Taking the Plunge

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Bad Zebra

Sounds more like a union than an officials association. Not that there's anything wrong with that...jus' sayin'.

Back when I started, more than 30 years ago. IAABO, with several local boards, under the control of one state board, for one reason, or another, worked all high school boys games. Girls high school games were officiated by several "county size" boards, all independent, with no state wide organization. Eventually, over many years, girls high school coaches, athletic directors, and principals, realized that IAABO, with it's local, state, and international organization, and with it's emphasis on training, and improving officials, started switching to IAABO officials. My local board merged with the last independent "girls" board a few years ago, and now Connecticut is a 100% IAABO state for all high school games, and prep high school games, both boys, and girls. If you want to officiate high school basketball games in the Constitution State, then you had better belong to IAABO. Ain't no other choice.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Besides being "discouraged" from accepting such AAU assignments, we have been reminded that while officiating such assignments,

we are not covered by the IAABO insurance policy,

That may or may not be true, but for those that NFHS insurance, you'd be covered there as that insurance is not limited to just NFHS games.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

we may not wear the IAABO patch,

Perhaps reasonable but I'm not sure they can actually do that. IAABO is a training and certification organization and if you are IAABO certified, you're IAABO certified.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

and that we cannot work with a non-IAABO member.

They definitely can not do that. They have no say in that matter.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I'm not an attorney either, nor do I play one on television, but the following advice has been given to all our members, in writing:

"If you officiate for a non-approved assignor you are not covered by the IAABO insurance and may be asked to officiate with a non-IAABO member. If you do officiate with a non-IAABO member you cannot wear the IAABO patch and represent yourself as an IAABO member. That would be a direct violation of the Constitution".

While someone may not wish to take that up in court, it doubt it would stand up to legal scrutiny while maintaining the independent contractor status. For employees, you could do that, but that is not the same.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

That may or may not be true, but for those that NFHS insurance, you'd be covered there as that insurance is not limited to just NFHS games.

The only basketball officials, here in Connecticut, who have NFHS insurance, are those that officiate another sport. IAABO basketball officials, who only officiate one sport, can't even join the NFHS as individual members due to the NFHS "all or none" rule, and thus, are not covered by NFHS insurance.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

That we cannot work with a non-IAABO member.

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

They definitely can not do that. They have no say in that matter.

Our statewide "One Person Mechanics" guidelines (partner doesn't show, partner injured, no partner assigned, etc.) state that we should never work with a non-IAABO official due to liability concerns. Maybe that's their angle?

[DLH17]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I believe that it's in John's Gospel where Jesus states that it's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a woman to bungee jump in front of a photograph of another woman wearing a supportive foundation garment. Don't quote me on that. Maybe it was Luke? I have to double check with my pastor on Sunday.

LOL....I love it.

[Multiple Sports]

In my opinion, the only good thing that IAAABO does is protects your territory from another another IAABO territory bidding on your games......in my state a group left IAABO and formed their own non IAABO board.

They only service private schools but if they got a public school contract they would receive assignments in the state tourney......

And I believe if an interpreter was really committed, he could teach his cadets
everything they need to know to be a successful official and get them to past the state test.... You can pass the Fed Test but fail the IAABO test and not get to officiate in the upcoming season....

Here in the NE / Mid Atalntic IAABO is a pipeline to CBOA which is a pipeline to college basektball...........does anyone disagree......