Actually, I say something like "next week" or "last week". I try not to work games on Oscar night. :p

We are told we cannot start a game with less than 2 officials. If an official cannot finish a game for some reason - his/her partner can finish alone though. If reported we do a game alone we have been told there will be consequences up to and including losing card.

I don't know if this has ever really come up though. However - I'm not willing to take the chance. I will, however, look around for another registered official or help give names for them to call.

You are correct. There are minimum numbers for all sports the WIAA covers:

The ones I work:

Basketball (all levels) - 2
Baseball (all levels) - 2
Football - 4 varsity, 3 subvarsity

Starting a game with less than the minimum licensed officials here will get everyone in trouble.

How do you guys officiate a game by yourself? I have my method, but I would like to hear what others do - where you position yourself, how you administer the ball out of bounds, etc.

BTW, one poster said what their association must do like it was an absolute. Thankfully, others chimed in with their local policies. It always makes me wonder when someone posts a local rule/method like it is the beginning and the end. The bottom line is you do what you are allowed to do and what is best for the situation. But if the contract and local policies allow the game to be played with one official, we play.

didn't mean it was an absolute - just an absolute where I officiate. I wasn't trying to say that is the way it should be all over - just sharing what rules I must abide by. I agree that you do what you are allowed to do - but disagree that only one official is what is best for the situation.
I don't have the opportunity to do a game myself - and that's just fine with me. It must be very difficult - depending on the level. However - if we were allowed, and basically had to do games with a single official, I'm sure I would find a way to do it the best way I could.

I think it's interesting that in some jurisdictions, starting with 1 official can possibly cost you your card while in others, refusing to work a game with 1 can lead to serious consequences. I can't imagine refusing to work a game because my partner didn't show or is late.

I've only done a few games solo, but I worked basically the C position with some extra movement to accommodate for ball position.

I know what you mean - when I first read the post about doing game alone - my first reaction was "are you nuts?" but then realizing that there are many different adaptations adopted by different states, different requirements, regulations etc. But it definately got my attention! :-)

A more experienced official once told me that if I ever worked alone, work from foul line to foul line tableside. The couple of times I've had to work by myself, it seemed like a hybrid of the center position with a little working of the arc like the trail in 2-person was most comfortable and I did tend to stay tableside. Throwins were typically administered by a bounce pass from approximately where I felt I needed to be, but I always went to the end line to administer free-throws.

I work top of the key to top of the key, usually opposite the table. I come towards the middle of the court if the ball swings tableside, and after a shot to try to pick up rebounding fouls. All throw-ins except after a made basket are sideline, free throw line extended. Administer free throws from trail. Have the teams/coaches call OOB on their sideline if I can't tell. If any question, we go to the arrow. The only time I will usually go deeper if it's a fast break, to try to protect the shooter.

The best thing about working 1 person is...you always know what the call is :)

I forgot to add. The biggest key when deciding whether and how to work solo is to ask youself, "WWBD."

For those of you who have been living under a rock, it means "What Would Bhuck Do?" Ol' Bhuck Elics is a legend in these parts.

Oh, yea, bigger than that Diebler guy for sure.

WWBD is definitely a philosophy to live by in every area of life!

I know I struggle to do this consistently. It's really such a tall order.

Well, yea. If he wasn't BIGGER than life, he wouldn't be someone to look up to!

I agree with what has been said. I stay opposite table and work high. If possible, I try to get as close to the center of the court as I can. If a play occurs and I have to freeze where I'm at, oh well.

I know the squirrels in these parts have that philosophy.