HS Associations - Training Programs

[sseltser]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I not really sure about my answer, but I'll give it a shot. If you're going from one IAABO board to another IAABO board, then I'm sure that some type of communication would take place between the leadership of both boards and you would be assigned pretty close to what you were used to. Worst case scenario, you would be assigned both subvarsity, and varsity, games. If, on the other hand, you were moving from a non-IAABO chapter to an IAABO chapter, then you would probably start at the bottom of the ladder.

Connecticut is a 100% IAABO state, and each local board has their own "IAABO assigner".

I can't speak for, or against, non-IAABO organizations, but I do know that the main emphasis of IAABO is to educate officials. We take that very seriously, on the local level, the state level, and the national, and the international, level. I believe that we are very good at in our goal of educating, and improving, officials. That alone, may be a good reason to join an IAABO board. Assigning games takes a back seat to improving officials in IAABO.

As someone who has recently switched from an IAABO board to another IAABO board, here has been my experience:

First, for some background---

At my first board: Rules classes, a (passing) rules test and some on court training occurs before the season. Provided that a 1st year official does those correctly, they will be assigned junior high and (some) jv games that year.

Unlike Billy's board, that official remains "probationary" until they are advanced. It is a minimum of two years of classes and training until advanced out of probationary status, but can take longer, depending on ratings and feedback by the training committee.

Following advancing out of probationary status, the official can become an "Associate" member of an "Active" member. The difference between associate and active is, generally speaking, associates get a JV heavy schedule while active officials usually are assigned a more varsity heavy schedule.

This board handled transfers quite simply (and logically). I'll give you the example of an official with 20+ years experience. He was in the same classes that I was, and after seeing him work a few practices and games, the training committee realized he shouldn't still be a probationary official. From that point forward, this guy was assigned primarily JV games. The following season, he was advanced directly to "Active" and received a good schedule of games, with a fair JV vs. varsity split.

When I left this board, I was a "very young" active official. I had my IAABO secretary forward my information to my new board.

At my new board, since it is a more metropolitan area, there are many more officials, fewer scholastic games (in comparison), but many more rec games and other lower leagues. IAABO does not do the assigning for these leagues, but being a member of IAABO is a requirement to work games (in most leagues).

The training is "training only" for the first year, meaning that officials in training will get to work scrimmages and rec games only. Following that, officials would need probably 2-3 years of good ratings in order to work up to varsity.

For scholastic games, the primary criterion to decide what level games are worked is, unfortunately, coaches' rankings. After all of the criteria are given to the school districts collectively, the games are assigned via a computer. Only X number of officials are varsity officials, and they work only varsity games. The remainder of the officials fight to get to the varsity level and are assigned the remaining games. When I came in, I came in as a sub-varsity official (which I feel is fair) and I don't know what my standing will be next year. I also don't know how officials with higher levels of experience are handled when they transfer to this board.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

No local camp in our little corner of Connecticut this season due to inability to find a summer league, or player's camp, that we could work with.

We have so many basketball camps or leagues it is hard to figure out where to go. We have a problem with staffing the ones we have available.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Agree. Here in Connecticut we use NFHS rules and IAABO mechanics. I don't know why we switched from NFHS mechanics to IAABO mechanics a few years ago? What was wrong with NFHS mechanics?

I know why we stopped using their mechanics. We did not like the lack of updates that reflected mechanics problems. Also there was not enough descriptions of things that take place during the game. So we developed our own.

Peace

[wanja]

I officiate in New Jersey (an IAABO state) and Pennsylvania (non IAABO).

New Jersey
Prospective officials must attend a cadet class (about 10 sessions) with an approved chapter (almost all are IAABO) and pass the national IAABO test with a score of 86 or better. My local chapter administers a floor test for those who pass the written test and then decides who is accepted into the chapter and therefore receives state certification.

New officials spend one year as cadets, and 2 years as provisional officials. Varsity status is at the discretion of the chapter board and usually does not occur before 5 years although exceptions are made and the time frame varies in both directions.

