Nope - not gonna do it

[Mark Padgett]

Just got an email from an assignor wanting to know if I'll work two or three wreck games two weeks from now. They pay $20 each. Uh - no.

Let me ask you guys. How much would it take to get you to work a wreck game and how many would you have to work in one shift to make it worthwhile? Note - the venue is about a 15 minute drive from here.

BTW - not taking these games doesn't affect future assignments for kids games from this guy.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

...
Let me ask you guys. How much would it take to get you to work a wreck game and how many would you have to work in one shift to make it worthwhile? Note - the venue is about a 15 minute drive from here...

If the game were within a 10 minute drive from my house. Which in my case I live adjacent to an Army base and 10 minutes from a Navy base.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

10 minutes from a Navy base.

Do you know what a naval destroyer is? A hula hoop with a nail in it.

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Do you know what a naval destroyer is? A hula hoop with a nail in it.

In that case, just get a spare belly button from the Navel Reserve.

[refnrev]

Mark,
What do you normally get for rec league games. I don't work them because I hate them so I don't know what's fair. I do work HS summer league girls games in bball and soccer.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by refnrev

Mark,
What do you normally get for rec league games. I don't work them because I hate them so I don't know what's fair. I do work HS summer league girls games in bball and soccer.

For games in my local kids league (I'm on the Board) I get $25 for grades 3-8 and $27.50 for HS. For most of the other kids rec games I get $22.50 - $30 and for tournaments and some camps I get $27.50 - $35. It probably averages around $27.50. Of course, I mostly work games close to my house.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Of course, I mostly work games close to my house.

Meds impair driving?

[tomegun]

In 2009, it would have to be $25 at least, unless I was helping a friend or something. A PSA: any young/newer official shouldn't stop doing rec ball unless they have another way of seeing competitive plays on a regular basis. Many experienced officials mention not doing them, but it doesn't do anything for them at that point except make them some spare change.

[Smitty]

I would do games for $20. I don't really care about the money so much - it's just nice pocket change anyway. I like to do summer games to keep fresh and to work on stuff. I won't work adult games for any price, but I'll work kids games and I'll drive up to 30 minutes easy to get there. Maybe more - I don't really have a limit set for that kind of thing. I just like working games. I like to work at least 3 games, but I'm flexible on that, too.

One nice thing I've found here in Texas is that they pay cash at the site for every summer tourney I've done so far. In Oregon, you have to wait for a check from the assigner. That's a nice change.

[grunewar]

I don't like to do less than two games at a time. I can usually get $25-30/game for Rec ball.

But, that being said, I have done a "panic game" or two from an assignor when they're short-handed. My advantage is that I have ~ 20 schools within 10 miles of my house and can be their fairly quickly (if available).

I try to avoid doing the real little kids (below 12 yrs old). I just don't enjoy it as much - but, I have done some, again, when I get a "panic" phone call. I'd rather do it than have the kids NOT have a ref, or just an un-motivated 16 yr old.

JMO

Originally Posted by grunewar

I don't like to do less than two games at a time.

Now that's one helluva official!

[fiasco]

Oh, rec ball doesn't bother me one bit. You just hand out T's like they're candy and don't be afraid to forfeit a game now and then if the conditions warrant it.

Good place for me to work on my mechanics during the summer and before HS seasons starts.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Ch1town

Now that's one helluva official!

Why thank you (sarc).

I'm gonna have to send all my posts to mbyron or BillyMac for editing before I submit them in the future......I did go to public schools ya know!

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Meds impair driving?

No, they make it more interesting.

BTW - I did work a spring league this year for only $20 per game. I did it because I got to pretty much pick my own schedule and partners, plus the games were relatively short running clock and it was for a non-profit organization (YMCA). Again, it's only about 10 or 15 minutes from my house and it was a lot of fun. I worked mostly 5th through 8th grade with a few JV and Varsity games and I knew a lot of the coaches personally. In fact, one guy was a friend I hadn't seen in about 10 years. He was coaching his son's JV team. His kid was a freshman at a HS about 10 miles from here and was really good. His wife came up and hugged me before the game but I told her that unless she also bought foul insurance for her son, that wouldn't do her any good.

[dsturdy5]

As others have said, there are a lot of variables. Over the years I have set a few rules for myself...

1. I try to avoid men's leagues all together. Nothing good comes of me working them. I do live within walking distance of a health club where the largest local men's league is housed. On occasion I get the "panic call", as someone else alluded to it and if I answer it I kind of feel obligated to go. I do not call the assignor looking for these games.

2. I live near where I grew up and always take games in the leagues I played in. They were instrumental in involving me in the game that I love. In some cases I run into officials, coaches, and directors who were involved in the league when I was a young'n.

3. I give every rec league two chances at each level. I know I can luck out and have an easy day in a "tough" if I only do it once. Vice versa, I can have a horrible day in a great league if I only work once. If I find I am unsure of how it went, I won't take more for that year but will try again next year.

4. Distance and time are both considered. Like another said, I am lucky to have a load of schools/clubs in my area and can find work almost any day/night of the week from November through April. I can afford to pick and choose when I want to drive further away or when I want to work just in the morning so I can be home for football on a Sunday afternoon.

5. Nothing less than $25.

6. No league where I would be expected to work alone. I worked too many of these games in my first two years just to get experience and it turned into me forming very bad habits that took twice as many games to rid myself of and I really think it held me back in my first four or five years as an official.