First Games Assigned 2012-13.
 

First one is on November 6th. I've already voted, and it is the 6 pm game only 15 miles from home.

Hoorah! Good for you Gapper!

Our scrimmages don't start until 10 Nov, and unfortunately, I'm out of town that day....gotta wait another week!

Enjoy!

I will not work a game until November 19 at this point. I usually have a college game or two before that point, but working a lot of college football so not really available for much.

Peace

Late Bloomer
 

Keeping the economy going with two jobs here renders me unassignable for middle school boys which starts the first of November, so first game isn't until November 27. Meeting weekly with eager first-year officials since about mid-summer in order to make up for that. Trying to constructively compensate, contribution-wise, for inability to do MS games. Full schedule after that. Only two or three possible open dates.

Let's get it on!
 

Just got my scrimmage schedule - 14, 17, 19 and 20 Nov. Regular season starts the 26th.My closest games are THREE miles away. Heck, my furthest isn't even 15 miles away! Hoorah!! :p

Nepotism ???
 

Is the assignment commissioner your brother-in-law?

Nope, but I thanked him profusely!

Did he reply by saying it will never happen again?

First scrimmage: 11am today.

First doubleheader: next Thursday, 2 miles from the workplace. $100.

Life is good.

Still waiting for mine. Hopefully they come!

I just got emails looking for officials for scrimmages.

One pays $75, another pays $80. Both are about 3 hours long. Can't work either -- last college football game on the first date, business trip on the other.

I just shake my head when I hear of officials not getting paid to work scrimmages.

First game in 13 days.

STOP SHAKING YOUR HEAD AT ME! Meanie! :(

+1

It's not my system, I just work in it.

Misty Water Colored Memories ...
 

We started a new scrimmage policy a few years ago. Previous to the change, we either used to sign up for free scrimmages at our preseason local board meetings, or we would get calls from local coaches with whom we previously had some type of relationship, usually hometown coaches. The scrimmages were "free" but we would often walk away with a twenty dollar bill in our pocket, or get a free T-shirt, or get a grinder, or a couple of slices of pizza, and this always had a positive effect on relations between the officials and the school. Under this system, I would often work a half dozen, or more, scrimmages, choosing to work games either near my home, or near my work. These scrimmages really got me prepared for the upcoming season.

Under our new paid scrimmage policy, we are assigned scrimmages, as much as fifty miles away, by our assistant assignment commissioner, through Arbiter, and get paid $33.33, minus the 7% commissioner's fee, for a two hour scrimmage, three officials assigned, two person games, switch on, and off, the court between periods. Now that we get paid, everybody, 325 local board members, wants to get in on the money, so guys that never wanted to work scrimmages in the past, now can't wait to get some cash in their pockets. Since the change, I have never been assigned more than two scrimmages. Last year I was only assigned one scrimmage, a girls scrimmage. My next game, a "real" game, was a boys varsity game, which turned out to be the most competitive game of my season, with two teams who had gone deep into the state tournament the previous year, one team went on to win the state championship at end of last season. I was not ready for that game. It was just too fast for me compared to the girls high school scrimmage that I had worked, as well as a few Catholic middle school games that I had also worked.

This scrimmage policy change was encouraged by our state interscholastic sports governing body. Several sports (field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer) were having problems getting free scrimmage officials, so our state association encouraged all sports officials to charge for scrimmages, assigning games in much the same manner as regular season assignments. Enough free officials showing up for basketball scrimmages was never a problem previous to this policy change. Those of us who wanted to work scrimmages, worked scrimmages, and the problem was never not enough basketball officials working scrimmages, but too many, with four, or five, of us showing up for a two hour scrimmage, only getting to work couple of periods.

Sometimes getting paid isn't always better. There are often unintended consequences.

Same here. But, I understand and accept the situation. It only lasts a week!

I manage to work games all yr. But others have to wipe the rust off.....just a bit more than me! At least, that's my story and I'm sticking to it! :o

And Maybe A Belt Sander ...
 

I haven't worked a game since the second week of March. Wipe the rust off? I need some naval jelly.

Now if I can get a scrimmage where I have to rake leaves, that would be great. No problem there. I've recently had a lot of practice raking leaves. I can work a boys varsity leaf raking competition right away, no warm up needed.

Does this leaf get a T?

http://blog.greenearthbamboo.com/wp-...g_leaves_1.png

Only if it breaks wind.

New to the area I'm in...assigned to 3 scrimmages so far. One GV and BV each (both 3 man), and one GJV, so I'm happy about that.

have already been working Varsity fall ball, middle school ball, youth ball, and mens league. Middle school tournament last weekend in Valdez AK. I have my first GNAC games on the 9th and 10th. 2 mens games. very excited. the rest are on the women's side. High school coming up fast

I'm done with college scrimmages, 4 total (and getting game tape from 2 of them). I'm working one HS scrimmage for the new association I joined (Nov 17th) and 1 for my incumbent association (Nov 24th). First college game is Nov 15th.

Still spinning my wheels waiting and it is well past the time when assignments were supposed to be out. Hmmm...

First game tonight
 

My season starts tonight and I can't wait! Have to drive 83 miles one way but still looking forward to it.

From here on it is two to four games a week until mid-February. Hope me and my Zigs hold up the entire season.

Cringe.....
 

I am always appreciative most my schools are within easy driving distance (10-15 miles) and I rarely have to go to the same school twice during a season.

Wow, our seasons don't get started here until the 1st week in Dec ... is that the latest?

I would LOVE to only have to drive 83 miles one way for my games!

In the 11 dates I've worked already this season (scrimmages, exhibitions and jamborees), I've traveled an average of 131 miles one way! Do the math, and I'm already almost due for an oil change in my car just for basketball...

Wouldn't trade it for the world though!

For college games I agree. However, if this is what I had to do for a majority of my HS games then I would trade it in.

Spoiled?
 

Agreed! In the N VA/DC area, it can take me 45-60 minutes to go 10-15 miles on a Friday night. Long distance games would be out of the question for me under my current "primary job" structure.

I would either have to talk to my Assignor or re-evaluate my desires to work games. Thankfully though, it's only for a few months and only a few nights of those weeks.

81-38 or something like that. Toss was perfect. Running clock with 7 minutes left after being teased for the whole 3rd qtr. Now, I wait until Tuesday for my first BV 3 man game.

Well I hate to say this but I have made the difficult decision to take a minimum of this year off. After feeling completely burnt out from football season this year, my heart just is not in working another sport right now.

I'm sure I will miss it but I am going to take this break to tend to some personal matters and not worry much about officiating for awhile. I'll still be around here though.

Have a great season everyone.

Sorry to hear it, brother. I've done it a couple of times myself.

Not going as far as you but I am cutting out all rec & military intramural ball. I joined a 2nd HS association which will cause me extra time away from home on game nights. With that extra time on the road I don't I need to be leaving the house for Rec games.

It is my understanding that "grinder" is New Englandese for a submarine sandwhich that is toasted in the oven. I once ordered an Italian grinder and suddenly they were sticking it under the broiler and I said "I didn't ask for that" and they told a "grinder" was a toasted sub.

I ask because a toasted submarine sandwich is kind of rough on the mouth when you've been tooting the whistle all night. Give me some soft white bread and a solid IPA.

I shall not enter a discussion of milk shake vs. frappe vs. cabinet since such discussion makes my head hurt.

Blame The Civil War ...
 

Two words: Hoagie. Hero. Discuss among yourselves.