IAABO chapters generally provide reciprocity for IAABO officials from other chapters including those from other states. If you are not an IAABO member, you must attend the cadet class and pass the IAABO test for state certification.


Pennsylvania

To become certified official:
1. Receive a score of 75 or better on national NFHS test (about half of the test takers fail)
2. Affiliate with an approved chapter (most are not IAABO)
3. Complete background check

Pennsylvania provides reciprocity and a waiver of testing requirements for officials who provide documentation that they are currently certified in another state.

For the past 3 years, my chapter has offered 10 session rules schools in the fall and spring. I have only come across a couple of chapters statewide that do likewise.


A plus for New Jersey/IAABO is that all new officials are required to take an extensive rules study class before becoming certified to officiate. In PA, if you can receive certification to officiate without training. The result is that the quality of officials is less consistent. The best officials in PA are as accomplished as those in Jersey. However, in PA you are more likely to encounter officials not as well grounded in rule and mechanics fundamentals. Both NJ and PA have an extensive choice of camps which help to even things out.

[Multiple Sports]

Jeff -

I gotta agree with some of what you say. I have been to a few IAABO conventions and their are very vanilla in what they teach. The IAABO board in Wash. DC. looks like the NBA staff becuase they have been taught by Scott Foster. I think IAABO needs to be a little more pro-active and use some mechanics out of both the men's and women's college game.

Billy Mac - does the state of Connecticut require you to be IAABO or just register throught the Fed. In Maryland, we had a large groupthat left IAABO, becuase the question kept coming up as to why do I have to pay $35 for IAABO dues if the state of Maryland doesn't really care if you are IAABO or not. If you have have a veteran in your board who is willing to take the time in the fall and teach he can teach you everything you would learn from IAABO without the expenses involved. While I am an IAABO guy,
I know a lot of people in the Mid- Atlantic area that has reservations about IAABO.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by wanja

Pennsylvania

To become certified official:

1. Receive a score of 75 or better on national NFHS test (about half of the test takers fail)

Even the online, open book version?

[KJUmp]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Promotion to "Full" varsity, that is, 100% varsity assignments, if you were rated, and ranked, high enough, would occur in the eighth year. Also, based on ratings, and rankings, you could see some varsity assignments as a "Split" official, in the fourth year.

On the other hand, if you're ratings, and ranking, were low enough, you could be a lifelong subvarsity official.

A demanding system (in terms of years to full V) for a new official to go through, but I think a good system. I like the fact that there is an "up and down" component based on ratings and the other criteria. Reading your reply to Rut, I see that your board places a high premium on education which is great.
With the commitment a new official has to make in terms of years, plus the on going educational aspect, and a rating system that is structured to move guys either up or down, I would imagine you end up with some pretty good first year full varsity officials.
I'd take a system like that anytime over the one I'm stuck in. 2 year "probation" period, but unless you score a minimum of 86 on the written and 90 on the floor exam, you stay at the 2nd year probation level until you do.
Get 86 or better on the exam, but the evaluators mark you lower than a 90 on the floor...you're going back to Q school to steal a pro golf reference. Below 86 on the written? You don't qualify for a floor exam. As such, while we know just how much we missed by on the written, and exactly which questions (allowing us to work on our weaker rules areas for the next year) we have no idea as to where we are with our floor work.
Once you get past all this that and become a V official, you're there for life. Just pay the dues every year. No rating system, so new V guys are solely at the mercy of the assignor as far as moving up.

[wanja]

Originally Posted by grunewar

Even the online, open book version?

to date, all tests for pa certification are paper based at approved test sites

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by KJUmp

Once you get past all this that and become a V official, you're there for life.

Just like a Supreme Court judge, or the pope. How do you avoid having eighty-five year old varsity officials?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Multiple Sports

Does the state of Connecticut require you to be IAABO or just register through the Fed.

Connecticut is a 100% IAABO state. Each local (county) board has its own assigning commissioner. If you're playing a scholastic game, you're going to have an IAABO official.

