HS Associations - Training Programs

[JRutledge]

Billy,

I am only talking about high school assignments. I am not talking about AAU or non-high school season events. Those around here are assigned by individuals that the leagues or tournaments directors give that responsibility over to a person. I know in basketball there is no association mandate or involvement from the top level for these kinds of tournaments. We might distribute the information if we find out a league or tournament needs officials, but nothing the executive board plays a role in.

I am sure it is different across the country, but the Illinois High School Association has to be careful with things they do so they do not violate state law. For example the do not have an evaluation system or observers program that is run by them because they would violate laws and make themselves the employee of officials. So the only things they do are license officials and assign them to their post season games. They do not do things to require training or other evaluation to move up the latter.

And this is why in football and basketball there are no associations that involve directly in signing and if they are they are careful to not make a distinction clear you do not have to be a member. Other organizations in other sports have some similar relationship, but the example I gave you was a baseball organization. Their situation scared the crap out of all other organizations and many bolted from that organization because of the legal issues.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Situation scared the crap out of all other organizations and many bolted from that organization because of the legal issues.

I believe that our recent AAU situation "scared the crap" out of our local and state IAABO leadership.

The intention of the leadership was to completely take over AAU officiating all over the state, sign a statewide contact with the state AAU leadership, similar to our statewide high school contract with our state interscholastic sports governing body, and turn the AAU game assignment responsibilities over to our local IAABO commissioners. They were planning to accomplish this by prohibiting any member from accepting assignments from a local AAU assigner, with strong penalties in place if anyone chose to accept such assignments. There were also going to be very severe penalties in place if any IAABO member made such assignments as a local AAU assigner. Certainly a strongarm tactic.

Then our local and state IAABO leaders came to the realization that local AAU organizations, as well as local IAABO members with "cozy" agreements, wouldn't go along quietly with these strongarm tactics. Restraint of trade injunctions can be very scary, so the local and state IAABO leadership backed off a little. As I stated in an earlier post, we now have an announced, unwritten policy in place that "discourages" our members from accepting AAU assignments from someone other than our own commissioner. It was announced for the "good of the board", in other words, "be a good board member". However, and this was also announced, there is no local, or state, IAABO policy that prohibits us from accepting such assignments. That certainly is a "giant step" back from what they had intended to do earlier.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I believe that our recent AAU situation "scared the crap" out of our local and state IAABO leadership.

The intention of the leadership was to completely take over AAU officiating all over the state, sign a statewide contact with the state AAU leadership, similar to our statewide high school contract with our state interscholastic sports governing body, and turn the AAU game assignment responsibilities over to our local IAABO commissioners. They were planning to accomplish this by prohibiting any member from accepting assignments from a local AAU assigner, with strong penalties in place if anyone chose to accept such assignments. There were also going to be very severe penalties in place if any IAABO member made such assignments as a local AAU assigner. Certainly a strongarm tactic.

Then our local and state IAABO leaders came to the realization that local AAU organizations, as well as local IAABO members with "cozy" agreements, wouldn't go along quietly with these strongarm tactics. Restraint of trade injunctions can be very scary, so the local and state IAABO leadership backed off a little. As I stated in an earlier post, we now have an announced, unwritten policy in place that "discourages" our members from accepting AAU assignments from someone other than our own commissioner. It was announced for the "good of the board", in other words, "be a good board member". However, and this was also announced, there is no local, or state, IAABO policy that prohibits us from accepting such assignments. That certainly is a "giant step" back from what they had intended to do earlier.

So if I do not want to be a member of IAABO, can I still work games for your assignors?

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

So if I do not want to be a member of IAABO, can I still work games for your assignors?

Absolutely not if you're talking about high school games here in the "Land of Steady Habits". As I've already stated in an earlier post, IAABO is a 100% IAABO state in the eyes of our state interscholastic sports governing body (CIAC). All high school games in the state are assigned by local (county) IAABO-hired commissioners.

On the other hand, there is nothing keeping you from working travel games, recreation games, some middle school games, and some AAU games, that are assigned by "independent" assigners.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Absolutely not if you're talking about high school games here in the "Land of Steady Habits". As I've already stated in an earlier post, IAABO is a 100% IAABO state in the eyes of our state interscholastic sports governing body (CIAC). All high school games in the state are assigned by local (county) IAABO-hired commissioners.

On the other hand, there is nothing keeping you from working travel games, recreation games, some middle school games, and some AAU games, that are assigned by "independent" assigners.

It's frightening that an official can have 20+ years of experience working good HS varsity games in a non-IAABO area and pretty much not be able to continue his career in Connecticut. Who with that kind of experience (in their right mind) would be willing to come in and work 8 more years before having full varsity status?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

It's frightening that an official can have 20+ years of experience working good HS varsity games in a non-IAABO area and pretty much not be able to continue his career in Connecticut. Who with that kind of experience (in their right mind) would be willing to come in and work 8 more years before having full varsity status?

Not me. That is why I asked. And I am pretty sure that some JV ball is better around here than a good part of Connecticut. Not saying, just saying.

Peace

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Not me. That is why I asked. And I am pretty sure that some JV ball is better around here than a good part of Connecticut. Not saying, just saying.

