In high school when should you not except a game? I know
if a son or daughter go to the school you shouldn't call, but what about say daughters boyfriend or anyone you might know for that matter, friends kids?

Really? I call at my son's school quite often. What's the problem? He doesn't play the sports that I officiate and I could care less who wins.

Everyone is from somewhere. Everyone knows someone from somewhere. If there are policies that your state or local association has, then follow them. Otherwise, do what you can live with. When I officiate a game at my son's school, I have a job to do. It's no different than being anywhere else. If you can't officiate under those circumstances, then don't. Do what makes you comfortable.

I agree in theory with Bktballref, but let's face reality.
I CAN and WOULD officiate a game at a school I graduated from or had a son or daughter attending with complete fairness. But there is always someone who will question your impartiality. IF THE STAKES ARE HIGH ENOUGH, that's a game you should not work. Keep everybody "out of the soup".
There was a University of Utah vs. Arizona football game this year where a touchdown was dissallowed because one official said the receiver was not inbounds. Replays showed the receiver WAS inbounds and this play basically decided the game. The next day the story in the paper was that the
Referee was from Tucson, and was very familiar with the AZ program, and may even have been a booster. THe PAC-10 issued a statement backing the official and said they had no problem assigning him to that game.
Now I worked several games in the WNBA this year where I had to officiate the team from my home state. I felt very comfortable with the job I did and as far as I know the question as to my impartiality never came up.
But at lower levels, you will create more problems for your self and your supervisors if you take those games. I have know several officials who take a few years off, when their kids get to high School and play sports. Mainly to watch, but also to avoid having a conflict of interest.
So in short, If you think it could create more problems than it's worth, turn it back.
JMO

Drake makes several valid points, as usual, and I don't disagree with him. This is how I handle those issues.

In the 6 years that my two sons attended this high school, I have not now, nor have I ever been a member of the athletic booster club.

Both sons played soccer for 4 years and I cheered for them and their team during their games.

We do not have any bumper stickers or license plates on any of my vehicles supporting the school.

While I do not broadcast that I have kids at this school or that I graduated from there over 20 years ago. I have worked their games and never had a problem, win or lose. I attend the same church as one coach and we both graduated from my sons' school. He coaches at a different school and faces them often. I work his games as well.

I don't have 100 schools to work for, so I mind my business and avoid controversy if at all possible. When you officiate more than one sport and are active in youth programs, you're going to develop relationships with people. Start scratching every school where I know someone and soon, I'll be living out of a suitcase to officiate high school basketball.

So, as I said, do what you can live with. If you feel it would create a problem for you, don't work them. If you take the proper steps, you may be able avoid any problems. Do what makes you comfortable. But just because it doesn't work for you, doesn't make it an absolute for others.

My son's gf attends a juco I call. I told the assignor, he
doesn't care. I'm going to ask them not to go to games I
work for that school. One of my HS assignors will not assign
games to a HS that an official's kid attends. In 5 years I
have called 1 game for the HS my kids attends, it was
an emergency. In any case I would NOT work a game for a
team my kid plays for. Ever.

Bottom line: if you tell your assignor he may or may not
take you off the game. Do tell your assignor. If you feel
uncomfortable don't accept the game.

100% Agree!!!!
 

I completely agree with you. I have a game this year at my alma mater this year doing a varsity game. I attended this school over 10 years ago. I have not had any ties to this school directly in that same time. I am doing another game earlier in the year at a school where it seems like I know everyone. My original football crew was all from this school and I know many administrators and coaches rather well there. If I worried about not doing games at every school that I knew someone, I would not be able to officiate a single game. Or at least as time goes on that would be harder and harder. I do agree that the higher you go, the more conflicts that cannot be there. But if Joe Pa does not want Michigan officials doing a Michigan/Penn State game, he might not find any officials able to do his game at all. Not saying that he could not find officials outside of Michigan, but it might be difficult to accomidate every single supposed conflict. I do feel there are real conflicts and made up ones. Living in a town or going to a school might not be what it seems.

Peace

I refuse to work varsity games at the school where my children attend. Even though they are not active in the basketball or football programs, I feel that the potential for the image of impropriaty is there. Even if both coaches know the situation and agree that it is ok for me to work the game, I will not do so because if something happens, I would be in a no-win situation.

I have talked to the coaches at this school and they would like for me to do their games, but totally understand and respect my decision to stay away from them. The chance that others would try to tarnish a reputation if an unpopular call decided a game is not worth the effort to take the game.

