For the love of the game?

[Rich]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Next season will be the first season that our local board will charge a fee, I believe that it will be $50.00 for two hours, for scrimmages. I'm totally against this. Officials need scrimmages to get ready for the real season, so the school is actually providing a service to us by allowing us to do scrimmages, we're not at our best in scrimmages, and it generates a lot of good will between officials, and the coaches, players, parents, site directors, athletic directors, and school administrators. Surprisingly, this was not initiated by our local board, it was initiated by our state high school sports governing body. It was getting difficult in other geographic areas of the state, especially for other sports, to get officials for scrimmages.

We still provide "free" officials for a high school scholarship tournament, and for the Special Olympics Unified Games. I jump at the chance to do those games.

We get paid for scrimmages. They are hiring me to work their scrimmages and since I am being hired to do a job, I should be paid for it. Do I accept less for more time? Sure. Would I do it for free? Not anymore, I wouldn't. Frankly, my performance during my first game of the year may not make me completely satisfied, but the coaches and players and fans wouldn 't be able to tell the difference.