The biggest school district around here (One of the biggest 2-3 in the state) plays its MS games at 3:00 right after school. It's an accepted practice for officials to go dressed to these games. Back when I first started, I showed up with my bag, not yet knowing that we usually went dressed. Those are the only schools that I know of where we go dressed.

I coach junior high football in the fall as well. We had at least two games this year where only three guys showed up and the fourth would roll in just after the game started. I've done a MS basketball game before and showed up dressed very late (10 minutes prior to tipoff), but I can't imagine showing up to any game after it has started.

It is acceptable to show up dressed 15-20 min before a MS game where I transferred from, (never did them here in VA), the only issue with that is if right in front of you on the way to the game C1 crashes into B1 (see what I did there)? and you're stuck detouring, you may very well be showing up after tip. That is the one and only reason I make it a point to attempt to arrive 30 min before tip off, expect the unexpected.

I have been doing MS games for 13 years. Yeah call me crazy.;) Also do Jr High and some JV. I agree with Scuba ref. I’m just glad there are two bookkeepers and a competent person at the clock at the MS games. Never check the book. I do though always enforced the rules to the surprise of some in the gym. I feel we have to teach the rules to the kids, coaches and parents. Many times when a violation happens I calmly tell the player what they did wrong. Sometimes I direct my comments to the coach too. They don’t have a problem with this. I did though have a bookkeeper say to me, “I know of no ref that would have made that call." What happened is the girl bringing down the ball stopped dribbling in the backcourt, tied her shoe and then proceeded to dribble again. Tweet. Double dribble. I think she learned her lesson.

I work volleyball for our local board and handle our school's basketball books.In volleyball we are expected to show up at least 30 minutes prior to first serve.I show up an hour early for my matches.We run the risk of losing assignments if we show up later than 30 minutes multiple times.In basketball we play all 4 levels (JV girls,JV boys,Var girls,Var boys) on the same day 3,430,600,and 730.I am at school for home games at 2pm.On the rare instance I work Jr High games I feel like it is my job to show the next generation how it is done at the varsity level.I hold the students to the same expectations that I keep for myself when handling games at any level.One of my favorite sayings is "The most important game on the court is the game in front of you."If its MS or JV that means giving it the same effort as varsity.