2 or 3 Man

[Dan_ref]

Originally Posted by Mwanr1

Crew of three doesn't mean the game is better officiate. So I can't agree that the customers are getting a better product because there are three stripes on the court.

It does if they are 3 officials who know the 3 man system.

If it's just 3 guys who only know the 2 man system then we agree, better off leaving the 3rd at home.

[ace]

if all three have an inkling of an idea - then three.

Varsity for $50.00 or less? oof - that's a tough pill to swallow.

Texas Aggie - have you been reading some of the stories in the paper about how some of these big school districts are having some $$$ with the way the stock market is going and depending on bonds to pay off debt? It's gunna be a tough year to negotiate with school districts who were already penny pinching before.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by ace

if all three have an inkling of an idea - then three.

Varsity for $50.00 or less? oof - that's a tough pill to swallow.

Texas Aggie - have you been reading some of the stories in the paper about how some of these big school districts are having some $$$ with the way the stock market is going and depending on bonds to pay off debt? It's gunna be a tough year to negotiate with school districts who were already penny pinching before.

The teacher's union always seems to squeeze a nice raise and better retirement perqs out of the districts. The money is there...it is just matter of finding it.....over $200,000 in taxes is gathered for each classroom per year. The teachers are not getting most of it...but it is going somewhere.

[Texas Aggie]

Plus it's the principle of it. I think it is a fairly universal opinion that HS officials are underpaid for the job they do

The problem is that as long as there are people that WILL accept the going rate, whatever that is, we have no leverage. So, you can work all you want to raise fees, and sometimes that gets done, but if it doesn't you have to decide whether you are going to continue officiating or not.

The Texas UIL (state association) has said loud and clear they don't care whether officials quit or not. They are in bed with the school districts first and the coaches association second. I imaging within the next 5 years, our basketball chapter will no longer work many jr. high games. Within 10 years, we may get to where we only work subvarsity games that are tied to varsity games (i.e. doubleheaders). We will lose officials left and right, I think, unless fees are paid, and this fall -- with gas prices going out of control, we will see the first taste of this.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

The problem is that as long as there are people that WILL accept the going rate, whatever that is, we have no leverage. So, you can work all you want to raise fees, and sometimes that gets done, but if it doesn't you have to decide whether you are going to continue officiating or not.

The Texas UIL (state association) has said loud and clear they don't care whether officials quit or not. They are in bed with the school districts first and the coaches association second. I imaging within the next 5 years, our basketball chapter will no longer work many jr. high games. Within 10 years, we may get to where we only work subvarsity games that are tied to varsity games (i.e. doubleheaders). We will lose officials left and right, I think, unless fees are paid, and this fall -- with gas prices going out of control, we will see the first taste of this.

Everytime a school/coach complains about the officials just mention that while there are some great officials who will do it for token amounts of money it is hard to keep a full roster of the best when they can make more money doing something else without all the hassles. If they want better, they've got to pay better. The average official is not going to take 2-4 days off work without pay and also pay $200-$500 for camp fees when they only gross $1000-2000/year form HS games.