Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr. (Post 721600)

Well ladies and germs (I mean gentlemen) I am going to be on pins and needles the rest of the week. MTD, Jr., received his first varsity assignment of his career earlier this afternoon. He recevied the assignment when another official bowed out of a boys' H.S. varsity game this coming Friday night. It is a MichiganHSAA game a league game between to Class D schools (Class D is equivalent to OhioHSAA Divison IV). He will be the umpire. I don't if I will be able to sit in the stands for the whole game. I know that I will find myself living and dieing with every call that he makes. I am so excited. I feel like a little kid on Christmas morning. :D

MTD, Sr.

Originally Posted by RichMSN (Post 721753)

For some reason, the officials are at the top of the list of "costs to be managed." Even as the schools buy new uniforms, etc.

Originally Posted by biggravy (Post 722560)

Same problem here. Schools save exactly 700/year by going from 3 to 2. It's rediculous. Then we get to hear coaches complain non-stop about us and the fact there is not 3.

Originally Posted by RichMSN (Post 722622)

It would cost $1320 here -- 22 home games (11 boys, 11 girls at $60 per official). If they cut the pay back to $50 per official 3-person, it would cost them only $660 more per season.

They could raise their admission costs by 25¢ and pay for the third official. Or raise the price of a coke or popcorn by 25¢. But they'd rather take that and buy new uniforms, new basketballs, etc. and then cry poverty.

Of course all the schools had the $60 a week to pay for a back judge in football about 10 years ago and also find money for a fifth official in a lot of the subvarsity football we work.