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  #1 (permalink)  
Old Fri Sep 27, 2013, 11:24pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Adam View Post
As it is, for us, wedding rings and medical alert stuff are fine. Earrings, out. Nose rings, out.
I agree Adam...I had a earring years ago...but, never wore it while I officiated. I do, however, wear my simple gold wedding band.

You stated "earrings out". Do you actually tell your partners, in no uncertain terms, not to wear the earring(s)? Or do you do as I do, with the ONE varsity official that we have that continues to wear his earrings? Which is simply, "Hey Mike, you still wearing those earrings? It must be a soccer thing...." (he officiates soccer also) I kid with him...but, there is "a little truth in all kidding".

Our Assignor doesn't make a big deal out of it (Mr. Earring is rated in the top 25% of our association and got 19 Varsity games last year) so even though I am on the board...I don't make a huge deal out of it. Mr. Earring doesn't do State or playoff games.

I dunno...now that I think about it...wearing an earring might be right up there with wearing a belt!
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Last edited by RookieDude; Sat Sep 28, 2013 at 01:54am.
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  #2 (permalink)  
Old Sat Sep 28, 2013, 01:36am
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Here our people mostly come dressed to the site.
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  #3 (permalink)  
Old Sat Sep 28, 2013, 07:32am
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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.

Our assignor forbids the wearing of wedding rings. That being said, some people wear them anyway.
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  #4 (permalink)  
Old Sat Sep 28, 2013, 11:17am
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Middle School, Freshman, Games ...

Quote:
Originally Posted by constable View Post
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.
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Last edited by BillyMac; Sat Sep 28, 2013 at 03:56pm.
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Old Sat Sep 28, 2013, 09:43am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RookieDude View Post
I agree Adam...I had a earring years ago...but, never wore it while I officiated. I do, however, wear my simple gold wedding band.

You stated "earrings out". Do you actually tell your partners, in no uncertain terms, not to wear the earring(s)? Or do you do as I do, with the ONE varsity official that we have that continues to wear his earrings? Which is simply, "Hey Mike, you still wearing those earrings? It must be a soccer thing...." (he officiates soccer also) I kid with him...but, there is "a little truth in all kidding".
Actually, I've only had to bring it up once, and it was a "Hey, Steve, don't forget to take your earrings out."

"Thanks, Adam."
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Old Sat Sep 28, 2013, 10:59am
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Different Strokes By Different Folks (Sly & the Family Stone) ...

Quote:
Originally Posted by RookieDude View Post
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.
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"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

“I was in prison and you came to visit me.” (Matthew 25:36)

Last edited by BillyMac; Sat Sep 28, 2013 at 05:56pm.
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  #7 (permalink)  
Old Sat Sep 28, 2013, 09:30pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BillyMac View Post
... 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."
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  #8 (permalink)  
Old Sat Sep 28, 2013, 11:52pm
AremRed
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RookieDude View Post
and even what each official's score is on the yearly test.
In my area we have review sessions where we have access to all the test questions, and share the answers among everyone. Almost everyone gets perfect scores.
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  #9 (permalink)  
Old Sun Sep 29, 2013, 02:03am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AremRed View Post
In my area we have review sessions where we have access to all the test questions, and share the answers among everyone. Almost everyone gets perfect scores.

Which defeats the whole purpose of a test.
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Old Sun Sep 29, 2013, 02:48am
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Originally Posted by just another ref View Post
Which defeats the whole purpose of a test.
Exactly. Nothing like making it so they don't have to know the rules very well.
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  #11 (permalink)  
Old Sun Sep 29, 2013, 03:42am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by just another ref View Post
Which defeats the whole purpose of a test.
Not necessarily. Not all test are valued or used the same way for the same purposes.

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  #12 (permalink)  
Old Sun Sep 29, 2013, 06:06am
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We Surrender ...

Quote:
Originally Posted by AremRed View Post
In my area we have review sessions where we have access to all the test questions, and share the answers among everyone. Almost everyone gets perfect scores.
Quote:
Originally Posted by just another ref View Post
Which defeats the whole purpose of a test.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Camron Rust View Post
Exactly. Nothing like making it so they don't have to know the rules very well.
We had to go to a system similar to that used by AremRed due to the prevalence of cheating.