Also, in Texas working a game where your child attends is listed as an ethics violation, even though I am sad to say that I see it happen way too often.

I listed my Alma Mata on my will not call sheet. My children are home schooled so there are no problems there. A lot of my friends went on to teaching and coaching jobs at the schools where I call so if I listed all of them, there would be no games left to work.

I did know of someone who told the assignor he wanted JV and Freshman games where his kids went to school so he could watch his daughters play Varsity. They were good.

Working the game
 

My niece is a freshman this year and will start varsity ball. I told the assignors not to have me do any girls varsity games for the school - mainly because I don't want my brother harping on all the calls my make or don't make. I the assignors did not think that would be a problem for me to work those games, but conceded to my request.

<i>In high school when should you not except a game? I know
if a son or daughter go to the school you shouldn't call, but what about say daughters boyfriend or anyone you might know for that matter, friends kids?</i>

Sounds like it's not handled the same everywhere from the posts below. Around here, you don't work a game if your kid <b> plays on one of the teams for that particular sport at that school.</b> If your kid attends that school but doesn't play on a team, not a problem. If you attended that school, not a problem. If you have friends at that school, not a problem. We've never had an issue with it.

Z

Great comments!
Pretty much I have turned back games where my
daughter goes to school, but as far as other people I
might know associated with team I don't have a problem and
won't bring it up.
Thanks to all

I was just elected to our local school board last spring. As I may want to get reelected at some point, I'll probably avoid working games there! ;-)

I have officiated games involving my old high school, but I graduated 22 years ago and don't know anyone. I have closer relationships with many schools and coaches for whom I have officiated over a period of 6 or 7 years. I don't think it's a problem. Now if I were a more recent graduate, I probably would not work at my old school.

Perception is a problem, though. When I sign a scorebook, I am required to identify my hometown. Occasionally, a coach unfamiliar with me might make a comment when I am working at a school in my hometown.

By the way, Rut, the referee JoPa chased off the field was Dick Honig, who lives in Ann Arbor and played and coached baseball at Michigan before he began selling officiating supplies. That was a game or two before the Michigan-Penn State game. The Big Ten does not allow Honig to officiate Michigan games.

In South Carolina you have to list the School you graduated from, the school you childern attend, the school(s) in your town. You will not be assigned any of these schools, however; you will not miss any games--just assigned elsewhere.

I live in a town where, it is basically a closed community(the only way in or out is by plane or boat) If we could not referee games that you could not have ties to the school, you would not have any referees!

AK ref SE

I was not talking about the Penn State/Iowa game. I was talking about the Penn State/Michigan game. Joe Pa accused the officials for favoring Michigan, because I guess 4 of the officials lived in Michigan. Honig is a different story all together, he has had direct ties to Michigan. The officials that did the Penn State/Michigan game might have had no connection at all but living in the same state. Just because you live in the same state, does not mean that you favor that team. I know Big Ten Officials that live in Illinois and have done Illinois/Michigan games. I cannot think of a time that Illinois that got favortism their way. As a matter of fact, the famous Illinois/Michigan game were A-Train fumbled the ball and another controversial play took place, two of the officials were from Illinois. Illinois lost the game and eventually lost 4 or 5 straight. The crew chief of that crew was from Illinois and admittedly had a touch game and was not favoring either team.

Peace

Gee, even if one graduated from high school 36 years ago, as I did, you could not ref there?

Officials in SC are not assigned by a local association. If I'm not mistaken, the SCHSL makes all assignements. I would imagine that they simply make it a policy since they may otherwise not be familiar with individual situations.

A different issue is where an official works at a school. We havew quite a few officials who teach. We do not allow those officials to officiate a team from their school. I think would be a much greater conflict than having graduated from a school 20 or 25 year ago.

Working schools you attended.
 

I think if you attended a school, the main conflict should be if you still have an "association" with the school other than being an official. I went to HS as I said over 10 years ago. I have seen them play games several times. My former HS holds a Christmas Tournament every year and very popular in the in that part of Illinois. Most of the teams in that tournament are schools I have officiated extensively over the years. I have never worked this tournament yet, but if I did a game between my alma mater and another team, I might just know the people at the school better that I never attended than the school I graduated from. Of course people in my home town would know me, but so would the opposing team.

