Can one move up too fast ?

[Chess Ref]

Would it be strange if I went to my assignor and told him I not in a big hurry to get a complete Varsity schedule?
I receive Varsity games about 1/4 of the time now . The other 3/4ths I do the Frosh/Jv circuit. The next step in my schedule seems to be about 50% of my games will be Varsity.The frosh/JV games have really SLOWED down for me and its kinda cool. Some of the VArsity games are still moving pretty fast for me, but I am holding my own.
I don't want to end up being a half-a$$ Varsity ref. There are things that I need to continue working on and I believe I can better work on them at the lower levels.
For example my big 3 things to work on include
1. Adv/Dis - letting incidential contact go,especially as Trail. Still getting comfortable with the "late" whistle
2. Game awareness-things like AP,shot clock awareness, things of that sort
3. Working with the coaches-I am comfortable with rewarding coaches for their bad behavior. I give T's. I am also pretty comfortable with working with them also. I just think I need a little more work in talking them off the ledge,also just communicating with them in general.

SO is it okay to tell my assignor I like my schedule how it is or would that be considered a little strange ?

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Chess Ref

Would it be strange if I went to my assignor and told him I not in a big hurry to get a complete Varsity schedule?
I receive Varsity games about 1/4 of the time now . The other 3/4ths I do the Frosh/Jv circuit. The next step in my schedule seems to be about 50% of my games will be Varsity.The frosh/JV games have really SLOWED down for me and its kinda cool. Some of the VArsity games are still moving pretty fast for me, but I am holding my own.
I don't want to end up being a half-a$$ Varsity ref. There are things that I need to continue working on and I believe I can better work on them at the lower levels.
For example my big 3 things to work on include
1. Adv/Dis - letting incidential contact go,especially as Trail. Still getting comfortable with the "late" whistle
2. Game awareness-things like AP,shot clock awareness, things of that sort
3. Working with the coaches-I am comfortable with rewarding coaches for their bad behavior. I give T's. I am also pretty comfortable with working with them also. I just think I need a little more work in talking them off the ledge,also just communicating with them in general.

SO is it okay to tell my assignor I like my schedule how it is or would that be considered a little strange ?

I think it would be worse for you to tell your assignor this than to try to improve while working the schedule you are given, but others may disagree.

Sometimes you get one shot at the brass ring and if you pass it by, the carousel stops before it comes around again. It may be too soon and it may not be the right timing for you, but it's possible the assignor knows this and needs you. Or maybe he/she sees something in you that you don't see -- perhaps you are ready.

[Mountaineer]

I agree with Rich. I think that working the better games will cause a greater sense of focus. If you tell him you don't want to move up or slow down the process he will undoubtedly interpret it the wrong way. Go with the hand youa re dealt and know that there are always guys that wish they were in your shoes. Also, realize that if your assigner didn't think you could do the job, he would not have given you the games. Good luck.

[tomegun]

I think you should just work hard and trust your assignor's judgement. If he thinks you deserve what you are getting he probably knows what he's doing. Think of things from his perspective. If you told him to back off on the varsity games he may take that as you being scared or lacking confidence. How long could it take you to make it back to where you are now?

[JRutledge]

I would not make that kind of statement to an assignor. Let them decide when you deserve that kind of schedule. You might just tell them with that kind of statement that you are never ready. Even if in the back of your mind you have doubts about your ability, you do not let people like that know that. They might just lose confidence in you and never get it back. Go out and work hard and let the chips fall where they may. It is possible that you are better than others and your ability will just show through. But if you make that kind of comment you might bring more doubts if you can handle something which you have already in some way proven you can handle.

Peace

[BillyMac]

We have four classifciations on our local board, all, for the most part, based on peer ratings, and rankings: first year probation; junior varsity, meaning an all junior varsity schedule; "split" schedule, meaning both varsity, and junior varsity games; and "full" varsity, meaning all varsity assignments. The number of games you get within each classification is also based, for the most part, on peer ratings and rankings.

For many years now, I've been "full" varsity, and based on my ratings and rankings, in the lower portion of the "full" varsity classification, I get two or three varsity assignments each week. In my final couple of seasons of the "split" classification, based on my ratings and ranking, I was in the uppermost portion of the "split" classification rankings, and I was workng four or five nights a week, about 20% varsity, and about 80% junior varsity.

Now, with my "full" varsity schedule, sitting home, or working Catholic school middle school games, four or five nights a week, I wonder if it would be better to be working a "split" schedule, and being "busier" on the high school level. Yes, the games are better on the varsity level. Yes, the pay is better on the varsity level. Yes, the game times are better on the varsity level, 7:00 p.m. for varsity, versus 5:30 p.m. for junior varsity, making it tough to get out of work, and fight the rush hour traffic, for a junior varsity game. But now that I'm an empty nester, it may be nice to be doing high school games five nights a week.

Bottom line, even after twenty-seven years, I continue to try to improve, by studying the rules and mechanics, by going to various clinics and camps, and by observing the best officials on our local board. Maybe, I can eventually improve my peer ratings, and ranking, so that I'm working three or four varsity games a week.

[rainmaker]

The question in the title is, " Can one move up too fast?" and the answer is, oh, yes, one can! But I"m not sure you are under the present circumstances. Sounds like your assignor is well aware of your strengths and weaknesses, and knows what you can handle. whether or not to talk to said assignor about your movmennt up the ladder depends a lot on that person's personality, and the relationship you two have. Some assignors would see your reticence as a sign of weakness or inability or they may just dislike the circumspect approach. Others weld be delighted to have refs that have a sense of humility and self-awareness. You have to decide what's going to be best in your situation.

