S/Os and the schedule

[Raymond]

I work only one sport. My wife would not be very understanding if I worked more. Of course, I have no interest in working other sports as I started officiating when my first marriage broke up and as a single parent it was tough enough scheduling my b-ball games around my kids. I couldn't imagine doing it year round for multiple sports.

Now my wife is going take on a full course-load of college classes beginning in January as she attempts to transition to another career. So there is no way I would ever try to justify that a HS game should take precedence over her college classes. So my HS schedule will definitely take a backseat to her career aspirations. However we understand that I will take any college assignment that comes my way.

I don't bring my wife to games as she has absolutely zero interest in watching me officiate a basketball game.

[Rich]

I've never given a check to my wife (which we would find to be a ridiculous notion anyway, since all our money is family money) and I've never been asked to cut my schedule back. I was officiating just as much as when we met 17 years ago and she gets that officiating is a huge part of who I am.

I worked 112 baseball games, 58 basketball dates, and full HS / college football schedules this year, too.

That said, I'm voluntarily cutting my basketball schedule down after this coming season is over. I'm in one-day-a-week mode now (2 more college football games left) and I'm enjoying being home and spending time with my wife and daughter. I'm only taking boys games starting in 2013-14 and I'm thinking this will cut me down from 50-60 varsity games to about 30.

I'm not sure how I'd react if she did ask me to officiate less, mainly because it would be so out of character for my wife. She's a very independent person -- we enjoy our time together, but we also enjoy our time apart, too.