Peace

Hey, what are you saying?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

It's frightening that an official can have 20+ years of experience working good HS varsity games in a non-IAABO area and pretty much not be able to continue his career in Connecticut. Who with that kind of experience (in their right mind) would be willing to come in and work 8 more years before having full varsity status?

Actually four years at the least. If you're really that good, I'm sure that you would get a varsity loaded "split" schedule after only four years. Our commissioner has that power, if you're really that good. Still frightening, but maybe less so.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Actually four years at the least. If you're really that good, I'm sure that you would get a varsity loaded "split" schedule after only four years. Our commissioner has that power, if you're really that good. Still frightening, but maybe less so.

You're kidding, right? 4 years of low level basketball? I know it's important to pay your dues, but I've paid them, just not in your state.

I'm sure many (including me) would simply pack it in rather than enter a system where a quick placement evaluation wasn't done. 4 years? In most places, 4 years is enough to go from rookie to varsity official.

[CLH]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Actually four years at the least. If you're really that good, I'm sure that you would get a varsity loaded "split" schedule after only four years. Our commissioner has that power, if you're really that good. Still frightening, but maybe less so.

Four years? you're kidding right?

I was ranked #2 in chapter after four years...I was 23 and was crew chief in the Regional Finals for the next 3 years, along with working an NCAA schedule...Four years really? Sounds like your more concerned about protecting seniority than cultivating real talent. Just my opinion, not the gospel

[tomegun]

I didn't read every post in this thread, but I wanted to respond because I have knowledge of several things mentioned.

First of all, I was part of the IAABO board in DC and I saw Scott Foster one time while I lived there. Unless things have changed drastically over the last three years I doubt that board resembles a NBA staff, especially since he has moved up among NBA officials.

Rut, I was an official who moved from a non-IAABO state to an IAABO state. I want to say right off the bat that I think IAABO is just a middle man and most associations worth anything have training. When I moved to Maryland things went like this:

• I went to a camp before I moved to possibly get hired in a JC conference. I was hired.
• When I moved I worked a few games for the IAABO "recreation" assigner for my area before the season started.
• I worked 1 JV game for the regular assigner and had no other games scheduled. Someone was watching me.
• I wasn't used to not working during that time of year so I contacted the assigner for the DC IAABO chapter and he told me he wanted to see me work.
• I drove an hour across town to work 6 minutes of a 12-year old game. He said thanks and I will be in touch. At the time I was kind of pissed because I drove so far, in bad weather, for such a short time on the court. My car was still warm when I got back in it!
• The next day the assigner from DC called me and loaded me up with a bunch of schools I had never heard of. Literally 5 minutes later the IAABO assigner from Maryland called me to give me Varsity games.
• I was honest with both and ended up working for both boards for the next 3 seasons - I probably did less than 5 games during that time that were not varsity although the few times I did I was glad to get home earlier. As far as I know I'm still the only person to do that since then.

The original assigner was replaced by the "recreation" assigner after my first season there and he is still a friend. Oh, those schools I had never heard of were schools from the Catholic league - one of the best leagues in the country.

I think we need to worry more about the product we put on the floor instead of the amount of years an official has been part of an association. I would think an official like Rut would be OK regardless of where he moved. I know you can come out to Vegas and be OOOOOOKKKKKKK.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by tomegun

I think we need to worry more about the product we put on the floor instead of the amount of years an official has been part of an association. I would think an official like Rut would be OK regardless of where he moved. I know you can come out to Vegas and be OOOOOOKKKKKKK.

Nobody said otherwise. But to tell an official that under no circumstances will he be a varsity official for 4 years is ridiculous.

When I moved to a city around 12 years ago, I joined a baseball association. I had a resume and experience, but I wasn't expecting to be handed anything -- all I wanted was a chance to show my ability and let them decide where I belonged -- and I was scheduled to work a preseason varsity scrimmage with one of the big dogs of the association. The association president came and watched me work for about 3 innings. From there, I was moved into the group of varsity officials and worked a full varsity schedule THAT SEASON.

If I'm told that if I'm really good it may only take 4 years to "move up" to a level I've been working a long time, what's the motivation? And yes, I do think it's mainly to protect the people who grew up there, as if that alone makes them more entitled to the best games. As you said, shouldn't the best product be on the floor?

[Judtech]

One thing I think that may be missing from this discussion is the geographical area that people are working in. There are more people in the Wheaton IL area then probably the STATE of Iowa (Ok, you may have to throw Naperville in there!) Here in the Commonwealth N. VA has a much denser population than SW and Central VA. So associations from N. VA can have 'stricter' rules b/c there are more officials to chose from. Whereas in the less populous areas of the state, associations take who they can get and train them 'on the fly'. If you put up too many hoops for them to jump through you will scare potential officials off and then not have enough to cover the games you are contratec to cover.
Where I work we have local assigning boards who are contrated by various conferences to provide 'independent contrator's' to officiate their games. We are responsible for taking our own 'contributions' to the IRS out and since the board reports its 'income' the officials had better to it or The Men In Black may show up on their door!!!