New to Board-Weird Game Tonight

[dmbfan285]

Oh I hear you. I make more money with rec ball than I would HS actually and I havnt got certified cause I go to a lot of college camps and am working my way up. Much rather do that than HS.

[Nevadaref]

1. Learn to walk right by the parents after the game and not say a word to them. You made a huge mistake by engaging them in conversation. As you learned they have so many positive things to say to you following a game.

2. I'm amazed that you think that you can get hired at the college level without any HS officiating experience. Perhaps that is the way that it works where you are. If so, good luck to you.

3. I would still recommend that you get HS certified.

4. If you are doing the rec leagues for the money, then be prepared to deal with the garbage that comes with the dough. My experience with rec leagues is that is what you are getting paid for.

5. Lastly, at 24 you are still very young. I would guess that is why the parents and kids think that they are able to address you like that. Perhaps they still see you as a youth. You will probably find that when you get some gray hairs, you will be treated differently, especially by the adults.

[grunewar]

It's just one game. You handled yourself fine.

As Nevada said, always try to avoid these types of situations by steering clear of unnecessary contact with players, coaches, parents, fans, etc. It’s one situation/game out of hundreds – heck, maybe it’s THEM and not YOU.

Continue to remain calm and professional. Try to walk away. Be the bigger person. Report it to the league and let them handle it. If they don’t handle it like you would like and/or support you, then you have to decide whether or not you want to work in that league anymore. Money is good, but is it worth the aggravation? Your call.

We’ve all had our share of bad situations. I have leagues I like better than others. Whether I choose to go back is my decision. Learn from it and move on.

Good luck.

[bbcof83]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

2. I'm amazed that you think that you can get hired at the college level without any HS officiating experience. Perhaps that is the way that it works where you are. If so, good luck to you.

3. I would still recommend that you get HS certified.

Agreed. I've heard of officials going from HS to lower level pro ball but I've never heard of anyone going from rec league to anywhere. There's just no possible way you can be prepared for that jump.

[dmbfan285]

I appreciate everyones comments, but I am not here to be told that what im doing is not possible. I have been a part of a college coaching staff and have attended numerous college recruiting camps (invite only) and have met a lot of people. Yes its rare but it happens.

I was always told its who you know, and thats helped me to this point.

I posted my situation to see others officials take on the situation and if they have encountered something similar. I appreciate the feedback from the few who have given points on the situation.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by dmbfan285

I appreciate everyones comments, but I am not here to be told that what im doing is not possible. I have been a part of a college coaching staff and have attended numerous college recruiting camps (invite only) and have met a lot of people. Yes its rare but it happens.

I was always told its who you know, and thats helped me to this point.

I posted my situation to see others officials take on the situation and if they have encountered something similar. I appreciate the feedback from the few who have given points on the situation.

Easy slugger, they're just expressing surprise. As Nevada said, if it can be done, more power to you.

I would add surprise that you're making more money with these rec league games than you would high school games. Around here, rec leagues pay about 40% of what JV games pay.

[fiasco]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

I would add surprise that you're making more money with these rec league games than you would high school games. Around here, rec leagues pay about 40% of what JV games pay.

Not that surprising.

On a per-hour basis, adult rec league pays way better for me than high school JV.

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Easy slugger, they're just expressing surprise. As Nevada said, if it can be done, more power to you.

I wouldn't be surprised as nothing about the camp scene surprises me anymore
Camped with an official who couldn't pass the HS test but that same official was picked up in a college conference... it's definitely about "who" one knows.

[Mark Padgett]

As you get more experience, you'll develop your own way to deal with these morons. Eventually, your attitude and responses will be a projection of your own personality.

Some officials just totally ignore these actions and just walk out without even acknowledging the comments, while others (like me) take great pleasure in giving back even more than we get, mostly in a sarcastic, and possibly even confrontational, manner. I'm not recommending you do that at all, but I am saying that how officials respond includes a very wide variety of actions. There's no one answer that works for everyone.

If I had to guess, I would think that the majority of officials try to ignore those people as much as possible. Personally, I don't think that's any fun at all.

[amusedofficial]

Originally Posted by dmbfan285

I appreciate everyones comments, but I am not here to be told that what im doing is not possible. I have been a part of a college coaching staff and have attended numerous college recruiting camps (invite only) and have met a lot of people. Yes its rare but it happens.

I was always told its who you know, and thats helped me to this point.

OK, good luck to you. Who you know might get you that first game, and it might even get you a year's worth of games, but after that, you're being evaluated (and complained about) by people you don't know.

And no assignor or supervisor of officials on God's green earth is going to put themselves on the line for someone who thinks they know it all but who lacks the abilities that can only be won through experience at increasingly competitive levels.

Go ahead. Fly high. Just understand that it's not all gliding.

Or, to quoth the great Earl Weaver: "It's what you learn after you know it all that counts."

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by dmbfan285

Oh I hear you. I make more money with rec ball than I would HS actually and I havnt got certified cause I go to a lot of college camps and am working my way up. Much rather do that than HS.

Based on your description of your evening I would say you still have a lot to learn about officiating. I'm not talking about the inappropriate behavior and action of the players, coaches, and parents. I'm talking about how you described the evening. Especially the part where you requested that a player get suspended.

You need to get certified and really learn about the art and science of officiating.

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Based on your description of your evening I would say you still have a lot to learn about officiating. I'm not talking about the inappropriate behavior and action of the players, coaches, and parents. I'm talking about how you described the evening. Especially the part where you requested that a player get suspended.

You need to get certified and really learn about the art and science of officiating.

I can see where you're coming from, because it shouldn't be our position to make such requests, however, in some leagues (and I did a YMCA league that was like this), the officials are considered employees (have to submit background checks and child abuse registry checks) but are not paid like employees (taxes are not withheld). In such leagues, the director will still expect some kind of enforcement similar to what happened in the OP, that the official may make the request to have someone suspended because of their actions. I actually had a situation where I tossed a parent during the game (yes, I know, we're not supposed to listen to them, but it was very confined quarters and he was inches from me when he berated me) and when the director came over to escort him out, the director asked me if it was just for the day or if he needed to wait a couple weeks. I told her it was up to her, and she then asked how about he doesn't come back next week. I said that's fine, but entirely up to you. Afterwards, she told me to get a backbone and make the decision myself. When I tried to tell her that's not my position to take as an official, she "corrected" me and told me that was the expectation of her officials. That ended up being the last time I worked at that YMCA.

[Adam]

You asked for feedback, so I'll offer my $.02.

It sounds like you let the coach get away with way too much yapping. If he's questioning every call all year, he got away with way too much. Stop that early, and you'll be surprised how the players respond. Maybe not this game, but the next one anyway.

Also, with the player spouting off after the game; calmly walk to the table and have the scorer record a technical foul on said player. He now has two for this game, and most likely, you do not have to request a suspension as it will be automatic (depending on league rules).

Where was the site manager during all this? There is no excuse for them to allow the parents and the coach to berate you like that after a game. This stuff can (and has) turn violent, so you need to just walk away, get in your car, and drive home. And I'd be on the phone with the assigner before I even got out of the parking lot. "Better site management or I'm not coming back."