Pay raise!

[Mark Padgett]

One of the agenda items for our next local kids rec league Board meeting is consideration of a pay raise for our refs. The past few years, the amount of basketball played around here has increased exponentially and it's been harder and harder for us to keep, let alone recruit, experienced refs who will work these types of games. Our staunchest competitor pays $30 per game in grades 5-8 and our top pay level is $25 for HS rec and $23 for lower grades. Most of the other groups around here pay $26 - $28 for the same types of games we have regardless of grade level. My feeling is we'll come in at probably $27 or $28 per game for lower grades and $30 for HS rec.

Of course, those of us on the Board who also ref will abstain from voting.

Actually, $28 wouldn't be bad for a 3rd grade game that lasts about 40 minutes with running clock. In fact, one of our "selling points" is that 3-4 grade games are running clock, 5-6 are 6 minute quarters and 7-8-HS are 7 minute quarters, so the games are a little shorter than standard. Plus, of course, no coaching box and only players on the court may request timeouts. A lot of refs like those rules. Oh yeah - did I mention that any profanity (with a minor exception at HS level) from coaches or players is an automatic flagrant T with ejection? Spectators are ejected for profanity and/or other exceptionally poor behavior and a Board member (there's at least one at every game wearing a Board shirt) takes care of them.

These pay levels are for our experienced refs. We have three other grades of officials (first year "trainees", second year and third year) that receive a few dollars less per game. I think we may go to a lower pay scale just for first year. Experienced refs who come over to us get paid at the highest rate anyway.

One "drawback" we probably can't change is that all our officials must mail in a time sheet at the end of each calendar month and that's when they get paid by a check in the mail. That top competitor I mentioned pays at the game either by check or cash. Their home coach pays the refs no later than halftime, usually prior to the game.

I told our Board President I would be willing to work for less just to help out if he could get me the mailing list from this company (with phone numbers):

[DLH17]

Not sure what all that was about.....couldn't stop gawking at your little pink lady friend.

[M&M Guy]

Mark, just curious as to why the league pays once/mo., after the games? I assume it's not a cash-flow issue, as the majority of the funds have probably been collected prior to the start of the season?

For me personally, all other things being equal, I would work for a dollar or two less per game if I knew I was being paid that day. Plus, I would think comparing timesheets to actual games would take more time than simply having the checkbook at the site, and having the attending board member approve the checks for that night. Schools do it all the time.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

Mark, just curious as to why the league pays once/mo., after the games? I assume it's not a cash-flow issue, as the majority of the funds have probably been collected prior to the start of the season?

For me personally, all other things being equal, I would work for a dollar or two less per game if I knew I was being paid that day. Plus, I would think comparing timesheets to actual games would take more time than simply having the checkbook at the site, and having the attending board member approve the checks for that night. Schools do it all the time.

All Board members are volunteers, including our treasurer. All checks must be signed by both the president and the treasurer. The assignor submits the actual worked schedule to the treasurer at the end of each month then she matches that against the pay sheets that each official mails in. Then she mails checks. Believe it or not, some guys actually wait until the end of the season and submit all games at once!

There's no way both of them could be at every game, especially since we play at many different sites at the same time on Friday nights and Saturdays. We have about 120 teams in the program.

Let's face it. If we asked the treasurer to do a lot more work, we might not get anyone to volunteer.

You commented on when we receive our revenue. It's totally through registration fees and they are all paid prior to the season starting. All registration is on line.

[BillyMac]

Envelopes with cash in them. Most officials would find that very attractive.

[amusedofficial]

Trouble with third grade games is the hot moms are usually close to being jail bait.

Best way to deal with youth games is to package the games in sets of two or three or more games so that the officials walk out with acceptable coin for the time spent. Per game fees aren't as important as the total take vs. time required. It's actually an advantage to the league as well, since we'll keep it moving, avoid overtime, seatbelt loudmouth daddy coaches at the first opportunity, and keep those full timeouts to :45 seconds.

But never, ever, pay one official less than the others. Unless I'm employed by a league on salary, I don't want to work for less than my partner, and I don't want to work with a partner making less than I am.

[amusedofficial]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Envelopes with cash in them. Most officials would find that very attractive.

Youth baseball has a remarkable propensity for paying with Benjamins. Basketball should take notice.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by amusedofficial

Best way to deal with youth games is to package the games in sets of two or three or more games so that the officials walk out with acceptable coin for the time spent. Per game fees aren't as important as the total take vs. time required.

We schedule games in blocks of 2, 3 and sometimes 4.

Originally Posted by amusedofficial

But never, ever, pay one official less than the others.

Usually, this is not the case. Occasionally, we may have a 2nd year with a 3rd year or a 3rd year with a 4th year in a regularly scheduled game, but not too often. Of course, when a veteran is training two newbies, the pay rate will be different. I'm recommending we cut back on the number of levels we have and even out the pay rates more.