You Get What You Pay For ...
 

I know that it's not always about the money, but by offering only $17.00 a game, you're really cutting down on your "pool" of quality officials. There aren't too many officials who would leave their homes, and families, and pay for gas, and laundry, for only $17.00. On the other hand, there are some officials who would referee a game anywhere, anytime, for any fee, as long as they walk out of the gym with a check in their back pocket. Some of these guys might be quality officials, but, for some reason, most usually aren't.

50 Minutes? Is that time on the running clock?

You are absolutely right. Utah ranks refs from 100 (the guys who do the state finals) to 800 (rookies). The guys who do this league and the comparable AAU league are usually 500-600 ranks. I have never seen a 100-200 at the $17 games.

No, that is just the average time it takes for these games. The games are 8 minute quarters, running clock except for the last two minutes of each half. This league can get certified JV refs because you can do two games ($34) in less time than one JV HS game ($40), and if you are in it for the cash you can get 4 games per night several nights a week. They are not bad games to get experience, and a lot of the new guys do most of these games.

So, in some sense the director is right- she is not getting the best refs because she doesn't pay well enough. But, to say so in a coaches meeting is really, really bad.

Based on the comments from you guys, I am going to send the director an email. I'll let you know what she has to say.

I would copy the assigner on that email. He/she needs to know exactly what sort of "support" the officials are getting sent into.