This is exactly my experience. When I started, I worked "exclusively" for one assignor. It seemed fine...he had a lot of leagues and a lot of games and I got a lot of assignments. Then I found I could never advance with him because he had a huge need for officials who could work the freshmen/JV doubleheaders that started at 3:30. When I asked for varsity games, he said he had none. He had never seen me work and he made it clear he was not interested in how many camps I attended or even in seeing me work.

We had a falling out three years ago because I pushed for varsity games. It forced me to find other assignors. One gave me varsity games immediately; another a mixed schedule; and the third a JV schedule with a promise that he would see me work to consider me for varsity. I now have a full varsity schedule...which is what I wanted. I have four assignors instead of one and I have to travel more than I would like some nights. But the trade-off has been worth it.

I have to make a correction to my earlier post....the specific person I was refering to was in our association last year (I didn't realize he was). He may or may not have received some Varsity games his first year...I don't know. That said, I do know of at least 1 other who did.

I too know of people that were getting varsity games before and do not get right back into varsity here. Officials from different areas are not necessarily equal. An official moving from an area that only has 3A or smaller ball and works 100% varsity and even state tourmaments is NOT necessarily going to be of the calibre of officials that are used to working 5A/6A. We could have a transfer who has been the state tournament rep from another association move in and then not even be in the top 30-40 here. Go to the state tourney and watch....there's always 1-2 from smaller areas of the state that simply don't match up with the ones from the bigger areas like Portland, Salem, Eugene, etc.

It's like comparing the top team from a minor conference with the mid-level teams from a power conference....the automatic bids in the NCAA that get the last 10-15 slots in the seeding as compared to the #4,5,6 teams from the SEC, Big10, ACC, PAC-10, etc.. Compare Davidson, Wright State, Belmont, Eastern Kentucky, Central Conn., Jackson St., etc. to Purdue, Ariz. Duke, Indiana, Marquette, Vanderbilt, BYU, etc. Every once in a while, one of the minor conference teams is really good, but more often than not, thier best would be in the lower half (if not the bottom) of the power conferences.

Well sure but they might still be competent to do SOME varsity such as !A or 2A blow-out games.

Oh that BYU actually belonged in the same company with Purdue, et. al. But sadly they are almost always one and done in the big dance. :( (why is there no smilie for sobbing uncontrollably?)

I am sure Mark will be able to provide one if you ask him real nice.

Wasn't saying they did. I was just establishing two very differnet but diverse groups....one with teams that often get at-large bids (even if they are an 7-12 seed) versus teams that only get it because they won their league (and end up as a 14-16 seed and are thrilled to lose to Duke, UNC, or UK). The 14-16 seed sometimes pulls off a suprised upset but I don't think any one ever thinks they "should" have been a 2-3.

How's this?

http://www.runemasterstudios.com/gra...images/cry.gif