Career No-nos.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by grunewar

This would be one reason it wouldn't happen to me. I don't "shoot around with the guys."

... but players toss the ball to officials several times during a game.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Stat-Man

This is what I have at present. It looks very similar to what you posted.

Sports Balls Sports Band Medical ID Bracelet | MedicAlert Foundation

And your partner told you not to wear it?

In the immortal words of Bugs Bunny, "What a maroon, what an ignoranimous".

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by RookieDude

Mr. Earring is rated in the top 25% of our association and got 19 Varsity games last year.

Odd? Once again, an example of "When in Rome ...". Here in my little corner of Connecticut, we traditionally guard our ranking, and number of games assigned, like they're the Royal Crown Jewels. All of us speak of our ranking, and number of games assigned, in cryptic terms ("I moved up a few spots.", "I like my schedule this season.", "I'm working three, or four, times a week.", etc.). I'm not saying it's right. I'm not saying it's wrong. I'm not sure about the origin of this "oral tradition", passed down from generation, to generation (probably has to do with collegial ratings), but that's they way we've been rolling around here for all of my thirty-two years, and I guarantee that it goes back a lot longer than that. If we tell colleagues our specific ranking, or the specific number of games, or the level of the games, that we got, then we have to kill them.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

... but players toss the ball to officials several times during a game.

And I could jam my finger tying my combat boots, too.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by constable

Here due to our start times many people come straight from work. 315 or 330 starts for a JV/V double header. Some of our schools don't have adequate dressing room facilities either.

Same thing here. Almost all middle school don't have adequate dressing facilities. High school freshman games start at 4:00 p.m., (middle schools start at 3:30 p.m.) and while all high schools have adequate dressing facilities, the most important thing is to get the few officials who are available for these early starting times to the sites on time, ready to go. In some cases it may mean an official coming directly from work (maybe jeans, work boots, overalls, sweatshirt, etc.), certainly no time to get out of work clothes, into business casual clothes, and into his official's uniform. In other cases, especially where adequate dressing facilities are not available, it may mean getting dressed, in uniform, for the game at one's day job, or at home, and coming ready to go.

On the other hand, here in my little corner of Connecticut, high school night games, plenty of time, adequate dressing facilities, don't come dressed in uniform, come dressed in business causal, take a shower after the game, all the time.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by RookieDude

I dunno...now that I think about it...wearing an earring might be right up there with wearing a belt!

I can respond in one of two ways on this:

1) Shut up.

2) I agree 100%. It's one of those "When in Rome ..." local guidelines.

You chose. Pick your poison.

[Rooster]

Originally Posted by Adam

Jeff, I'm with you on this issue, but what is expected, and therefore what is considered "professional", is going to vary by area. Where jar works, it's not unprofessional. The only people who notice are officials, and school staff. If the school staff sees it all the time, they won't know any different.

I'll agree that everyone should do their Rome thing, and I'll also agree that few people other than officials would notice if someone came to the game dressed for the court, but I know I feel sharper when I arrive at a game site looking sharp. Additionally I doubt that someone who is not an official would think a dressed-down official is unprofessional or won't do a good job. I do think that an "outsider" will have the opposite impression with an official who is sharply dressed before a game. It's human nature to have unconscious impressions based on appearance and I'm going to control what I can control and put myself in the best position I can in order to get a positive first impression. I'm sureasheck not going to tell another adult what he or she should be wearing to a game but if someone asks, I'll share my experiences...

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Rooster

... arrive at a game site looking sharp.

It is our local custom that varsity officials arrive at the site in time for the junior varsity jump ball, observe the first half of the junior varsity game, join in the junior varsity halftime locker room conference, and observe the third period the junior varsity game, before heading into the locker room to get changed for the varsity game.

Junior varsity officials are encouraged to stay for, at least, the first half of the varsity game, and join the varsity halftime locker room conference.

All of this observing is for both educational, and collegial rating, purposes.

We believe that it's more professional to sit in the bleachers, surrounded by fans, parents, school staff, etc., in business casual street clothes rather than in uniform. There's certainly no way that anyone could accuse any members of my local board of a "get in, get out, get paid" mentality. We've been told by many athletic directors, and a few coaches, that they see us observe each other for educational purposes, that they see us, in the bleachers, dressed professionally in business casual street clothes, and that they really like what they see.

