How to get people interested?

[doubleringer]

In addition to money, make sure sportsmanship is an emphasis, especially at the lower levels where officials begin. If they can work in a good environment when beginning, maybe they'll stick around.

[AlaskaReffin]

I am kind of in a unique position here where I live because it is a island. Only two ways on or off are to either fly or by boat. The only way you get to ref off the island is to be selected for regionals and or the state tournament. So I think one of the biggest deterrents we face here is the fact that everybody knows everybody and people are terrified of the bashing that they could face. You just can't hop in your car and drive 70 miles to the next town where nobody doesn't know you.

We don't have a college team so that is not a option. I do like the idea of posting an ad and throwing the money aspect out there. I would really like to incorporate some of the high school players and have tried in in the past with little success. But I do think that it is a great part time job on the weekends for the kids and is where I got my start 15 years ago.

Thanks again for the thoughts.

[representing]

Originally Posted by AlaskaReffin

We don't have a college team so that is not a option

How about high school seniors and juniors? See if your local rec leagues would allow one certified coach and a high school student ref the games. If so, then you could try to recruit high school kids to ref on weekends if you paid them some money. That way, if they like it when they leave the high school, they could take the test and become certified officials. Just my 2 cents.

[rockyroad]

Kodiak??

If so, then he also faces the problem of having a large number of the high school kids not "needing" to earn pocket money because a lot of them work in the fishing industry up there and earn quite a bit of money over the summer. Plus they all know that the Permanent Fund checks go out right about the time basketball is starting up and getting rolling. So the money aspect might attract some people, but not as many as it would in a different community.

Your best bet, AlaskaReffin, is you and the others in the group right now. You have to be very charismatic and outgoing in your approach to pulling people in. Emphasize the fun that you guys have doing what you do. I think that might work better than the $$ tactic. Make it a "brotherhood" or a network, and you might be able to get some people interested.

[AlaskaReffin]

I am kind of in a unique position here where I live because it is a island. Only two ways on or off are to either fly or by boat. The only way you get to ref off the island is to be selected for regionals and or the state tournament. So I think one of the biggest deterrents we face here is the fact that everybody knows everybody and people are terrified of the bashing that they could face. We see the same kids and parents from the time they are in youth leagues till high school and most likely into mens league. So usually everybody is sick of everybody by that time. You just can't hop in your car and drive 70 miles to the next town where nobody doesn't know you.

We don't have a college team so that is not a option. I do like the idea of posting an ad and throwing the money aspect out there. I would really like to incorporate some of the high school players and have tried in in the past with little success. But I do think that it is a great part time job on the weekends for the kids and is where I got my start 15 years ago.

Thanks again for the thoughts.

[AlaskaReffin]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Can't you be voted off?

It depends if you ask the boys head coach at the high school!

I kinda opened myself up there on the island thing! Haha