Thanks for all the comments. Extremely helpful.

I know a State Final officials that was scratched from a school based on something that happened in the post season (which "full" already knows was not assigned by the conference) and he laughed about it. Guess what, he went back to that school in the post season the very next year. There is always justice for these kinds of jerks. The coach could not go running to the assignor about that situation.

Peace

Hey man, I'm right with you. My point was, there's more than one way for an assignor to have our back, IMO.

Revenge is best served cold!

JR a coach up our way was in a habit of every time he lost a home game he'd try and scratch officials. Assignor finally told him he'd start sending soph refs as nobody was left.

I assign and officiate so I think I know both sides.

First, if a school doesn't really want me, I don't want to go there. I have one school that I worked at for over 10 years and because I wouldn't dump a previously scheduled football date for one at that school, the AD has determined that I don't work there any longer. That's OK. My ethics mean more to me that one football, two basketball and one baseball game a year.

As an assigner, I will listen to an AD if they have concerns about an official. If their reasoning is solid and officating based, we will work with the official through enhanced training and evaluating. I had a deal a few weeks ago where a principal had an issue with an official regarding language. I worked with the official and told the school that. They invited him back provided his behavior improve. Now everyone is happy.

I agree. My crew lost a conference in football for *years* because I dared to flag a local legend for unsportsmanlike conduct (after we ejected his player for spearing and he decided to argue with me instead of tend to his injured, ejected player).

I haven't had an open Friday night since that incident, so why should I care?

A coach may think he can scratch you, but he can't always scratch you on the road and can't scratch you during the postseason. Coaches really should remember that.

Toren - Sorry that you have to deal with this situation.

On one hand - an assignor needs to put each assigned crew in the best place to succeed. Frankly, after an ejection... it might be best for everyone if you did not work at the school the rest of the year. There should be plenty of other games and hopefully, your assignor will endeavor to fill your now open dates.

I do have a problem if the assignor does not have your back. I sincerly hope that she asked for your side of the story before pulling the games..I understand that an assignor needs to manage the official and coach worlds of her league. As long as you were validated by the rules and handled the situation appropriately and professionally (and validated by tape - probably not available at a lower level game) - then you did your job.

At the end of the day, this decision has been already made and is out of your hands. I would suggest moving on and if you feel strong enough to not work for her, that is your choice. Before you do anything, I would try to have a phone conversation with your assignor so that both of you are clear on the details.

Hey...I was a "soph ref" last night!:p (DH before our varsity game)

I know we tease that Coaches are pretty thick headed...but, most of these guys know a "soph ref" from a Varsity official.

1st Quarter...I was new T coming up the floor when V1 passed the ball. V1 thought I had taken my eyes off of him...so V1 pushed H1 in frustration. Boom...I got the foul and yelled, (for some reason);)..."and that will be the last time".

Coach IMMEDIATELY had a substitue for V1. (smart coach...and I told him as much)

The next time down the court I heard the Coach tell his bench..."hey, these guys are Varsity refs...no messing around tonight!":D

The good ones do....

Meant no disrespect, every varsity guy did soph games on way up.

Not so sure about that. There are a lot of coaches that make assumptions about who they are dealing with as to how an official looks and I am not talking about professionalism of your uniform or even how athletic you are. Sometimes they look at the youngest looking guy and think that official is the least experienced.

A friend of mine that works D1 was working with a guy that this past year worked a game that would be a step away from the State Finals (we climb the latter here). And they were working a JV game on a Saturday morning at a rather good program. The coach from this school assumed that the guys could not "handle" that level of game. He did not realize that the guys he had were probably more experienced than anyone he had all year and one of the guys had worked the varsity game of his biggest rival a few years before the season with me. Both guys are young looking and are very good officials and some guy thought that game on a Saturday was too much for them.

Peace

...none taken, my friend.:)

Occasionally, we get the oportunity to do lower level games...i.e. heavy night, mentor younger officials, etc.

...my ego was just looking for a way to get that statement by the soph coach in...;)

...then that coach IS one of the "thick headed" coaches out there.;)

I filled in on a JV game 2 years ago -- I was scheduled for the varsity game and one of the JV guys bailed last minute.

I'll never forget how the JV coach told me near the end of the game I was the best JV ref he'd ever had. Then he saw me walk out for the varsity game a few minutes later...