Rec, not wreck, refs needed
 

Our local kids rec league, Tigard Basketball Assn., is looking for a few more refs for the upcoming season. If you live in the Portland OR area and would like to pick up some extra games, let me know.

The league is in its 26th year and runs from 3rd grade through HS, both boys and girls. Games are on Saturdays during the day and a few weeknights (upper grades only) and are played at Tigard elementary and middle schools. They are all two-person. A typical Saturday shift is two or three games (sometimes four) and weeknights are usually two games. The games are not as long as a standard game. The pay scale varies as to experience (it's actually pretty good for kids rec - we can discuss it if you contact me) and you get paid monthly. The season starts in mid-Dec and runs until spring break in March.

Juulie has worked this league for a few years and Jesse Liebman (officiating.com contributing writer) has also worked it. Plus - I've worked it for over 15 years. The emphasis is strictly on recreation, not competitiveness, so the intensity level is relatively low. Of course, you get the occasional idiot, but the league backs its officials up 100% - no exceptions. Rules are very close to NF, with a few modifications for grade level.

If you live in the area and want to have a lot of fun working fun games, email me at [email protected] - thanks.

You cover travel costs & per diem?

Sure - and Billy Packer knows what he's talking about. :p

Actually - we do provide NF rule books (and copies of our own rules - duh) plus we give new refs who have gone through our training program Fox 40s, NF case books and we pay for 50% of their first jersey.

The best part is - at our ref meetings (usually 3 during the season), the new guys get to buy me a soft drink!!

Which half? ;)

I'm going to have to try to schedule a rotation out in Oregon during the winter months so I can have this opportunity.

I enjoy this league very much, but it would be even cooler if you did end up out here, and we could do a few 6th grade boys' games together. For that matter, I'd love to work with almost anyone on this board, with a couple of possible exceptions (no names mentioned -- but you know who you are, Aloysius).

Also, the league is very well run, and the whole set-up is quite enjoyable. The only drawback is that you never know when you're going to have to work with Padgett. But if you just laugh uproariously at all his dorky jokes, it's not too unbearable.

If I was working that league, I'd want games with you and Padgett - otherwise, deal's off! Just make sure the two of you are still reffing in about 3 years.

Hopefully, there are not a lot of new guys or you'd end up like that kid who was in the top bunk in Home Alone.