Peace

I think the real problem here is "Perception". None of the information about an official's background such as school affilitation is known until a situation in a game occurs which is more then likely controversial. Then the "Media" gets involved and that's when it get's out there. I personally believe if it can be done, meaning you have enough quality officials to put on games, you always avoid any of these types of situations. Because it will always come back to bite you in the ***! Now I'm personally a big Penn State fan as my father graduated from PSU and I follow football very closely. Do I believe those officials from Michigan cheated, HECK NO! But when it gets into the papers it looks bad and if it could have been avoided it should have been. Supervisors/Assignors are put in very tough spots at times and even they make mistakes. So my thought is if you have a high profile game no matter what sport you should always take into account what could happen and what could be perceived! If you don't it gives those media types and the public something else to look at even though you and I know officials don't cheat.

In my hometown, the Uncle and Nephew of the Girls' Varsity coach work his games. I don't think anyone knows the connection from out of town.

What do you want to happen? So you are saying that no Official can ever do any game in a state that they live? So we are not going to judge people on merit at all, but where they live? So any official in Illinois cannot do the Nortwestern and Illinois in any game? What about if I was born in Michigan and live in Illinois, does that preclude me from doing either team? The problem is that we are letting stupidity dictate policy. Officials have much more to worry about then trying to "cheat" for a team over another. Everything these guys do at the higher levels is highly scrutinized. If there was cheating if you will, it might be very easy to figure out. Not only that, we have not even talked about the guys that coaches do not like. Joe Pa would have never even tried to claim anything if his stupid team would have won the dumb game. I bet there have been Michigan officials on his other games with Michigan or Michigan State. Better yet, I bet Penn State has had Pennsylvania officials doing their games and they won and lost with them. You are right, maybe none of us should officiate anything because someone has a "perception" of anything. Maybe officials that were born in the same year with coaches should not officiate those games either.

Peace

For HS games, it should be pretty easy (in most areas) to schedule official around schools to which they have any connection, current or past.

While 99.9% of the time the official will work an unbiased and fair game, there will occassionally be an official that subconciously favors a team. It could be the team that he is/was connected with or it could be the other team as a result of trying to be fair but going to far.

The other issue is that someone will know about the connection and will suspect favoritism no matter how fair it is called. I suppose after enough time, there might not be anyone left who would know.

In the end, it's just easier to schedule around these game than it would be for the 1 time that it becomes an issue and the who association looses some credibility.

[Edited by Camron Rust on Nov 6th, 2002 at 03:44 PM]

I know I can call an unbiased and fair game and you know you can call an unbiased and fair game. But the thing I have found when interviewing fans and players about a certain game that they lost is that the official was biased. I remember one fan asked what the official saw out there and the person sitting next to her said, "Friends and neigbors." So to avoid the apperance of bias, we must take steps to insure we are not officiating games that involve and Alma Mata, our Kids, our grandkids(not mine), wife's alma mata, our job, our wife's job. There are enough schools that you don't have an emotional interest in that you don't need to be officiating schools where you do have an intrest.

You guys are certainly entitled to your opinion. No quarrel there. But you can't legislate what others do. If you see it as a problem, don't do it. But it's not a black and white, right or wrong issue. It's gray. If I get booked, I'll continue to go.

I think I Have some of you beat. My wife and I don't have any children, so that is not a worry. However, I will not be assigned any of her games as she is the Varsity Girls Basketball coach in the area. How would THAT be for a tough crowd?

In our assoc. we don't work H.S. where we have children there because a few years ago in a playoff game in another sport a official made a controversial call in favor of a sc hool where his uninvolved daughter attended.Of course a few of the parents knew this and screamed to high heaven.So now just to avoid appearences we don't do that anymore.We don't worry about alma maters unless you have a direct connection there.I find hard enough to officiate without trying to help a team win.

Ouch...be fun to call a T on her, wouldn't it!! It is interesting to me that even though we as officials go WAY out of our way to avoid "conflicts", they still come up...I was on the court for warm-ups at a local boys HS Varsity game several years ago - the Home AD walks by me and says "Remember you're at Prairie tonight, not Battle Ground" (the two are same school district rivals)...I looked at him and said "What are you talking about?" He responded that he knew I graduated from BG and didn't want me to let that influence the way I called the game (yes they were playing each other)...I smiled and said "Sir, I grew up in a small town in Alaska, graduated from a small HS in Alaska, and moved down here after I got married." He just looked at me and said "Oh. Never mind"...the fans are gonna think what they want to think. Do your games, be professional, and ignore the fans...

I disclose my connections to my assignor, and let him decide what games I do.

However, there are have been a couple times I have reffed a game that involved people I knew well, where I ddin't like the results afterwards. So now when I fill out my "Disclosure" form at the beginning of the season, I say to myself, "what relationships can withstand these pressures?" It helps me decide which games I will refuse.