Certified vs. non-certified

[lpneck]

This is a huge issue in our state.

Scoreboard operators for games from the 7th grade and up must belong to the Registry of Qualified Official Timers Association. (RoQOTA)

RoQOTA has essentially unionized the position, and timers receive $35 for middle school games, $50 for sub-varsity games, and $75 for varsity games.

They also have an exclusivity clause with the state association that they must work with Daktronic scoreboards.

Schools may request a waiver from the state in order to use non-Daktronic scoreboards, but must pay a fine of $500 to RoQOTA for doing so.

It is not uncommon for games to be forfeited in this area at the beginning of the season because the timer is either uncertified, or the school has the wrong company's scoreboard and has not paid the fine. This will likely happen even more so with financial cuts that are being implemented at many schools.

An unintended consequence of this has also been that it is getting harder and harder for schools to find qualified official scorers, as that is not a certified position, and many of the workers who used to do that job now hold out for the better paying timing jobs and the prestige of being a member of RoQOTA.

I have seen quite a bit of resentment between timers and scorers where the scorer will say things to the timer such as "that is team A's fifth foul," and the timer will respond "you aren't authorized or qualifed to tell me what I need to put on the scoreboard."

I have heard rumors of the scorers are attempting to organize an association as well, but it seems that they have not been able to get on the same page, and can not agree on an exclusivity deal with a scorebook company such as Mark V or Score-Right, because there are so many different books out there.

It should be interesting to see how this plays out over the next year or two.