While doing a playoff game (small college) we had a fan come dressed in her referee uniform - even down to the shiny shoes...during pre-game warm-ups, she was standing beside me talking to me and showed me her "registration card" to prove she was a "real" official...it was from the Michigan HS Activities Association and identified her as an official at level 2 or something like that (couldn't read the whole card and watch warm-ups at same time)...never saw a card like that before. How many states use them, and what does one have to do to become a "registered official" in those states??

BTW: We didn't let her ref like she wanted to...

We don't have 'em in MA. Did she really hope to work the game?

Chuck

Are you sure it wasn't just her Foot Locker employee I.D.?

She sure asked a lot!! Of course, at the end of a time-out when I was getting ready to admin the throw-in and she told me she could do a better job than one of my partners - that was when she was told to quit, and she did...I have just never seen anything like this card before...do states who use them require them before you can ref? How does one get a card? Too many questions for a Monday...

PBOA issues "cards" but they're mostly to get us into games free so we can observe and learn. Some years they get us into the state tournaments, some years they don't. Otherwise, I'm not sure what they're good for. I can't imagine showing up dressed, flashing my card and expecting to work.

We have cards in Ohio. It states what class you are, your ID number, name, and other fruitless information. You get your card after you become a certified official (pass the test). I've never really had to "use" my card for anything, and I'm not sure it serves a purpose other than to serve me a usefull reminder what my officials ID is when I'm filling out contracts.

However, if I can show up a the Gund and work a few Cavs games by showing my card, well, look for me on SportsCenter tomorrow!

Illinois High School Association.
 

In the state of Illinois, we have a card that the state gives us for having a license. Actually I guess the card is a "license" of sorts. I has all the sports that you have a license in and the years you have been doing them. Nobody uses this silly thing and is not the only way that you can prove that you have a license in the first place. I do not even carry the stupid thing around anymore like I did my first year. We have an ID number that the state gives us, and that is used more for identification purposes. And anyone can look us up in a book that lists all the licensed officials (if they paid their dues on time in May) or they can look up on the website and confirm if they have a license of some kind with the state in specific sports.

They mean nothing here, but we have them.

Peace

Once in another state where we lived, I had a freshman level boys game and a newer partner who was struggling a little but doing fine although he was nervous. All of a sudden during the third quarter he is gone and another high school official who I did not know was working with me. I could not figure out what was going on, so at the first opportunity I got with him. He had been a bystander/fan. He had wanted more games and when he saw the first partner was nervous and strugling a little, went home, got his uniform, talked to the guy about letting him finish and that the rookie could keep the money. The rest of the situation is not relevant to this thread but I could not believe the audacity of this guy.

Michigan High School Athletic Association
 

Rock,

I referee in Michigan and we do have ID cards, however they do not tell what level you are working. The card has your name, home town, your ID number issued by the state, and the sports you currently officiate for that current school year. We get new ID cards every year, but keep the same ID number. Just a little info for your reference. BTW, where were you working the game at?

I was in Indiana - Terre Haute...this young lady was a student at DePauw University, but had her card from Michigan...so to get these cards you just have to pass the Fed. Test? And after that they are basically just a wallet- filler?? And here I thought Washington was missing out on something...

Re: Michigan High School Athletic Association
 

John,
Did you get to see McBain or Charlevoix play?
Good teams, yo?
mick

To become a registered high school official in any sport only requires a person to do one thing: complete an plication form and return it with a check that includes $15 processing fee and $7.50 for each sport that the person wants to officiate. No test is required. No attendance at rules meetings are required, except if an official, who lives in Michigan, wants to be eligible to officiate in the post-season tournament, that official must attend a State Rules Meeting in the particular sport.

Two years ago, I officiated a girls' varsity basketball game with a boy (just 19 yr old), who was a freshman in college and was officiating in only is fourth game ever. The boy has graduated from the same high school as the assigner's son, and he gave him varsity games. Scary, isn't it.

McBain/Charlevoix
 

Mick,

In response to your question about watching McBain or Charlevoix play, I watched them play each other in the opening round of the regional at my old school. What a wild game and fun game to watch. You had two heavy weights battleing each other toe to toe and it was last man standing that won. Both were very good teams this year, however McBain deserved to win because they played harder and wanted it more. By far, it was the best high school basketball game I have seen in a very longtime. BTW Mick, might I ask where you are from??

Re: McBain/Charlevoix
 

John,
U.P. in Houghton.
We had L'Anse and Westwood to watch.
I worked L'Anse, but our Westwood game was double-booked, so I only saw them from the stands in the Regionals at Michigan Tech.
mick

[email protected]

Mick,

Thanks for the info. Stay in touch. You can reach me at [email protected] via e-mail. I had the Walkerville district and also had the Northport district final. All games were close and easy to work.