Arizona here I come

[SAK]

I have just been offered a job in Arizona in the Phoenix area and want to continue to work basketball. I currently work JUCO in the Philadelphia area and work some high school varsity. Could someone help me out so that I may continue to work in Arizona.

I am not currently IAABO but am going to look into adding IAABO before I leave PA.

Thanks.

[stripes]

I don't live in Phoenix anymore, but I lived there for a couple of years during my officiating career. IAABO is a waste of time for Phoneix, it is not an issue there. You will need to contact the AIA for working HS. Steve Goodman was the assignor for the ACCAC (local JC league), but that was about 7 years ago. He might still be the guy, but lots can change in that time.

I thought the process was very fair there. They get lots of transfer officials every year and are very efficient. They hold a scrimmage prior to the season where you work for about a quarter and the powers that be rank you based on your performance.

[tomegun]

I used to live in Phoenix and have a friend who currently officiates football and basketball there. They have a system where you work all of your games with the same partner (two-man) except for a game here and there. Your partner, and how they are perceived is important for your schedule. I would imagine that since you are coming in new, you may partner with someone for the first year or two and switch based on your need to change for better games. You could be fortunate and someone "suggests" a partner for you after the scrimmage.

So in Philly you are working JUCO, but not a full varsity schedule?

[Andy]

Haven't worked basketball for several years, but I am an AIA official for other sports. You do have to register with the AIA in order to work HS and, yes you will come in as a Level 5 official, meaning that you are new to Arizona, but have experience. I would recommend that you have any assignors or other officers from any associations that you work for provide a letter of recommendation to bring with you.

I believe that they still do a preseason scrimmage for the new, experienced officials and place them accordingly. You are rated as a level 1, 2, 3, or 4 official. Level 1 officials will have an almost exclusive varsity schedule and be eligible for postseason assignments. Level 2 officials may get some regular season varsity games, but no postseason. Level 3 and 4 officials will get exclusively sub varsity. Level 4 is a brand new official.

As far as college ball, Arizona is somewhat unique in that we don't have a wide variety. We have a JUCO league with about 12 schools across the state. There is one DII school and a couple of NAIA (I think) schools, then the three DI schools. The JUCO league used to be pretty tough to get into, they held a tryout at a scrimmage in Sept or Oct, if I remember correctly.

If you would like to send me a PM, I can probably get you some contact names to help with the transition.

[stripes]

My first year I did not get a partner. I just floated and filled in where needed. I got to know a lot of the guys (and ladies) and had a great experience. Jeanne Kosower (sp?) the AIA assigner was VERY fair with me as I worked every night I was available (I was ranked as a #1) and was available to go all over the valley.

Picking a partner is critical and I did not want to get hooked up with anyone until I knew them and they knew me. Halfway through the season I was assigned to a partner who's partner was injured and could not work the second half of the season. I had a partner my second year and it worked out fine, we had a full varsity schedule.