After seven years, I'm hangin'em up. :(

Seven years of rec ball that is. :)

When I moved back to this area, where I grew up, I started working rec ball to get to know the "right people." It's worked out fine. I officiatd in the local youth leagues for 2 years. The AD for the county recreation dept. is a well respected official with strong ties in the local association. I talked with him about officiating school ball and he hooked me up with the local booking agent. That first year I worked all the middle school and JV games that I wanted. The second year in the association I worked a 50 game varsity schedule. It's all been good since then.

But I've continued to work rec ball. There's a desperate need for quality officials, in both adult and youth leagues. My AD friend, who is also the Referee on my varsity football crew, another dividend from rec ball, asked me to continue to work. And I have because he's helped me so much in basketball and football. He gives me whatever games that I want. If a championship game is played, I'm there. If I need to be close to home, I'm there.

But I told him yesterday, that after seven years, this would be my last year. I think it's hurting me when I walk onto a high school gym floor. The type of crap that occurs in rec ball can cause you to lose focus and see things that you should ignore in a varsity game. While you can't ignore idiots in rec ball, you sometimes have to in high school. In rec ball, you sometimes have to call out of your area, to keep someone from getting killed, or you have to call a T a bit quicker to keep the game under control.

So, after 7 years, I think I've paid my dues. My friend understands and he thinks it's the right move as well. It's time to move on. Maybe attend a D2 or D3 conference camp this summer. Or maybe just sit back and take some weekends off during the fall and winter. In any case, rec ball has served me well.

But it's time to move one.

Had me scared for a minute there, Tony!!

Tony,
That's interesting and astute that you see a possibility of "habits" forming where you don't want them to manifest themselves.

I see that also when working with partners from other levels be it an interpratation or a mechanic.

A given play causes us to react with our lightning quick reflexes in a certain manner and sometimes the "knee jerk" reponse is to go with a strange mechanic or reaction, based upon where we most often see that given action occur.

Then, too, it is near the end of a long season and lack of concentration due to fatigue and a G.O.S. meter that is reading pretty low can affect our overall attitudes and performance.

With that in mind, this "last few minutes of the season" could be a good time for us to remind ourselves to take our whole package to the game, the package we brought with us in September, or November, when this season started.

mick (only three more weeks (...sigh!))

For what it's worth, TH, I think it's the right decision. You've certainly done your part to help out the league. I made the same decision 2 seasons ago. I still do an occasional game or two to help out when an assignor is in a pinch, but it was time to give it up.

The only downside to your decision is that you may be getting an "I told you so" from Rut soon. :D

Chuck

I made that decision last year and cut back significantly,
had about 6 "rec" dates this season, all were last minute
emergencies. Glad I "got out", you will be too. It's
gonna be a while until the phone calls stop coming in, so
remember to just say no! ;)

You know Tony, I have been thinking about this myself. I had done rec ball for the past 6 years and I just can't seem to tell my assignor NO!:( He is also a good friend. I have cut back quite a bit, and I now only do games (usually a 3-game set) on either Sat. or Sun., but not both. I will also occassionally do a rec game during the week but this is rare because my HS schedule is at least 2 nights a week and is often 3 nights a week. We do see a lot of crap in rec games that we don't see at the HS level.

Enjoy you weekends off :D

Sounds like "brownpop" ain't the cure for this one!If you're not enjoying it,you shouldn't be doing it.If it's screwing up your mechanics and the way you know a game should be called,you shouldn't be doing it.Good luck with the D2&3,even though I don't think luck is going to be any kind of a factor.

My tolerance for rec players is not really an issue. It doesn't take very long for a player or a team to learn that I have a very low tolerance for bull$hit.

But my tolerance for some of the officials that I've worked with lately is even lower. From a couple of recent games with the same official:

-He failed to call a hard foul on B1 who was trying to foul to stop the clock. B1 then ate this guy up for the last minute of the game and for 5 minutes after the game was over. No T, no nothing. This official was bragging about how he ejected a player, of a different ethnic persuasion, the night before on one T. Yet, it took tons of crap from this player, who was the same race, and never said a word. Unfortunately, it was painfully obvious.

-The next time we have the same team, my partner is at T, I'm at C. B1 has come into the game and is guarding A1, 5 feet in front of me. B1 fouls A1. As I blow my whislte, so does my partner, the T from 40 feet away. I take the call. 2 trips down the floor, and it happens again, except this time, I didn't blow because there was now foul. I steamin'! At the half, I say, "Tommy, when you blow one from 40 feet away, you make us both look bad." He replies, "No, I'm gonna get him for last week!" So now, he's going to get this guy!! Evidentally, he's suddenly grew some balls! Every time B1 made any contact the rest of the game, my "partner" called a foul on him. :(

The same guy also:
-Called a foul at the top of the key in the BC, from the endline in the FC as the LEAD!
-Called 2 T's on a player who dunked 6 times during warm-ups and then didn't eject the guy.
-Called a kicking violation when the ball bounced off a player's foot.
-Called 3 jump balls on OOB plays when he didn't know who touched it last.
-Overruled the L from C on an OOB call.

Anyway, you get the general idea. And, of course, such people are unteachable. No wonder rec leagues and officials get such a bad rep.

Are you telling us that three-man officiating crews are used in recreational league basketball?

Mark T. We use a 3-person crew in some of our rec games, depending on the age of the players and their "reputation". We have one league in particular (B-18) where the rule is "3 T's on the same team" is a forfeit. Seen more that a few games forfeited -- they just don't seem to understand, and there is a lot of talent in this league. We also run a 3-person JV league in the summer to help everyone polish their 3-person skills. We do 3-person in all varsity games.

Yes sir, that's what I'm telling you. The city rec dept. here uses 3 man and pays $16 a game. When I lived in Greensboro in 1992, we were using 3 man in adult rec leagues.

Hear, hear!!

Come to northern VA. We pay $23 - $26 per official in 3-person rec game.

I like! Much better than what I make for a 2-man rec game :).

If I remember correctly, you are in the D.C. area. Why not come over to CBOA? We are always looking for officials. You would be an anomaly at the rec level -- you actually know the rules. :D