We, as individuals are not required to join the NFHS. As an IAABO member we get a book that contains the NFHS rulebook, the NFHS casebook, and the IAABO mechanics manual, so I'm assuming that IAABO pays some type of fee to the NFHS to use their publications.

Interesting note. It's actually very difficult to join the NFHS as a basketball official in Connecticut. Our state interscholastic sports governing body (CIAC) has some type of "all or nothing" agreement with the NFHS that all members of an officials group, let's just say, for example, lacrosse officials, must join the NFHS as a group, or none can join. Since all basketball officials are IAABO, we belong to IAABO, not the NFHS, so we can't join the NFHS, even as individuals.

I wanted access to the NFHS online rulebook so a friend in the state office put my name in with the volleyball officials, which allowed me to join the NFHS. I send a check to the state office every August.

[JRutledge]

Forgive me Billy that sounds like way too much control. I like our system because we join who we want to and attend meetings of who we want to. Also my ability to get a varsity game falls on the shoulders of the assignor (which assigns conferences individually) similar to working college ball. We do not have to prove anything to any group or board of people. If we can work, we work for that person if they want to hire us. If we can't work, they will not hire us. And if we were to do what you guys do, we would violate independent contractor laws in this state any organization that does all that will become an employee instead of hiring in independent contractor to do a job.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

If we were to do what you guys do, we would violate independent contractor laws in this state any organization that does all that will become an employee instead of hiring in independent contractor to do a job.

Maybe I've mislead you. Connecticut is a 100% IAABO state. That is a fact, not a rule.

If you want to start your own non-IAABO Connecticut chapter, for example, the Rutledge Peace Basketball Officials Chapter, then you are welcome to do so. No one would stop you. I'm sure that our state interscholastic sports governing body would require of your chapter some type of proof regarding the quality of your officials before allowing your chapter to assign scholastic games.

As it is now, there are plenty of "independent" basketball officials groups in the state that assign recreation games, travel games, private school games, AAU games, etc. Up until a few years ago there were a few non-IAABO groups that assigned girls high school games. Over the past few years they have voluntarily merged with existing IAABO boards.

[IowaMike]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Just like a Supreme Court judge, or the pope. How do you avoid having eighty-five year old varsity officials?

I would imagine they don't avoid it. I've watched guys working varsity in my area who literally cannot run up and down the floor anymore. I would guess that in most parts of the country, like here, working varsity games can often have a lot more to do with who you know and are friends with than skill.

In my area there is no evaluation process. The local association I belong to is essentially worthless; they have one clinic in the summer that I would call subpar at best. There is no evaluation process and it wouldn't matter if they did because they don't get any games for their members. Conference assigners give you varsity games in the two big conferences here; one of them isn't even a basketball official and in most cases has never even watched guys work a game. He wouldn't know if they did a good job anyway since he knows nothing about working a basketball game. Most of the games go to the same guys every year, or his pals from baseball and football (sports he does work). I work plenty of varsity baseball games in this conference but my crew gets very few basketball games.

You can get varsity games directly through the school AD in some smaller schools and my crew does this. We also get varsity games from another smaller conference with an assigner; we have never met him and he has never seen us work. I also pick up varsity games in yet another conference from an assigner with a different crew of guys. How do you get games, or an in with these assigners? You know someone who is tight with them and they get you games. That is how I got games in the third conference. The smaller schools where the AD assigns his own games you simply contact them and ask for games. I get a lot of varsity basketball and baseball games this way. I think I'm a good official but even if I weren't it wouldn't matter. I would still get my games in certain conferences but not in others. I get plenty of varsity games and am satisfied, but where I am able to get games and where I am not has absolutely no rhyme or reason.

I wish we had a strong association with good training and evaluation. I think being evaluated regularly would make me a better official.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Maybe I've mislead you. Connecticut is a 100% IAABO state. That is a fact, not a rule.

If you want to start your own non-IAABO Connecticut chapter, for example, the Rutledge Peace Basketball Officials Chapter, then you are welcome to do so. No one would stop you. I'm sure that our state interscholastic sports governing body would require of your chapter some type of proof regarding the quality of your officials before allowing your chapter to assign scholastic games.

