End of the season blues
 

I'm not sure I have them, rarely ever have, but I am tired.

I have 6 more days of games basically. More or less. I will do church league for about 5 or 6 games after these.

But I am tired.

I have 6 games on Saturday, 3 at 11 to 1 and 3 from 6 to 8.

8 games between Monday and Thursday.

I don't usually get tired. Most of the time I work 6 days a week and usually about 10 games a week.

I wish I weren't tired and I wish I weren't 55....

But I will enjoy the rest of the games to the fullest, then await next season after my body gets a rest.

How's everyone else doing?

Fine, but I don't do nearly that many games, are you a full time reff? I'm assuming that the majority of the guys posting here work during the day and officiate evenings and weekends. (Except JR of course, he's on his second retirement!) What day jobs do the other posters have? I teach and commercial fish in the summer.

I wish I could make a living officiating.

This is year 11 for me. In the past I would do about 70 to 80 games a year.

Anything that's sub varsity we usually do 3 games a day.

In the past, I have doubled up a lot JV to Varsity.

But, as I said, this year I cut back due to family things. My wife had cancer earlier last year, we got through that, but her schedule changed and I need to be home with my son ( 14 now ) more. So most weeks I work 4 days.

I own my own business and it's mostly 9 months a year, unlike a teacher, I get winters off.

None of us are as young as we used to be....... :rolleyes:

I try and pace myself and not take on too many games in a short stretch of days as when I get to the end I don't feel like my performance is as sharp and that's unacceptable to me. I won't do more than five in a day anymore

I did three games tonight and will do four more tomorrow morning/afternoon - that's probably my limit with an overnight really. I won't work again until next Tues.

I work for the Federal Govt (your welcome) and I lack the flexibility to get out of work as early as I used to, so I don't take as many early evening games during the HS season any more.

I am currently "unenjoyed". So ref'n youth and adult rec leagues is not only a passion but one of the few sources of income I have right now.

In good times, I would volunteer to ref just for the exercise and the experience, although I admit I would probably not do as many games per week without compensation.

I have actually tried to think of creative ways to "give back" to the sport, and the leagues that have been so good to me over the years. One idea I came up with was to ref a few rec games for "free" donating the proceeds to the low-income scholarships the league offers to help a kid or two that might not otherwise get the opportunity to play.

Anyone else considered doing something like this?

I worked a GV/BV DblHdr last TUE, THU, and FRI, 4 Men's church league games last SAT AM. Those are my last varsity doubleheaders of the season, thank goodness.

This week, conference tourneys started. I worked a 1A GV 1st Rd game MON, a 4A BV semifinal TUE & WED, and a 4A GV championship tonight. I have 3 senior boys rec games tomorrow morning.

Next week, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round of the Sectionals on M, W, and F. Then I'm done, other than working as an alternate for two state semifinal games.

I really enjoy working single varsity games as opposed to doubleheaders. It would probably add a few years to my career if we did that all season.

My achilles is improving with the help anti-inflammatory meds and physical therapy. After two weeks of treatment, I have almost no pain at all. :)

I'm ready - have done 15 games (nine were HS) over the last 9 days with only one day off. I have one more on my schedule next week - barring any last minute add ons that should be it until June.

In real life I'm a consulting engineer.....mostly involved in reliability engineering and fault analysis for mechanical systems (marine propulsion, power gen, stuff like that).

Focus ...
 

I never get physically tired, but by mid-February I will start to get mentally tired, too many plays, too many decisions, too many teams, too many partners, too many observations, too many miles, etc. I find myself having to concentrate on staying more focused during the game.

I'm with BillyMac; I don't get physically tired but I do get mentally tired by the end of the season. I don't work nearly as many games as I used to; probably only work 50 or 60 each year now. I do baseball too and find that I'm always eager to start each season, but am also happy when each sport ends. I think my tolerance level tends to decrease towards the end of the season. It's not as bad as it used to be when I worked twice as many basketball and baseball games as I do now, but I'm still ready to put the gear away when the games are all done. Come next November I'll be itching to put the whistle on again. Once I no longer look forward to the start of each season I'll hang it up because that will be the sign it's time for me to retire.

Same here. In all my 32 years, I've never been anxious for the season to end. Fortunately, my profession is beginning to crank up by then, so there's not much time to sulk about it. Back in my early days, 90 games a season, mostly Rec league, was normal. That could get old I guess, but I was too young and eager to realize it. Through my "hay days", 60 to 70 high school and college games a season was common. My wife would see the stripes come out in late November and say, "See ya in the Spring". She had her own hobbies, and with me working at home, I was always available for the kids, so working basketball that much didn't create any family problems. Today though, 40 games would be a comfortable full schedule. I have my last game this evening, then it's into the garage to get my '72 Charger back together and on the road. What would life be like without hobbies and toys?

Seven games in the last 20 hrs - I have now reached that point! :o