The state made the assignment, why would they not acknowledge who worked the tournament? Associations already acknowledge the assignment. Something should come from the state as the records of who worked and when is on the website.

Also I have worked a State Final in football with a school from the same town I was located. Never heard anything about it and I tell that story is how insignificant it can be. It is not a secret where we are from.

Peace

Bingo. Also who, exactly, is going to be celebrating our accomplishments? The fans? The schools? I think not. Our family, friends and colleagues know we're on the game. That's more than enough. If you say our names on a TV broadcast, so be it.

Just an FYI, from a college standpoint the ECAC prohibits PA announcers from saying our names during the pre-game intros. My assignor got into arguments with some schools this season because they weren't complying.

I gotta go with Rich...I'll take that chance.

Then how come you don't use your name here?

Just a curiosity question.

Addresses and numbers aren't in the program; however, if you have x and y it's not too hard to figure out z.

All you have to do is look in the box score for IHSAA, their names are listed there. Took me all of 2 minutes to find that info (Daniel Smith (R), Richard Tolle, Todd Brooke). The same can be said of a lot of the games we all work.

In some state the names and towns in which an official resides is listed on their website.

I am no expert, but doesn't the freedom of information act also make it possible to get this info? We are working for a state association who receives its money from the public. I think any resourceful person could acquire the info.

Sure but is a high school sports reporter really going to go through that trouble to find the hometown information for the officiating crew on a basketball game? I doubt it, especially since they'd face (in IL) a wait of up to five business days.

Not that it matters but for the one or two people who said these guys were in over their heads, these guys were at the final 4 last year as well. It seems like the state didn't think so.

This crew was selected over some IHSAA officials on this forum.

It is public information or can easily be obtained. Everyone screams about transparency, unless they are the ones being talked about. Officials want the acknowledgement when they are selected to work a tournament, but then if things don't go well, they don't want anyone to talk about it. You get the good with the bad.

The state seems to have bigger issues with the conduct of the schools (players and coaches) than with the officiating.

After watching the video, I don't think they were in over their heads. I think they decided to "let the kids play" and then were shocked when it got out of hand and they had to try to reel them all back in. Jmo. Of course.

FOIA requests can get a lot of information, but likely not addresses and phone numbers. Unless I can submit a FOIA request and get the governor's secretary's home address. Besides, officials are all (at this level) private contractors rather than employees. I don't think FOIA applies anyway, but I could be wrong.

I dont pretend to know all the people on this forum, not even all those from IL, but this is not necessarily so. This was a 2A championship game. In IL, we get to let the state know if we want to be considered for the 1a and 2a playoffs, the 3a and 4a playoffs, or both. Most of the people that I know from the Chicago area tell the IHSA that they are not interested in working 1a and 2a playoffs because they overlap with the playoffs for the bigger schools and they would rather do those.

We are from Illinois not Indiana. :D

Your above statement is not really true either. Since you referenced people on this site and I am one of them, I would not be assigned that level because I hardly ever do that level. I am lucky if I work 5 games with schools that small and if I do, it was because they were playing a bigger school in classification. And because we list the type of games we work throughout the year, I would not count a Seton game in most cases as a 1A-2A game. I believe we have to work at least 10 games at that level to be eligible for post season. I also have worked multiple Sectionals which also are the very same weekend of the this State Finals. If I am ever fortunate to work a State Final in basketball, at this time it would not be at the 1A-2A level.

As Johnny said, most officials in this area would not be available for similar reasons as I am not normally available. I used to work smaller school playoffs but stopped getting those games as it appear to be clear where I was best served in the state's eyes and location of where I live.

Peace

I Know, I'm A Bad Boy ...
 

Northeastern Illinois?

I worked in Illinois as an official with reciprocity for at least 5 years and I never once worked a 1A or 2A game.