Plus, the pay stinks...you only do it cause you like it. Many people would might be good officials just don't put in the effort since they can earn more money elsewhere....or decide their time is more valuable then sub-minimum wage pay.

Here in Oregon, the officials get the short end of the stick when the economy is poor. The teachers and AD's keep getting their raises since they've got their union contracts. Those same individuals then petition for the officials to give up previously agreed upon raises and pretty much force it on the officials who have no real leverage.

We had our mileage rate cut by about 10%, even when gas prices and the federal rate were going up...and we already had to split a single mileage pay among the crew anyway (football really gets the short end on that one...effectivley under 10cent/mile per person).

The schools just won't find a way to pay the officials the previously agreed upon $2 more per game per official (2-person). One year, they petitioned the officials to freeze their pay one year (more accurately, mandated) with a promise to catch up the next year (give the scheduled raise and the delayed raise). Guess what happened the year...they didn't want to stick to their word.

The teams still find a way travel out of state or across the state for a tourneys, They find a way to get new uniforms.

They only need to come up with another $4 per game each year. All they have to do to pay the officials the promised raises is to charge an extra few cents for adminssions...but they don't seem to figure that out.

Look For The Union Label ...
 

No problem here in the "Constitution State". Our state interscholastic sports governing body bases the fee increase each year on the average statewide annual teacher salary raise.

The average pay increase for teachers in Connecticut this school year was 2%. So officials got a 2% fee increase. Varsity $88.28. Subvarsity $57.25. No mileage.

No more contract negotiations in smoked filled, back rooms. Easy peasy lemon squeezie.

That is what I've proposed here.....but that assumes you start at a decent rate. One of the objections, is "How do you calculate that rate?"

We currently get $60.25 for Varisity plus $0.505 cents per mile, one way, as measured from a fixed point in the middle of the city with a minimum of $5. Most desitinations result in a total payday of $65-$70 (minues expenses and the assigner's commission) for 4-5 hours of commitment (travel time, pregame time, game time).

Camron - you should work our rec league here in Tigard. You can do 3 HS rec games on a Friday night and get $90. No mileage, but you're done in about 3 1/2 hours. Or, you could do 3 MS games on a Saturday and get $81 ($27 per game). Again, no mileage but if you were doing the little guys (running clock) you'd be done in less than 3 hours. These are the game fees for refs with at least four years of experience. Less experienced officials get somewhat less, but still not too bad. And if you wind up working alone (which almost never happens) you get 1 1/2 times your rate.

BTW - if you need (or just want) a new jersey, our league pays half, plus they'll give you a Fox 40 and Smitty if you don't have them.

Oh yeah - the "competitive" MS league pays $30 a game regardless of grade level.

Yeah the lower the level the crazier the parents and coaches are. Everyones baby is the next lebron and you need to call the fouls accordingly.

Example of a crazy coach:
For instance my first game of the year i worked with a new official, however, for the second game the jv game needed one of us cause there was a no show, so the youngin did not feel like doing it on his own and i dont blame him. So before the game starts i tell coaches is just me alone, and to just bear with me.
The minute the game got hot, one coach in particular just starts moaning and screaming for calls. I had to call time and let him know that it was enough and that its just me and that I cant call everything. Furthermore, if he had issues he needs to take it up with our assignor, and the next complaint he would get a T. BUT I was diplomatic about it.

I also second about it being low pay, UIL is paying $30 a game jr.hi/sub vars plus mileage.

Pizza, Hot Dogs, Hot Pretzels, Soda ...
 

Same pay as the Catholic school "junior varsity" league that I work on weekends. Fifth and sixth graders. Six minute periods. Games scheduled on the hour. We usually work a triple, or quadruple, header and walk out of there with $90 to $120, plus all the food you can eat from the concession stand. I tell you, it's like we're stealing money. Stealing money from the church? I think that I need to go to confession.

My rookie year I worked 6 nights a week for about 10 weeks. Most were doubles.

The more work, the better your chances of improving by screwing up night after night and learning from your mistakes.

Hopefully you'll work with some good officials.

I always tell rookies, that you'll never be as bad as I was my first year. Terrible would have been 2 steps up for me.

But I stuck with it and now and I am 1 step above terrible, but some coaches would argue that.

So do you ask for rule interpretations from the popcorn guy? :D

How big of an area do you cover? What's the average drive to your games? I ask because I'm in a 3-county area that 90% of my games are within a 20 to 25 minute drive. We get no mileage.

Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. I touched my whistle in an impure manner...

I know he was talking about first year (brand spanking new officials) and that still seems a little high to me. Not to say that our numbers are not as high, but that seems a little high when you considering you have the opportunity to train and mentor many of them. We do not license officials at the local association level so that could be part of the factor in those numbers, where we usually have the opportunity to keep guys around because when they come to us they have someone helping them out usually. I agree that over some time we will lose a higher percentage as I feel that if we can get officials for 5 years they will do it until they cannot do it anymore or want to do it anymore (retirement or health).

Peace

Here's an idea for all schools: stop giving students with ASB free entry into games, charge them $1-2.

Use uniforms for, at minimum, 2 years before getting new uniforms.

I never realized there was competitive scuba diving that required referees!! :)

[QUOTE=Terrapins Fan;705174]My rookie year I worked 6 nights a week for about 10 weeks. Most were doubles.

The more work, the better your chances of improving by screwing up night after night and learning from your mistakes.


I have gaps of weeks in my schedule..Like you said, I need to be on the court often to develop a pattern and have a chance to kick lots of calls so that I learn to become a good official.

Maybe the Vets can explain to me why an assignor would allow gaps of weeks in a Rookie schedule instead of running us out there very often.

I know Lighten up Francis :)

Around here, the assignors work for the schools. They have to assign the best qualified officials to fill their games. Our assignors only assign high school, it is up to the rookies to fill out their own schedule with middle school, cyo, competitive 5th grade games etc...