Should Basketball Officials Have Background Checks, and BeTested For Drugs?

[Marty Rogers]

Originally posted by Ref in PA
Next we will need a psychological profile to determine if we have the proper disposition to be a referee. Unfortunately most of us will fail and be committed to the State Mental Hospital where all coaches sit on the board of Trustees. We would all be diagnosed with a masochistic disorder because we love to take abuse from players, coaches and fans.

And, don't forget about our oral fixations; always wanting a whistle in our mouths.

[stan-MI]

There was a story in Referee magazine within the last 2 years about the NCAA requiring background checks for tournament officials, and how some officials were resisting. Don't remember much else about the story.

[williebfree]

WI is lax in this area. Initially, candidates for state certification are required to have a certified official and an Athletic Director sign off on the application card. That is our state's extent of a "Background Check." I have absolutely no reservations to submitting to a "Background Check" or drug testing. Unfortunately, I have encountered officials who have obvious "issues" with alcohol abuse. It would seem to me these unfit officials are rapidly removed from the circuit as their conduct does not merit future contract and the "word" would make its rounds (via the "grapevine").


Additional food for thought...
Our games are played on school grounds. By state law, no alcohol or tobacco products are allowed on grounds.

[Love2ref4Ever]

I was told by one of my High School assigners that if you work any one specific high school (in the PSAL) for five games during the season, you are to suppose to have a background check. Then he said, don't worry about it because no one will get five games at any paticular school. I believe he said, that the league is concerned with officials who may have been arrested or convicted of crimes against children. Now as far as the drugs and alcohol are concerned. I was told by an official who is moving up the ladder that, if you don't drink(alcoholic beverages) with some of the other officials, you may be considered an out cast! It seems to me that alcohol is part of the social thing in officiating. I have found myself running up a soda tab at a bar during a officiating camp, just to be social. I don't knock what any one does off the court, but if it affects your performance on the court, then you may want to take a look and see if you have a problem. Maybe if there were background checks, and drug test some officials would be dead ducks!

[zebraman]

I was told by an official who is moving up the ladder that, if you don't drink(alcoholic beverages) with some of the other officials, you may be considered an out cast!

That is so lame. The "good old boys" club huh? One of my first varsity games was with a highly-ranked "good old boy" and we had a great game. Afterwards, he stopped at a convencience store and bought "us" a half rack of beer. He handed one to me and popped one for himself. I said, "I don't drink thanks. I have no problem with anyone who does unless they are operating a car that I'm riding in." He sheepishly stowed it until he dropped me off.

Now I'm rated in the top 5 around here and I don't think he refs anymore. I'm sure he told a few of his "good old buddies" that Z is a square, but if you can ref a good enough game and get the respect of everyone for the right reasons, you don't need to play those games, IMHO.

Z

[rainmaker]

In Oregon, OSAA requires background checks. They get them "in bulk" fairly cheap I think, but we each pay for our own, out of our association membership.

I don't have a problem with it, it's just part of the current landscape in our society. It will be a sad day, when we are all required to take drug tests.

[rpirtle]

I have to submit to a criminal background check every year because I volunteer in my son's elementary school. I don't like it (invasion of privacy, and all that stuff)...but I'm glad they do it (for my son's protection).

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by rainmaker
In Oregon, OSAA requires background checks. They get them "in bulk" fairly cheap I think, but we each pay for our own, out of our association membership.

I don't have a problem with it, it's just part of the current landscape in our society. It will be a sad day, when we are all required to take drug tests.

How much do they run? Word around here is that a background
check to comply with the proposed NY law will run $75 to $100, including the fingerprints.

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by Dan_ref

How much do they run? Word around here is that a background
check to comply with the proposed NY law will run $75 to $100, including the fingerprints.

If I remember correctly, it's only $14, and you only have to do it for one sport per year. So I had one run for volleyball, and I paid $14 less for my basketball "dues" because I didn't need another check.

At the non-profit where I volunteer, all emloyees and volunteers are required to have all the different backbround checks, local, state and federal. This process includes fingerprinting. The agency pays for employees, volunteers pay for themselves, and then are reimbursed after they have "worked" for six months. It costs pretty close to $100 for the whole works. A few volunteers have balked, but not many.

[Tweets]

I see no hassle with background checks. On our end all we do is write our DL & SOC on our nice little registration form and someone else does the rest. So, no big deal unless you've got something to hide. It may throw a hint of our reputation out to our assignors. I know of a couple of guys in my association that I do not feel comfortable seeing them work in the high schools, but there must be no assuming.

[A Pennsylvania Coach]

As a coach, when hired I have to pay $10 for a Criminal Record check and another $10 for a Child Abuse Clearance. It's money well spent to give the parents peace of mind about who has their kids for 2-3 hours a day for 4 months! I'd think this would be an acceptable level of clearance for officials, and I think if an association told it's member schools that officiating fees were going up $0.50 per game this year to pay for this, not a single school would balk.

[mick]

I tire of legislators telling me what to do, when to do it, how to do it, why to do it and what color it should be.
I understand that the world is run by a bunch of C+ individuals with good intentions, but I don't have to like it.

Making officials and coaches do these things is fine, ...I guess, but let's have all the parents and administrators do it also. Let's have them do it first! Child abuse starts at home, fellas. Let them set the example.

mick