Before going to the system that we currently use, we all took our tests as individuals with an open book format. We sent in our test answers, which were corrected, and our test score counted 5% of our annual rating, which determines the number, and level, of games that we are assigned.

The main problem was that several members were always able to get their hands on answer sheets, often from IAABO colleagues in other states, that took their tests at an earlier time than us. If you knew a local board member with an answer sheet, it was just a matter of copying the correct answers, many never even looked at their test questions, and just sent in the correct answers to our local board's rating committee.

Others cheated in a slightly different way, forming "exclusive only by invitation" review sessions where one could attend by having already answered all the questions on the test. At least one person in one of these exclusive groups would have the answer sheet, and we would review both the questions, and the answers, with individuals correcting any answers that they may have answered incorrectly. Then the individuals would send in their answer sheets, with correct answers, to the local board's rating committee.

All of the above board members would get perfect scores, or near perfect scores in the not so rare situation where IAABO made a mistake on the answer sheet. Those who didn't know anyone with an answer sheet, or those who didn't "belong" to one of those exclusive review groups, or those who didn't want to cheat in any way, would do what they were supposed to do, answer their questions in an open book format, and get the score that they got, often quite low, due to the tricky wording that is infamous on all IAABO review tests.

Several years ago the leadership of our local board just threw their hands up in surrender, and came up with the officially sponsored review sessions that we now have today (see BillyMac's post #81 above).
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"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

“I was in prison and you came to visit me.” (Matthew 25:36)

Last edited by BillyMac; Sun Sep 29, 2013 at 06:45am.
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  #13 (permalink)  
Old Sun Sep 29, 2013, 05:33am
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Test Review Sessions ...

Quote:
Originally Posted by AremRed View Post
In my area we have review sessions where we have access to all the test questions, and share the answers among everyone. Almost everyone gets perfect scores.
Similar here. About a dozen review sessions are held. Your ticket into a review session is your test with questions answered (just answers, right, or wrong, answers). No answers, no entry into the session. We go over the questions, and answers. It used to be all the questions, now it's just what are deemed to be the difficult questions. Everyone in attendance gets full credit, which counts 5% of our annual rating, which counts toward our annual ranking, which determines the number, and level, of games that we are assigned.

Those individuals that don't attend one of these review sessions can send in their answers to the rating committee, who will correct it, and assign a score. Since the review sessions are held over a period of two weeks, a non attendee can get the answer sheet from a colleague who did attend an earlier review session. As a result, most of these non attendees get full credit on their test.

Those that don't attend a review session, or don't send in their individual answers, don't get any credit for the test portion, 5%, of their annual rating, which determines the number, and level, of games that we are assigned. For the most part these are officials who only belong to our local board to pay their dues, and maintain their "certification" to wear the IAABO patch, so that they can work their recreation, travel, Catholic middle school, AAU games, etc. These guys don't care at all about their local board rating, and are just satisfied working a few subvarsity assignments every year, with no intention of moving up.
__________________
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

“I was in prison and you came to visit me.” (Matthew 25:36)

Last edited by BillyMac; Sun Sep 29, 2013 at 09:05am.
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  #14 (permalink)  
Old Sun Sep 29, 2013, 05:43am
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Partial Disclosure ...

Quote:
Originally Posted by RookieDude View Post
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.
The closest we come to this is that we have a committee that, at the end of the season, reviews a list, from our assigner, with names redacted, of our 325 members in rank order, and the number, and level, of games assigned, to insure that our assigner is fairly assigning games. Around these parts, school don't rate, 80% of our ratings are from colleagues.

Quote:
Originally Posted by RookieDude View Post
"It doesn't matter what system you have for ranking...the cream always rises to the top."
Probably true.
__________________
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

“I was in prison and you came to visit me.” (Matthew 25:36)
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Old Sat Sep 28, 2013, 11:42am
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The Lady, Or The Tiger ???

Quote:
Originally Posted by RookieDude View Post
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.
__________________
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

“I was in prison and you came to visit me.” (Matthew 25:36)

Last edited by BillyMac; Sat Sep 28, 2013 at 12:08pm.
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