Taking a path working men's vs. women's ball

[vloch]

So far, I've worked at the high school level but am interested in advancing to the college level and am looking at different camps and clinics.

What advice or insight do you have on the difference in looking to work men's vs. women's games? Do officials usually go one route or the other? What pros/cons/differences do you see in working the two?

[JetMetFan]

The main advice is pick one and stick with it. I made the decision to work NCAAW nearly 20 years ago because I like the way the game is played and I can identify with it - I'm 5'11" and the last time I dunked was when I played on 8' rims at a playground in college.

There was also a practical reason: There weren't as many NCAAW's officials as there were NCAAM's officials so joining the ranks wasn't going to be a tough.

[BillyMac]

Talk your your high school official colleagues who also work college games to see what it's like working up the ladder for both genders. Here in Connecticut, it's a lot easier to get in to start, and to work one's way up the ladder, working womens college games. I'm sure that it's different in other areas. Once you get that information, then you can consider whether one gender, or the other, is worth the wait. It depends on how bad you want one gender over the other.

[JRutledge]

The bottom line, they are only allowed to be assigned one side or the other because that is what the supervisors want. And many D1 assignors for example also assign lower level college leagues or work closely with those that do assign those leagues and they are not changing that position for most of us around the country at this time. And considering how different the two games are and the expectations, that is likely not going to change for that reason too.

You are either going to make the choice yourself, or the choice is going to be made for you. Once you are assigned on one side or the other, the other assignors will not touch you for the most part. There was an assignor in my area that would just put officials on both sides and he was fired as a result, becuase the coaches complained.

Peace

Originally Posted by JRutledge

There was an assignor in my area that would just put officials on both sides and he was fired as a result, becuase the coaches complained.

What was the basis of their complaints?

[johnny d]

Originally Posted by AremRed

What was the basis of their complaints?

The men's coaches don't want/expect the game to be called the same way as the women's coaches want/expect the game to be called. In particular, the coaches on the men's side were not happy with what they considered girls officials because those officials tend to call the game much tighter than officials that work only men's games.