[Altor]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

We believe that it's more professional to sit in the bleachers, surrounded by fans, parents, school staff, etc., in business casual street clothes rather than in uniform.

Another "Roman" difference.

The schools in my area usually have chairs set up away from the bleachers/crowd for the school administrators and the officials for the other game.

Of course, many of these schools are small enough that they do not have bleachers behind the goals, so there is usually room along one or both of these walls for a short row of chairs near the corner.

[APG]

To people that say you may not be afforded an area to dress...where do y'all usually hold a pregame? Where do y'all go at halftime? Where do you go after the game is finished? Or should I assume this usually isn't provided at these type of schools?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by APG

To people that say you may not be afforded an area to dress...where do y'all usually hold a pregame? Where do y'all go at halftime? Where do you go after the game is finished? Or should I assume this usually isn't provided at these type of schools?

All of our high schools have changing facilities, we show up in business casual, change into uniform, shower after the game, dress back into business casual, and head to a local adult beverage emporium (especially on a Friday night).

But when working with a female official in a high school game (no, we don't get dressed, undressed, and shower together), our pregame is usually held in a hall outside the gymnasium, halftime conference in the same place, and post game conference, also, in the same place. Then we each head back to our own locker rooms.

Public middle schools (assigned by our high school assigner). Most come dressed in uniform due to the early starting times (3:30 p.m.), and usual lack of changing facilities. I don't work public middle schools, but I'm guessing that storage of referee property, and conferences, take place in the physical education office, which, at least in these parts, usually doesn't have a usable shower. The shower, if there is one, is where the physical education teacher usually stores equipment for the classes, and most of these teachers don't appreciate it when you toss their dodge balls out of the shower to use it.

Catholic middle school games. Almost all of us come in uniform. Jackets, street shoes, etc., are usually stored in a locked classroom nearest to the gymnasium. Conferences are held there. In a few cases all of this takes place at, or behind, the table. Less formal pre, intermission, and post game conferences, not really mandatory in our Catholic school games. We get there about ten minutes before the prayer before the start the first game, shoot the breeze with each other, work our games (usually multiple games), wait around long enough to make sure that everything is copacetic, grab our bags, grab our checks, and hit the road.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Bad Zebra

I'd add another one that I've observed more frequently in the past 5 years:

Engage in inappropriate behavior outside the lines.

Pretty broad I know but I've seen the following:
Officials charged with DUI's
Officials arrested for marijuana posession
Officials charged with domestic violence
Officials banned from school grounds for various reasons
Officials arrested for assault
Officials charged with indecent exposure

I used to believe sports officials were some of the highest character people around. Maybe it's because I'm in Florida and this place attracts whackos, but it seems like I see these occur more often than would be expected. In every instance noted above, the offending official ended up losing out on their schedule or being asked to leave the association, whether or not they were found guilty or charges dismissed.

Which is total bullshit.

[Bad Zebra]

Originally Posted by Matt

Which is total bullshit.

Maybe so...but it's all about perception and credibility. Based on the arrest...those officials are usually blackballed by AD's regardless of outcome and the association is usually left with an unassignable official. I've seen it three times in 12 seasons.

I appreciate your strong disagreement but ya might choose a different decriptive term.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Matt

Which is total bullshit.

Not being found guilty doesn't mean they didn't do it. Perhaps they did but worked out a plea to not go to court. That doesn't make it right just because they got off with it. Perhaps in the above case, every one of them actually did what they were charged with.

[RookieDude]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

... we traditionally guard our ranking, and number of games assigned, like they're the Royal Crown Jewels.

Interesting...our Assignor likes "full disclosure".

Our entire association just got the email last night showing every member's ranking (1st to last), amount of Varsity games last year, how many schools each official got "rated" by, and even what each official's score is on the yearly test. It also shows your ranking among your peers.

I have heard wise ol' Assignors say...

"it dosen't matter what system you have for ranking...the cream always rises to the top."