Pre-Game Communication
 

I struggle with this because I do not want to step on anyones toes so I wanted to get an opinion from anyone who has one. When I'm the R on a game (HS varsity) I like to send out the standard email/text/phone call (whichever seems appropriate) 24-48 hours before a game to be sure everyones on the same page with time, location, level, etc. However, at what point should the U1 or U2 step up if nothing has been recieved from the R. Maybe I'm over thinking the process, I just don't like to start out on the wrong foot with an unknown R if they're going to feel I'm doing their job.

you need to do what's standard in your area. If the R is supposed to contact you 24-48 hours, then contact the R at 24 hours (just make it a standard confirmation: "Bill -- Confirming that I will be at West HS about 6:00 on Thursday for the 7:00 tip")

Hello
 

Welcome to the forum.....

Thank you, I just discovered this about a week or so ago and I think these topics and responses are great, love what's going on in here!

Here, the R tends to initiate contact, but I'm not afraid to do it if I haven't heard anything the weekend before the game.

Same here, I agree and the two times I've done so this season there has been zero issue. Just wanted to see if anyone else had a different opinion and I think Bob laid out the perfect way to address it above.

Here the R is expected to get ahold of you 48 hours in advance.....if i haven't heard from my R, I'll get ahold of them. I like calling them at 3am. "Hey, we on for saturday? I haven't heard from you..."

We receive game reminders from ARBITER. When I receive mine, I usually just cut and paste my partner's email addresses from the ARBITER msg, and reply to the original msg (the header has the game info). Doesn't matter who's first really or initiates the email (R, U1, or U2). We are directed that if we haven't heard back from ur P's w/i a few hrs, we're supposed to make a call(*). Haven't had a problem and find it very efficient.

* Obvioulsy, this is a lot easier now that there are so many handheld devices in use and you can receive the email and "reply to all" with a simple "acknowledged" or "confirmed."

CVBOA? Mid-South? Tri-Cities?

I hate when an 'R' won't communicate before the game. I once had a D3 game where the R wouldn't return any of my emails. So on the morning of the game I sent a text. His response was "it's on arbiter, isn't it?".

I once had a long-distance college game between non-conference foes. Our supervisor has a policy of the R contacting the school to verify the game and then contacting the crew. Turns out the game was double-booked and the officials were supposed to come from the visiting team's supervisor. If my R hadn't of done his minimum requirements, there would have been 3 extra officials at the game who travelled a long distance for no reason.

Schools and supervisors sometimes make mistakes. If we sit around assuming everytime is automatically correct, we are setting ourselves up for failure.

If I have a game on Friday and I haven't seen anything from the crew, I'm sending out an email before I leave the office on Wednesday. Usually just a quick email:

"Confirming our game on [Date] at [School A] at [Time]. I'll be there no later than [Time]."

My association puts the responsibility on all the officials, not just the R, to make contact with your partner(s) at least 24 hours before.

This is strictly and area thing. At the high school around here it is not always clear who is the Referee and they are not given the same responsibilities as most college supervisors would have for their Referee. This is really what your supervisors and associations want. We can only tell you what we are asked to do and that might be in conflict with your area.

Peace

Wow.

Round here the small college supervisor expects contact by Sunday before the game...if we haven't heard from the R 48 hours before game time, we are supposed to let the supervisor know.

Can't say I have done that...usually if they don't contact me, I get in touch with them so no one gets "in trouble".

This the expectation of one of the MS assigners around here. If you haven't heard from your partner (regardless of who the R is) by the day before, he wants to know.

Please don't tell us your last name is "And-one". ;)

To my knowledge it isn't, but maybe these players know something I don't because they won't stop yelling it at me haha!!

Good one. ;)

Peace

Form Letter ...
 

Same here, confirmation email to the athletic director, cc'd to partner. I send out my confirmation emails, using the Arbiter, every Sunday, for the following five weekdays, and the following weekend, games.

Basketball Official Confirmation

January 5, 2014

WillyMac
00 Main Street
East Oshkosh, CT 00000
Home Phone (000) 000-0000
Cell Phone (000) 000-0000 (No Signal During Business Hours)
Email: [email protected]

Environmental Chemical Analyst
Acme Laboratories, Inc.
000 East Street
West Oshkosh, CT 00000
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 Friday, January 10, 2014, 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
Little Corner Of Connecticut Board #0

I contact my partners a few days before the game regardless of what duty I've been assigned to.

When I asked this question a year ago, I decided on using a modified version of this. Whether I'm the R or U, I try to send a confirmation within two days of a scheduled game.

Careful with this. The Arbiter's reminder email function has not been working for me (and every official I know) since Dec. 20.

One of my assigners sent out a warning about this...but not all. I got an "emergency call" yesterday to fill in for someone who did not show up. I did not get the details as to why, but the email reminders for this assigner are not working.

There is no standard here (where we work for assignors, not associations), but I always contact my partner if I know who it is.

Yes there is been some problems with the reminders. But why would anyone really need them? Don't you already know you have games on certain days? For me the reminders only give information about the site, otherwise they are mostly annoying.

Peace

It's nice to know if and when a partner has been removed from a game and you need to contact a new partner. With as many changes as we've had for weather around here, stuff is always changing. My partner on Tuesday (For a game that was ultimately canceled) was taken off the game and I had no idea because the emails aren't being sent. I contacted the Arbiter's support people several weeks ago and they said it was about to be fixed, but nothing has to this point.

This is a foul.:D

Our area uses the same assignor for volleyball and basketball.I worked volleyball for him in the fall and he expected partners to contact each other a week prior to game day.So in Google not only would I put my game days in but the days where I would have to contact a partner.

Could be a no-call.

Acknowledged. Got a similar Msg. But, overall, the procedure works well.

Now, if ARBITER was completely down, we'd be screwed!

Just sent my partner (he is the R) that I've never worked with a text this morning for a game we have tonight. It is customary in our Assn to get a contact the day before to arrange travel, meeting spot, time, etc. He never contacted me. I can't imagine anyone getting thier feelings hurt if one of the Us initiated contact arond here, as long as your tone isn't negative or making it sound like the R is dropping the ball.