Familiarity breeds.... (semi-long)

[oatmealqueen]

I always read, with great interest, posts about assignors, and working with partners that you don't know very well.
In my neck of the woods, we generally never use assignors (we are contacted by AD's and supply crews). This is for FED high school games. I have worked with the same 6 or so people for 20 years now. Working with the same bunch certainly has it's advantages, but somehow feel that some newer, up and coming officials, do not get a fair shake at times. AD's tend to hire the same groups year in and year out.
I have tried to work some newbies into my gang, but don't really want to leave out my guys in the process.
Does anyone else use this process in their state?
I have turned some games down, given them newer guys names, but since we have to supply a crew of 4 or 5 for each game night, it makes it difficult for them.
Any comments?
--- the oatmealqueen

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by oatmealqueen
I always read, with great interest, posts about assignors, and working with partners that you don't know very well.
In my neck of the woods, we generally never use assignors (we are contacted by AD's and supply crews). This is for FED high school games. I have worked with the same 6 or so people for 20 years now. Working with the same bunch certainly has it's advantages, but somehow feel that some newer, up and coming officials, do not get a fair shake at times. AD's tend to hire the same groups year in and year out.
I have tried to work some newbies into my gang, but don't really want to leave out my guys in the process.
Does anyone else use this process in their state?
I have turned some games down, given them newer guys names, but since we have to supply a crew of 4 or 5 for each game night, it makes it difficult for them.
Any comments?
--- the oatmealqueen

Yes,

There are parts of my state that assign games the same way. ADs assign a varsity contest with 3 official to do both a JV and Varsity contest. When I was coming up, we did the JV games as the younger officials. It does not seem to work that way anymore. Or at least not on the scale that it used to. But in the Chicago area in which I live, this is entirely different. We almost never assigned both a JV game and then the varsity to follow. It allows the younger officials to get some experience with better talent. But these games are assigned by assignors not ADs. I guess the ADs do not want to do the work to assign two games for one night.

Peace

[williebfree]

Conference Commissioners assign conference games and the ADs of the area schools
assign the Non-conference games as well as all of the lower level games.

Prior to the season, the ADs send out schedules for all JV and lower level games for the season.

Officials indicate dates they are available and then the ADs offer contracts based on the feedback.
Each AD usually offers 4 or 5 dates if you select all dates in the season.

[BigJoe]

I am a member of a large association and I also have my own association where there are five members. In the large association, it seems that the same two people work games together all of the time. I have always felt that when you work with the same person all of the time that your mechanics and court coverages start to weaken. I have been working with the same partner for most of the varsity games that I do for the past five years. It may be me, but when I work with my "regular" partner, we hear very little howling from either the fans, coaches, or players. When I work with other partners it seems like someone always has something to say. I still think that it would be beneficial to work with a different partner every game. But it seems like for my well being it is better to work with someone who you trust and compliments you as an official. (Calls a similar game).

[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by BigJoe
I am a member of a large association and I also have my own association where there are five members.

Five? What kind of games do you do in that association? Why so few? How are games assigned to those five guys? That just sounds wierd to me. . .

I have always felt that when you work with the same person all of the time that your mechanics and court coverages start to weaken.

What say you, TH?

Chuck

[BigJoe]

Chuck,
I'll try to paint a clearer picture to you. Within an hours drive of me there are extactly 22 high schools. I contact the A.D.'s of these schools and solicit games. We only take one girls and one boys game from each school. We are currently doing games for 14 out of the 22 schools. Right now there are two of us doing the 28 games. The other three guys work Jr. Hi. games and are new to officiating. We also do all of the local Indian Schools' games. These games are played during the day usually 1:00 or 3:00 and sometimes we do these games and have another one at a different venue. What I mean by having the same partner all the time is sometimes you get a little lax in your mechanics thinking he already knows what I mean. When you work with a new partner your preliminary signals are better and you do a more thorough pre-game. I guess my statement about court coverage was in error. But I see other pairs where one guy calls 90% of the fouls! He will call them right in front of his partner, clearly out of his coverage area. I think that is what I was referring to. It is hard for officials who live in urban areas to understand our situation. Some guys have 22 high schools within 10 miles of their home!

[DownTownTonyBrown]

Our association provides service for 21 schools. About 1/3 of these are 1 - 3 hours away. The commisioner assigns for all schools and we generally don't see the same partner more than twice during a season. After about 10 years in this association there are still veteran officials I have never worked with - perhaps they have black-balled me? Nah I think it is just luck of the draw.