Just for the record, I wouldn't mind doing girls games all the time. On another thread, someone commented about nobody wanting to do girls all the time, but I'm not nobody and I do want to do girls games all the time. I don't mind boys games, they are fun and interesting, but they distract me from the real meat of the thing which is girls ball. I am too old to have time to compete with all the folks that want to do boys, and mens ball. But womens college is very fast and interesting and capable, and I can get there doing all girls games. So what's wrong with that?

In fact, I only do girls games, mainly because our girls and boys boards here are separate, so doing both would mean two sets of dues, two sets of meetings, and having to put up with the b---s--- politics of the boys board and the extra attitude of the player, coaches, and fans.

Amen
 

I have been doing only women for 16 years now, high school and college. We also have two separate boards and to be honest with you, we have had quite a few men's officials come over due to the politics involved on the men's side. Not to say there aren't any on our side, but we do our best to keep it at a minimum. If that's what you enjoy doing, go for it!

Maybe it's one of those regional things, but if I had to do only girls games, I would quit officiating tomorrow. That's not an exaggeration. The girls ball around here is unbearable to officiate. I don't mind doing a half dozen games to help out the assignor, but the best girls game here is about on a par with an above average boys JV game. It just isn't any fun to do.

I will grant you that the attitudes of the players are by far much better than the attitudes of the boys, however.

Chuck

I do both girls and boys and find them equally enjoyable. Less egos on the girls side for the most part which I appreciate.

Z

I totally agree with Chuck. I would guit yesterday if I was subjected to officiating only girl's basketball.

I do disagree with the attitudes of girls. Girls tend to say more to you or try to persuade you more in my opinion. But I do not care about who has the better attitude. That to me has nothing to do with the reasons I like the Boy's or Men's game over the Girl's game and Women's game. Actually I like the competitiveness of the Men's game and I can officiate a bad team against a good team and I might still have a very competive game. I officiate a girl's game like that, I already know who is going to win and can probably tell you by how much. There is a reason UConn won 70 straight reasonly.

Peace

In the DC metro area, it is usually pretty clear who will win in girls ball - until you get the best against the best. This past weekend we had the MD regional finals in all four classes, and pretty much every game was competitive. I went to one of the 4A finals Saturday and it was a very well played, fast paced game - best I have seen this season. Saw Churchill HS a couple of times earlier this year, and the games were blowouts, including their semifinal last Thursday. All of the state final four games this weekend should be tight and well-played.

Incidentally, you frequently know with the boys who will win as well, until you cut the lower teams out and get to regional semis. Disparities abound on both sides of the house. And my experience in Illinois was no different. There are some haves and have-nots out there, and the haves generally wax the have nots. Maybe not by as much with the boys, but they still win easily.

There's nothing wrong with that.

Until you get to the elite level, I think all officials should "mix up" their schedules. There are benefits to reffing BOTH boys and girls.

Obviously the two games are different, and generally, boys is much higher caliber, though certainly not always.

But girls ball is a perfect training ground to teach game management and call selection to developing officials. Girls basketball is all about choosing which fouls to pass on, and how to officiate correctly while still accommodating flow into the game.

A well-played high-level girls game is fun. I admit for myself it's not as much fun as a well-played high-level BOYS game, but it's still great ball.

Having said all this, if there was no AP, I'd never want to do another girls game again. EVER. :D

Well said, Dan.

I officiate both boy's and girl's here in missouri and on the girls side of it the only difference I see other than the athleticism and the competiveness(sp?) of blowouts is that the boy's aren't as vindictive. Meaning that if there is a problem or something that upsets someone in the boy's game there is usually a reaction and it ends pretty much right away. In the girls games the same situation there may be a reaction right away but 4 or 5 possessions later they will make up for what happened. Sometimes it makes you have to keep on your toes more for the girls games than in some boys games.

I would rather do the boys games but if I was in a situation of having to be in 2 associations to get both I wouldn't have any problem doing all girls if would get more and more competitive games.

Hell hath no fury....

Girls Games
 

This year I had a 60-40 boys-girls schedule. The year started off with a huge girls tournament, which was ok. But as soon as I got into the "meat" of my schedule and started calling some boys games I quickly recalled why I much prefer the boys game. Now let me say this, I will never turn down a schedule due to all girls games nor will I quit yesterday, but if given the preference I would rather call boys 8th grade than girls varsity (that is of course if the pay was =) The girls game is played so far below the rim, usually all over the floor trying to tie up loose balls, that it can be difficult to keep a good flow going in the game. I love their spirit and determination, but if I were given the choice I would choose boys games all day.

Re: Girls Games
 

So are you saying that the 8th grade boys in your area are playing above the rim? This I'd like to see. ;)

There are plenty of 8th grade bys in AAU playing above the rim. I had a lower level travel team where one of my 8th graders could dunk (and had to resist the urge as it was illegal under league rules!). Higher level teams had even more players of this caliber and leaping ability.