game. I wondered whether I would have to do CPR out there on the court. This fellow was old, slow and out of position although he was a really nice guy. After the game another official came to the locker room and started to jump in this guy's stuff. Basically, he told him he was too old and slow and that he should seriously consider retiring the stripes. One thing that he said was, "I hope someone has the guts to talk to me like this when I'm too old to officiate." Interestingly this fellow has started to get other officials give him that talk, though not as brutal as he was to the other guy. Not surprising to me the new old guy refuses to hang up the whistle. He is deluding himself that he still has it. I have done several games with the new old guy recently and he's constantly 'short-courting' me. I recently did a game with him and there was a steal and a breakaway. I was the trail and he was the lead. It didn't take me long to pass his position on the floor. Anyway, that's a case of 'you can dish it out but you can't take it.'

[zebraman]

I think it depends completely on what the "aging ref" is willing to accept. If they can handle doing 7th and 8th grade games, our association always has a hard time getting those games covered. If they're going to be bitter because they aren't getting Varsity games anymore, then their attitude will do us more harm than good.

To me, when I see an old guy all pissed off because he thinks he should be getting better games, that's kind of sad. When I see an old guy happy to be helping us cover the younger kid's games with a smile on his face, knowing that he used to be one of our best, that's pretty damn cool.

Z

[daves]

Originally posted by zebraman
I think it depends completely on what the "aging ref" is willing to accept. If they can handle doing 7th and 8th grade games, our association always has a hard time getting those games covered. If they're going to be bitter because they aren't getting Varsity games anymore, then their attitude will do us more harm than good.

To me, when I see an old guy all pissed off because he thinks he should be getting better games, that's kind of sad. When I see an old guy happy to be helping us cover the younger kid's games with a smile on his face, knowing that he used to be one of our best, that's pretty damn cool.

Z

I agree with you zebraman. I think an official like that who knows his limitations can be a valuable asset. Not just with their willingness to do the lower level games but their wealth of knowledge and the good stories they can tell.

[dblref]

I had this same coversation with myself a couple of years ago regarding soccer (23 years worth). It got to the point that I "dreaded" going out to do a game...got tired of the rain and cold...and it just wasn't fun anymore. I had always told my wife that I would hang it up when it wasn't fun. I decided to take a year off and see how much I missed it. My wife later asked my how many games I had gone to watch and I realized that I had not seen a single game in over a year, so I know I made the right decision. I still love to officiate basketball, so I don't see that decision coming anytime soon. I am 58 and can still get up and down the court, but I am not too disappointed when I get my schedule and it shows more girls varsity games than boys varsity. I really don't mind the girls varsity games at all and the $$$ is the same. I just like officiating basketball.