First games of the season

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Those games are is the most important games being played anywhere that day for those kids, fans, and coaches.

While I agree that you should give your best effort regardless of level of play, I think that Billy's statement above is not really true, especially at levels below high school.

Young kids can be more excited about going home and playing Nintendo than about their basketball game. Clueless parents who are coaching just to help out are more interested in the Pats game at 1:00 (or the Celtics that night) than their early morning basketball game.

Please understand that I'm NOT saying the games don't matter or that it's ok to be lazy in those games. I'm not saying that. I'm just saying Billy's sentiment, while admirable, is probably a little over-dramatic.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

I'm just saying Billy's sentiment, while admirable, is probably a little over-dramatic.

Maybe when others make statements like mine, it's overdramatic, but it my case it's the sincere, God honest truth. Sure, it would be great to work top notch high school varsity games several nights a week, but when I'm available, I really do look forward to working my Catholic middle school games, even down to fifth, and sixth, graders. I loved playing basketball in high school, loved playing intramurals in college, and loved playing playground ball as a young man. I loved coaching middle school basketball for over twenty-five years until helicopter parents eventually wore me down. I've loved every single interscholastic game in my thirty-two year officiating career. I hope that I'm healthy enough to keep doing this, although maybe not on the varsity level, for the next thirty-two years. I would absolutely, positively, not mind completing my officiating career working junior varsity, freshman, and middle school games.

Full Disclosure: I've never been able to get "into" men's recreation league, kid's recreation league, travel league, or AAU games, as much as I've gotten "into' scholastic games, but I still tried to give it my best effort. Those games I "pretty much" did for the money. I don't work those games anymore. I would do interscholastic games for free (almost) but don't tell anybody, or I'll have to kill you.

[legend]

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

While I agree that you should give your best effort regardless of level of play, I think that Billy's statement above is not really true, especially at levels below high school.

Young kids can be more excited about going home and playing Nintendo than about their basketball game. Clueless parents who are coaching just to help out are more interested in the Pats game at 1:00 (or the Celtics that night) than their early morning basketball game.

Please understand that I'm NOT saying the games don't matter or that it's ok to be lazy in those games. I'm not saying that. I'm just saying Billy's sentiment, while admirable, is probably a little over-dramatic.

Maybe you don't understand what goes into coaching kids at any level. While some of the guys or "clueless parents" as you call them, may not be deciples of the game. They still put A TON of time in with the kids, between working full time jobs, daily 2-2 1/2 hour practices, and games they sacrafice alot of family time to be there for those kids. Are there some kids who really don't want to be there...sure but look at the typical 15 kids on a team, you will have atleast 10-12 kids who REALLY do think that (at that moment) that game is the most important thing to them. Atleast thats my experience in my area with youth leagues, weather its hoops, football or baseball they (the kids) care.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by legend

Are there some kids who really don't want to be there?

Of course. Those are the ones who are picking dandelions in the outfield. Wait? I'm being told that that's the wrong sport. Nevermind..

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by legend

Maybe you don't understand what goes into coaching kids at any level. While some of the guys or "clueless parents" as you call them, may not be deciples of the game. They still put A TON of time in with the kids, between working full time jobs, daily 2-2 1/2 hour practices, and games they sacrafice alot of family time to be there for those kids. Are there some kids who really don't want to be there...sure but look at the typical 15 kids on a team, you will have atleast 10-12 kids who REALLY do think that (at that moment) that game is the most important thing to them. Atleast thats my experience in my area with youth leagues, weather its hoops, football or baseball they (the kids) care.

If you want people to take everything the same, then pay the same, start the game at the same time and use the same number of officials for each game at every level. Until that happens, then you will get officials that will take the same approach.

And is is obvious that kids that play at the freshman level all would play when they get to the varsity ages.

Peace

[Rich]

Originally Posted by legend

Maybe you don't understand what goes into coaching kids at any level. While some of the guys or "clueless parents" as you call them, may not be deciples of the game. They still put A TON of time in with the kids, between working full time jobs, daily 2-2 1/2 hour practices, and games they sacrafice alot of family time to be there for those kids. Are there some kids who really don't want to be there...sure but look at the typical 15 kids on a team, you will have atleast 10-12 kids who REALLY do think that (at that moment) that game is the most important thing to them. Atleast thats my experience in my area with youth leagues, weather its hoops, football or baseball they (the kids) care.

I know some will find this blasphemous, but what the heck: Expecting officials to come in and treat youth basketball with the same gravitas as a varsity or college game at $20 to $25 a game is a bit much, IMO.

Normally I do two or three of these things a year and I usually work 4 games or so in a stretch. To me, it's work for a paycheck. I hustle and work hard (although we may not switch 75% of the time) but I don't spend a lot of time being philosophical -- I know what I am that weekend -- a $100 guy in a striped shirt who will take exactly no crap per game from coaches and players.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Rich

I know some will find this blasphemous, but what the heck: Expecting officials to come in and treat youth basketball with the same gravitas as a varsity or college game at $20 to $25 a game is a bit much, IMO.

And it is horribly unrealistic. There is a reason officials stop doing those games when they get to a certain level or have other experiences.

Peace