Controversy in Nebraska

[SAJ]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

That's years of being certified though, isn't it, instead of actual officiating experience? According to the article, that means these officials had to have at least five years of experience before they could get certified. Iow, the first and second year certified officials mentioned above have at least 6/7 years of experience and possibly more. That doesn't seem outrageous to me at all for someone doing first-round girls playoffs.

Yeah, they've had at least 2 years of Registered status and at least 2 years of Approved status before becoming Certified.

As for first round...that's not first round...that's finals. If you consider all post season play as part of the "State Tournament", then the NSAA uses all classification levels of officials in the subdistrict/district final rounds. All district final winners meet in Lincoln for the three day state tournament. Only certified officials can work those games. All officials are guaranteed two games the first day, one game the second day, and one game the third day (Nebraska has 3rd place games).

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by SAJ

Yeah, they've had at least 2 years of Registered status and at least 2 years of Approved status before becoming Certified.

As for first round...that's not first round...that's finals.

I still don't really find that outrageous by any means. I've seen quite a few officials with 7/8 years experience who were better than someone with 27 years experience. Hell, I've seen guys with less experience than that get picked up by a D1 conference. I think you have to assess the ability of the official to do the level you to assign them too. If they qualify, use 'em. You'll never know how ready they are though unless you give them a chance. Then.....well, it's up to them.

JMO

[parker27]

A little FYI in case anyone cared. Chanelle Hickey is a convicted felon who has spent time in the NE State Penitentiary (not a lot of time...around a year I think) I am just wondering how other states handle this situation. Should a state activities association be concerned with who they hire?? What are other states' policy on this?

[Rich]

Originally Posted by parker27

A little FYI in case anyone cared. Chanelle Hickey is a convicted felon who has spent time in the NE State Penitentiary (not a lot of time...around a year I think) I am just wondering how other states handle this situation. Should a state activities association be concerned with who they hire?? What are other states' policy on this?

Depends what he was in for, as far as I'm concerned. I'd lean in the direction "they should be concerned," yes.

But expecting to get to the state tournament (and we're not talking about early round playoffs here) and crying racism after 10 years of service is a little ridiculous, IMO. I'm only 9 years in my current state and this is a battle I fight (because as far as the state is concerned, my first 15 years don't really exist) in all my sports.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by parker27

A little FYI in case anyone cared. Chanelle Hickey is a convicted felon who has spent time in the NE State Penitentiary (not a lot of time...around a year I think) I am just wondering how other states handle this situation. Should a state activities association be concerned with who they hire?? What are other states' policy on this?

States should have some sort of background check. Assuming NE does, and Mr. Hickey answered honestly, and NE "approved" the information, I have no problem with him officiating.

[Jeremy Hohn]

We have to rank internally with our chapter a "top 25" list. Then the UIL will look at the list, and based off of either personal knowledge of ability, or feedback from coaches and evaulators they select 3 officials from each chapter to officiate first round games. From those games, the crews themselves are evaluated at the state tournament to see if they will officiate a final.
Many chapters are "one-and-done" at the state tournament due to what the evaluators feel is being called correctly.

As far as racial makeup, we are required to submit, an african-american, one anglo, and one hispanic or female. (Our chapter size didn't have a female official in our top 25, so we had a hispanic representative)