Getting picked up very young

[Rich]

I moved a lot from my first year of officiating (1987) till I settled in at my current location 12 years ago.

I was terrible as an 18 year old, I'm sure. I just didn't fall into the right group and I was in college and it was just beer money. I worked my first varsity game my junior year of college, but I still wasn't very good.

Then I moved to grad school. Took me a season and a half to get promoted to varsity.

Moved again. Worked a full varsity schedule, but knew I was only staying for one season.

Moved again.

Moved again.

Moved again.

I've seen every kind of group, from the one who would watch you work for a few minutes and assign you like a veteran to those who had artificial rules in place that would have Earl Strom working 3+ years of JV girls.

Thankfully I moved to a place where I can direct my own HS schedule. I don't work EVERY conference in the area, but I end up with more games than I plan on working every season. I went to camps, my postseason assignments improved - last year I worked state -- 27 years and 6 states in. I'm a HS official for life. I work college football and college baseball and I still see myself as a HS guy first and foremost.

Now that I assign, I run into all kinds of officials. Guys who ask me what the game pays before I get a word out. Guys who are 18 and already think they're NBA-quality officials. Guys who are 40 year vets who get games who I won't hire based on what I see of them.

Until you remove people from the equation, this won't change.

And if I was young, pretty, and ran like a gazelle, I'd be looking to escape to NCAA or pro basketball as quickly as I could.