Wreck Ball- How do you guys do it?

[IowaMike]

How do I do it? I don't anymore. I don't think I'm too good to do those games, I used to do a lot of them my first two or three years officiating. I still work junior high games that are school sanctioned events in addition to my varsity games. I eventually found that I really hated doing rec league games at any age level and stopped working them years ago. I officiate because it is generally fun and I enjoy it; if it isn't any fun, why do it? However, I know many officials who continue to work rec leagues and tournaments every weekend, 15 or 20 games on a weekend at times. I find most of them don't enjoy it either but do it strictly for the money. Life is too short to work games that make you miserable; after all, this is supposed to be fun right?

Some areas of youth sports have really become a cesspool of egos, poor sportsmanship and behavior, and I'm talking primarily about the parents and coaches. Often there is no accountability for these people at weekend tournaments and such; if a coach gets tossed what do they care? They will be right back next game and answer to no one. Not true for a coach working for a school. They have to answer to a principal and athletic director for their behavior as well as the state sanctioning body. There are standards and penalties in place.

[VaTerp]

Originally Posted by IowaMike

How do I do it? I don't anymore. I don't think I'm too good to do those games, I used to do a lot of them my first two or three years officiating. I still work junior high games that are school sanctioned events in addition to my varsity games. I eventually found that I really hated doing rec league games at any age level and stopped working them years ago. I officiate because it is generally fun and I enjoy it; if it isn't any fun, why do it? However, I know many officials who continue to work rec leagues and tournaments every weekend, 15 or 20 games on a weekend at times. I find most of them don't enjoy it either but do it strictly for the money. Life is too short to work games that make you miserable; after all, this is supposed to be fun right?

Some areas of youth sports have really become a cesspool of egos, poor sportsmanship and behavior, and I'm talking primarily about the parents and coaches. Often there is no accountability for these people at weekend tournaments and such; if a coach gets tossed what do they care? They will be right back next game and answer to no one. Not true for a coach working for a school. They have to answer to a principal and athletic director for their behavior as well as the state sanctioning body. There are standards and penalties in place.

Agreed 100%.

When I was in grad school I would work youth rec, AAU, and adult league just about anywhere or anytime because I needed the money. Now, it's simply not worth it.

I do this because I enjoy it. Wreck league is not enjoyable for me in the least now. And the only way I will be doing any more of these is if my rec commissioner is in a REAL bind.

[JRutledge]

I don't. Problem solved.

Peace

[cmhjordan23]

$40/game for rec league. Where is this? Where I live it is around $20-25. I used to do rec, but no more. They just don't know how to play and complain all the time. A lot of the teams just drive and kick for the 3 so it was easy on the officials. I have now done in addition to H.S, adult league for the past 3 years. Very competive and evenly balanced. They have captains and do a draft every year. I think I am done with that. Not everybody is bad, but there are the few that make it unbearable. Same old, you either call too much or not enough. It's never ending. Not worth it. Especially for only $24/game and put up with this for 3 games. Luckily I don't do it every week. Usually every other.

[bainsey]

I have a friend that assigns some rec ball ($25 or so/game), so I'll take a few games to help him out. He's gotten me out of jams before, and I enjoy those assignments. There are some humorous objections from coaches/fans, but nothing earth-shattering.

In my first year, I took a lot of volunteer Y games, to get some experience. They had problems with kids dunking and ruining rims, but no-one would dare call the T. (I worked with a lot of younger 20-somethings.) Finally, in a championship pre-game, one kid attempted the dunk. I decided they'll never stop until someone pulls the trigger, so I did.

None of the players or coaches got mad at me, though they gave the dunker an earful. (He was a good, popular kid that everyone loved and showed it by dumping on him regularly.) However, we had to get another partner for me, because my partner suddenly became "too hurt" to run. In truth, he was a 20-year-old that admittedly hated to call fouls, and was too angry at me to dare call a T to work with me. I can't say that I missed him.

