Flying Solo!
 

First time in a HS game that my partner did not show up!...He ends up going to the wrong school.:eek:

So, Boys Freshman game and I am flying solo...My luck game goes into OT!!

I ended up calling about 25 fouls in the game.

Here is the kicker: The parents from losing team come up to me after the game and shake my hand and thank me for my hard work and one parent said you were better than some 2 man Crews!!!

Nice to be appreciated:)

Good Job!!! Did you ask the players to be on the honor system on calling the lines opposite of where you were?

Did y'all contact each other before the game? Here, the R is required to get in contact with his partner(s) 48 hours before the game...heck I'll even do it even if I'm not the R.

I met with all the starting players from both teams in center circle before tip and apologized for my partner not being there and flying solo. Told them that sportsmanship is even more important today with just me calling the game.

He was the R on the game. No contact. tried calling him 30 minutes before tip but he had his cell off:)

BTW, AD gave me both checks:)

Like I mentioned...if the R isn't timely in contacting me, then I'm putting the wheels in motion...e-mail and a phone call. Hopefully it helps avoid situations like yours.

Here, the entire crew can pay fines if you don't make contact and a partner doesn't show. I email three days ahead, and if I don't have a response by the day before, I call. By game day, if we haven't heard back, the assignor gets a phone call (his directive).

Some people think grown men shouldn't contact each other to confirm game details.

Some people jump off cliffs too but that doesn't make it advisable.

LOL!!! :):)

Peace

Luck had nothing to do with it. :rolleyes:

Some people would be wrong, IMO. I've circumvented a couple errors by contacting partners ahead of time. Here, there are a lot of high schools with similar names, and it's easy to get confused on a given day. It happens less in the age of smart phones, but still. Not to mention the possibility of showing up at the visiting school.

I learned my lesson when I worked one and a half games by myself after my partner went to thr visiting team's school. I now send an email as a matter of course a few days before the game. Contacting each other before subvarsity games isn't the norm around here though.

Game Confirmations ...
 

I always email a confirmation (below) to the site's athletic director, and a copy to my partner. I do this every Sunday, for all my upcoming games that week. Why? Because if there's a screwup, created by me, my partner, the school, my assignment commissioner, or Arbiter, the first question my assignment commissioner will ask me is , "Did you confirm your game". I will always be able to answer, "Yes", to that first question. After that, it's gonna be a crap shot, but at least I'll be off to a good start in that conversation.

Basketball Official Confirmation

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5259/5...e071a75e_m.jpg

February 3, 2013

BillyMac
100 Main Street
Little Corner, CT 06000
Home Phone (000) 000-0000
Cell Phone (000) 000-0000 (No Signal During Business Hours)
Email: [email protected]

Environmental Chemical Analyst
Acme Environmental Laboratories, Inc.
200 Roadrunner Street
Transylvania, CT 06000
Business Phone (000) 000-0000 (Ask For BillyMac)

This is to confirm that I will officiate the boys varsity basketball game at East OshKosh High School
on Wednesday, February 6, 2013, at 7:00 p.m.

Please contact me if there is any change in the schedule. My contact information is above.
During weekday business hours, it is best to reach me at (000) 000-0000. I do not have access
to the internet, nor to email, nor do I get a cell phone signal, at work.

Sincerely,

BillyMac
International Association of Approved Basketball Officials
Connecticut Board #0

When I learned our association doesn't require confirmation (but suggests it as a good idea), I decided to use a template similar to BillyMac's.

I've only had one partner reply back to me, although some others will mention that they got my e-mail when we are talking before the game.

Being a new official, quite a few schools/districts reply back to ask for W9 information or to confirm my arbiter information so they can properly pay me.

The Arbiter sends out an automatic message to the entire crew for an upcoming game.

I simply forward it to my partners, with a brief note about how much "I'm looking forward to working the game with them", where to meet if we are driving together (and what time to meet), and clarify what color shirts we will wear (stripes or gray...even though I bring both colored shirts).

P.S. We almost always were the black and white stripes for regular season games.

If I do not get a reply...then I will make a phone call.

Shouldn't have to. But because every adult is not adult enough for this, those who are adult enough have to.

I just don't see why some folks have a problem with touching base with your partner(s) before a game.

Folks have no problem going into Arbiter (or whichever system) and accepting games. They have no problem emailing their assignors looking for games. They have no problem signing on here to complain about partners. But to email/text a partner to confirm all the information is correct, that's way too much trouble. I just don't get it.

I don't have a problem with it. I just think it's silly that we have to - solely because we have irresponsible folks out there who either forget or don't bother to tell anyone else when they can't make it ... or didn't check their schedule, or whatever.

I don't think it's silly or just because of irresponsible folks.

We're all human, things happen, people make mistakes, forget things.

We have a policy to contact partners at least 48 hours prior to tip-off and if no response by 9am of gameday we are to contact our assignor.

I learned my lesson two seasons ago. It was one of my first games as R and I sent out the email to confirm. I got a response from one partner but not the other. I didnt really think anything of it, figured the guy just was busy, and assumed he would show up for the game.

30 minutes prior to the schedule tip, the guy hasnt shown up yet or responded to a voicemail I left. I call assignor who says, "that's my mistake, he turned the game back last week and I forgot to replace him in Arbiter." We ended up using one of the JV officials in what turned out to be their first ever V game.

It worked out ok but the whole situation could have been handled better had I followed protocol. Now I do it every time.

It's not silly at all but a rather simple way to keep everyone on the same page and avoid mishaps that can happen to all of us.