As it is now, there are plenty of "independent" basketball officials groups in the state that assign recreation games, travel games, private school games, AAU games, etc. Up until a few years ago there were a few non-IAABO groups that assigned girls high school games. Over the past few years they have voluntarily merged with existing IAABO boards.

You missed my point on this Billy. We would not be allowed to do that without opening ourselves up to tax liability. No associations in my state can assign games without violating tax law because they would have to pay workman's comp and other benefits for paying and hiring officials. Because if membership is required and they association pays you, that would open up the organization and its leadership to fines. This is not about starting my own organization; this would violate law and make it almost impossible for an organization in my state to afford all the fees and taxes that go with such a structure. Your state laws might be different, but in this state we would be in some trouble by doing that. This is why our associations are only "training" organizations, not "assigning organizations." You guys have a policy as to when and how someone gets a game. We cannot do that as a group. But a conference can hire and assignor and that person can come up with their own policy as how they hire someone without violating those laws I was discussing. Because they can hire you without membership and the schools are the ones that pay you.

Also there was an organization in another sport that did the very thing you say IAABO does in your area. Then there was a completely separate legal procedure that someone was going through and they were doing the right thing by claiming the income and they were honest about who paid them. When the state found out they were being paid directly from this organization and taking out money for being a member and other things, they charged the organization for back taxes because they were considered an employer under the law not a group hiring independent contractors. This has nothing to do with AAU or rec ball, the same rules would apply. Which is why we are paid only by the schools and we get games from someone the schools decide to hire.

Peace

[wanja]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Forgive me Billy that sounds like way too much control. I like our system because we join who we want to and attend meetings of who we want to. Also my ability to get a varsity game falls on the shoulders of the assignor (which assigns conferences individually) similar to working college ball. We do not have to prove anything to any group or board of people. If we can work, we work for that person if they want to hire us. If we can't work, they will not hire us.

Peace

Good points Rut. In New Jersey, while theoretically a new chapter could be started it would require approval by the state association (NJSIAA) and that is unlikely. Esssentally, the turf has been covered. A recent request I am aware of was denied despite an appeal to the courts.


Our chapter exclusively assigns the middle and high school games for the area and makes it clear that the chapter expects preference for official availability. Most other areas of NJ use assignors independent of a chapter. There are pros and cons with both situations. Personally, I prefer more of an open market with many assignors.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Which is why we are paid only by the schools and we get games from someone the schools decide to hire.

We, in 100% of the cases, are paid directly, as individuals (independent contractors), by the schools. In some cases, but not all, we have to fill out some type of tax form, including our Social Security Number.

We, as a local (county) IAABO organization, hire a commissioner (assigner). Individual high schools, and some, but not all, middle schools, contact him with their schedules, and he assigns games, the number of which, the level of which, and the quality of which, are determined by our local organization's ratings and ranking procedures. Fees are contracted between our the statewide IAABO board, and the state interscholastic sports governing body (CIAC). Yearly raises are based on the average raise that all teachers in the state get each year.

Our commissioner, or assistant commissioner, also assigns some, but not all, local AAU games, all Nutmeg Games (state Olympic-style summer sports festival), and many, but not all, paid high school scrimmages, with fees agreed upon between our assigner and the organization that need officials. We are discouraged from working, but still allowed to work, as individuals (independent contractors), AAU games that are assigned by local AAU organizations, with fees determined by the local AAU organization. We are also allowed (and not discouraged) to work paid, or unpaid, scrimmages if the coach, or athletic director, directly contacts us as individuals (independent contractors), and we then make our own payment agreement with that coach, or athletic director.

We are also allowed (and not discouraged) as individuals (independent contractors) to work private school games, some middle school games, recreation games, and travel games. Each has its own "independent" assigner, with fees set up by these "independent" assigners with the organizations that need officials. These games are scheduled during the high school season. We are discouraged from, but still allowed to, block off dates on our calendars (Arbiter) to work these type of games.