The last time I volunteered for a Y game was the only time ever a parent cursed me out after the game. I handled it, but I have no desire to volunteer there again. If you're going to take volunteer games, bear in mind you'll be working with people that don't expect you to be professional.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I don't. Problem solved.

Peace

Right. And if I do fill in I normally get 2 reactions -- one, I'm the best official they've seen all year and, two, I don't take any crap.

When we work HS baseball, we hear coaches tell their players that they can't run their mouths because "these guys don't take any of that crap." Does my heart good.

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Right. And if I do fill in I normally get 2 reactions -- one, I'm the best official they've seen all year and, two, I don't take any crap.

Yep! Also, a lot of these coaches attend HS games, so they see us on a regular basis.

I was told by the scorer that the team I tagged with the T for pre-game dunking last Saturday has a history of comaplining and whining. Funny, I didn't hear a word out of them all game.

[jTheUmp]

Depends on the level.

I do both youth (11U, 12U, 14U, 16U, and 18U) and adult wreck ball (18+).

The youngest kids are actually the easiest games to work, because at the youngest levels, the kids, coaches, and parents are more about just having fun. The 16U/18U games are tough, but I make it a point not to put up with any complaining. (It helps that our league has an "cursing is an automatic Technical Foul" rule).

Fortunately, I haven't had too many spoiled children in my adult games. Maybe it's the (as far as I know, actually enforced) "ejection = $50 fine + 1 game suspension" policy that helps on that end.

[SNIPERBBB]

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

Depends on the level.
The youngest kids are actually the easiest games to work, because at the youngest levels, the kids, coaches, and parents are more about just having fun.

Utopia has been found!!!!!!

[tjones1]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I don't. Problem solved.

Peace

Ditto!

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by IowaMike

I eventually found that I really hated doing rec league games at any age level and stopped working them years ago. I officiate because it is generally fun and I enjoy it; if it isn't any fun, why do it? However, I know many officials who continue to work rec leagues and tournaments every weekend, 15 or 20 games on a weekend at times. I find most of them don't enjoy it either but do it strictly for the money

I agree with this.

I do it because I still enjoy it. In one league I stopped doing some age groups because it became a pain in the a$$ and I wasn't enjoying myself.

I see allot of rec refs here who don't know the rules, don't hustle, and are just going through the motions for some extra $ - shame.

[SNIPERBBB]

Rec ball is fun for me to do, just for the entertainment value of the spectators and coaches. It makes some of the nightmare HS girls games easier to do ....

Especially with player's dad that complains after the game that his boy never fouled out all year, yada, yada,yada(refs in that league must either not know how to call a charge or his opponents didnt know how to take one as we could of fouled him out on charges alone).

Looking forward to a tournament St. Patrick's weekend, usually a pretty collection of teams. When that tourns done, I get to look forward to playing golf before HS softball starts.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by SNIPERBBB

Especially with player's dad that complains after the game that his boy never fouled out all year, yada, yada,yada(refs in that league must either not know how to call a charge or his opponents didnt know how to take one as we could of fouled him out on charges alone).

Similar incident for me a few yrs back.

League brings me in to do the chamionship game. Undefeated Team has run through the league all season. I called three charges on their "star" point guard in the first half. He just never figured out how to pull up and take that short five foot jumper.

He fouled out mid-way through the third quarter......and they lost. Naturally, it was my fault.

[Victor74]

I officiate regularly adult rec league basketball. There are times where I ask why I even do it. The adults act like out of control kids at times and think they know the rules better than I as the official do. I had one even tell me that if I hear the foul I should call it. I've been told I'm blind or need glasses, but I've never been told to get a hearing aid.
I keep working this league to make the basketball better. My partners are not officials. So I not only have to call the game but have to teach on the spot my partner. I do a lot of coaching my partner on what it is to be an official. Otherwise, the players will begin to think I am not a legit official and the respect level will go down.
The players do show some respect. And through the years, it has become a better league to officiate. The level of play has increased and the flow of the game is more like an actual game.