Iowa high school basketball games postponed due to referee no-show

[Nevadaref]

Iowa high school basketball games postponed due to referee no-show

There are a lot of things on a basketball coach's mind before a big game: what defense to run, what lineup to start, even what shirt to wear.

But there's one question that most coaches never have to ask just before tipoff: "Where are the referees?"

That can't be said for the boys and girls basketball coaches at Iowa schools Lawton-Bronson and IKM/Manning, who had their games canceled on Tuesday night when the scheduled officials never showed up for the game.

"The (IKM) athletic director had a signed contract and he did his job, but the issue was that no one showed up," Lawton-Bronson athletic director and boys coach Vince Johnson told the Des Moines Register. "This is my nightmare as an A.D. You have signed contracts and you confirm it, but it doesn’t come together."

The evening promised to be an exciting one, as all four teams came in undefeated and ranked highly in their division. Instead the teams and the anxious crowd waited 45 minutes, desperately searching for a replacement, before the Lawton-Bronson teams got back on the bus and made the 100-mile return trip.

The games have been rescheduled for Jan. 10, with the site yet to be determined.

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Referee no-show spoils big high school basketball games

Four unbeaten teams remain that way after doubleheader mishap

10:57 PM, Dec 18, 2012 |


Tuesday night in Manning was supposed to feature an exciting doubleheader of unbeaten basketball teams.
All four teams are still undefeated — because the referees who were scheduled to officiate the games never showed up.
The Lawton-Bronson boys’ and girls’ teams got back on the bus and returned home — a nearly 100-mile trip — without getting a chance to play IKM-Manning.
“The (IKM) athletic director had a signed contract and he did his job, but the issue was that no one showed up,” Lawton-Bronson athletic director and boys’ coach Vince Johnson said. “This is my nightmare as an A.D. You have signed contracts and you confirm it, but it doesn’t come together.”
The girls’ game included Class 2-A’s No. 2 IKM-Manning and No. 4 Lawton-Bronson, with both teams boasting 8-0 records. The boys’ game had 2-A’s fourth-ranked IKM-Manning (8-0) against the 1-A Eagles (unranked but 7-0).
“I kind of have a routine where I wait for the national anthem of the girls’ game to get done before getting the guys ready, and I kept waiting and waiting and waiting,” IKM-Manning boys’ coach Keith Wagner said. “It’s definitely disappointing.”
The makeup date for Tuesday’s highly-anticipated Western Valley Conference games is scheduled for Jan. 10, with the site to be determined.
Roger Barr, director of officials with the Iowa High School Athletic Association, said individual schools are responsible for hiring and confirming game officials throughout the regular season.
“It’s very unfortunate that you have that type of thing happen,” Barr said. “But we don’t take over official scheduling until the postseason.”
IKM-Manning attempted to reach out to local officials, hoping someone might have been available, but the games were finally waved off after 45 minutes of waiting.
“The gym was going to be packed, and we had a pretty full house here,” Wagner said.
Fans admitted into Tuesday night’s games will be allowed into the makeup game at no charge.

[APG]

That sucks

[grunewar]

Ouch! 100 mile trip!

Sounds like some good hoops too.

[ref3808]

There has to be a back story here. I doubt that all the officials simply no showed.

[letemplay]

Makes that previous thread about contacting each other and the schools very poignant.

[Raymond]

All or both of the officials fail to show, seems like the school made a mistake.

[letemplay]

Wonder if there was any attempt to find or use a replacement crew. Anybody ever get a last minute local call like that or seen something like the AD and V asst coach doing the girls and some vice versa combo for boys?

[BEAREF]

Originally Posted by letemplay

Wonder if there was any attempt to find or use a replacement crew. Anybody ever get a last minute local call like that or seen something like the AD and V asst coach doing the girls and some vice versa combo for boys?

“It’s very unfortunate that you have that type of thing happen,” Barr said. “But we don’t take over official scheduling until the postseason.”
IKM-Manning attempted to reach out to local officials, hoping someone might have been available, but the games were finally waved off after 45 minutes of waiting.

It says that they did...

[Rich]

Somebody screwed up -- two sets of officials don't simply no show for an event.

I like how they mention signed contracts. And yet if the school decided to cancel for any reason at any time before the game they'd not look to honor their side of the contract.

I continue to beat the drum -- schools see contracts as one-way documents when it comes to officials.

[VaTerp]

Another reason that having an assigner from an officiating association is much better than having schools contract directly with officials IMO.

[tjones1]

Certainly not good.

But there's another side to this story. I highly doubt the officials just didn't want to go.

I doubt we'll hear the other side of the story.

[Adam]

Meanwhile, two officials are are on a private board somewhere discussing whether they're going to get paid after showing up to the school on their contract only to find the game was 100 miles away.

I wonder if they actually tried to call the scheduled officials.

[letemplay]

Originally Posted by BEAREF

“It’s very unfortunate that you have that type of thing happen,” Barr said. “But we don’t take over official scheduling until the postseason.”
IKM-Manning attempted to reach out to local officials, hoping someone might have been available, but the games were finally waved off after 45 minutes of waiting.

It says that they did...

Sorry, see that now. Can you find it in your heart, especially this time of year, to forgive me?

[Tio]

Hard to say what happened, but I agree with others that this is one side of the story. If both officials didn't show, there had to be some circumstances... the assignor assigning the game at the visiting school, wrong date, etc.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Tio

Hard to say what happened, but I agree with others that this is one side of the story. If both officials didn't show, there had to be some circumstances... the assignor assigning the game at the visiting school, wrong date, etc.

No assigners involved here, officials are hired directly by the AD. My money is on the date or a car accident.
The officials would have driven together, these are all rural schools.