[DonInKansas]

I thnk that in your situation with an assignor and an evaluation process, you should be confident in the fact that he/she thinks enough of you to move you up in this fashion. There's always a bit of "am i ready for this" I believe in any promotion process. Out where I live where there is no eval process, associations, or assigners and we just contact AD's for games I think that this would be more of an issue.

This is my first year in BB and have already been asked to fill in for 2 V dates. I avoided getting HS certified so that I wouldn't be tempted to take these dates. Granted, I live in a small town rural situation where officials are horridly difficult to come by, but I am still "learning the ropes" and was not going to end up giving the coaches, kids, and other officials I'd be working with a guy that was nowhere near ready.

[Larks]

Originally Posted by Chess Ref

Would it be strange if I went to my assignor and told him I not in a big hurry to get a complete Varsity schedule?

I would never tell an assignor this. Hit a camp or two this summer. See how you feel next October.

[lmeadski]

one can move up too fast. We have a couple newbies that made the jump in year 2 and weren't quite ready. However, they toughed it out and now fit in okay. They did take lower level varsity games (class D here in Michigan). Many class D varsity games are on par with Class B and A JV. I agree with other posts to trust the assignor. If you find yourself in over your head, don't sweat it. One game wont determine your career path. You have to jump into the fire sometime, might as well be invited!

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by Chess Ref

Would it be strange if I went to my assignor and told him I not in a big hurry to get a complete Varsity schedule?
I receive Varsity games about 1/4 of the time now . The other 3/4ths I do the Frosh/Jv circuit. The next step in my schedule seems to be about 50% of my games will be Varsity.The frosh/JV games have really SLOWED down for me and its kinda cool. Some of the VArsity games are still moving pretty fast for me, but I am holding my own.
I don't want to end up being a half-a$$ Varsity ref. There are things that I need to continue working on and I believe I can better work on them at the lower levels.
For example my big 3 things to work on include
1. Adv/Dis - letting incidential contact go,especially as Trail. Still getting comfortable with the "late" whistle
2. Game awareness-things like AP,shot clock awareness, things of that sort
3. Working with the coaches-I am comfortable with rewarding coaches for their bad behavior. I give T's. I am also pretty comfortable with working with them also. I just think I need a little more work in talking them off the ledge,also just communicating with them in general.

SO is it okay to tell my assignor I like my schedule how it is or would that be considered a little strange ?

Your desire to improve gradually and not take on more than you are ready for is refreshing. Most people push themselves too fast early in their careers and simply are not ready for the situations in which they land. I've seen quite a few newer officials damaged by such failures and some even quit shortly thereafter. This is not a positive for the officiating community.

I would trust your assignor to schedule you appropriately. I would hope that he will keep you in a comfort zone with the occasional challenge. That challenge could be putting you on a tough high level game or on a low level game with a very inexperienced partner so that you have to lead.
Overall, don't rush your development and keep working hard on the assignments that you are given. Most assignors know what they are doing.

[Texas Aggie]

In my experience, at the HS level, someone can move up too fast, but it really doesn't hurt them in the long run. If anything, it helps more for them to do the games and screw up then to not do them at all.

I got scratched my second year from 2 coaches when I did their games. In that chapter, scratches only worked for district games and non-district games for the bigger schools. The next year, I worked both schools in tournament games, then got a district game for one, and worked one of their playoff games the year after through a coach's selection. The coach in question either forgot about the scratch or changed his mind. Either way, the fact that he had seen me the first time, I think, lead him to think he knew me better than he would have if I hadn't had the game he scratched me after.

Convoluted way of saying, as long as you have the confidence in your ability to improve, just keep working your schedule. I think if you changed it, you'd regret it.

[gordon30307]

When working for an assignor take whatever games that are offered to you. I rarely turn down an assignment. I want the assignor to think of me whenever an openinng occurs. Personally I have no problem working underclass games. I use these games to work on mechanics such as sigals.

Is it possible to move up to fast? Most definitely that being said I would never share this feeling with any assignor.

[Huskerblue]

Use the lower level/JV circuit to your advantage and work on the things you need to work on at this level. Then when you are assigned the Varsity contest, check your progress on those things. Ask your partners for feedback. Keep learning and keep enjoying what you do.

[IREFU2]

Originally Posted by Chess Ref

Would it be strange if I went to my assignor and told him I not in a big hurry to get a complete Varsity schedule?
I receive Varsity games about 1/4 of the time now . The other 3/4ths I do the Frosh/Jv circuit. The next step in my schedule seems to be about 50% of my games will be Varsity.The frosh/JV games have really SLOWED down for me and its kinda cool. Some of the VArsity games are still moving pretty fast for me, but I am holding my own.
I don't want to end up being a half-a$$ Varsity ref. There are things that I need to continue working on and I believe I can better work on them at the lower levels.
For example my big 3 things to work on include
1. Adv/Dis - letting incidential contact go,especially as Trail. Still getting comfortable with the "late" whistle
2. Game awareness-things like AP,shot clock awareness, things of that sort
3. Working with the coaches-I am comfortable with rewarding coaches for their bad behavior. I give T's. I am also pretty comfortable with working with them also. I just think I need a little more work in talking them off the ledge,also just communicating with them in general.

SO is it okay to tell my assignor I like my schedule how it is or would that be considered a little strange ?

My goal is to stay ahead of the game. I got to college camps in the summer to prepair me for my next high school season as well as "possibly" getting picked up on the college level. Sometimes, opportunity will knock, but if you are not ready when it knocks, then you are behind in the game. So, moving up too fast is a good thing if you are ready!!!!!