A new record!

[Danvrapp]

Working the King James tournament in Akron, OH on Saturday. Scheduled to work a 4-game set. Halftime of the second game, site director says we're adding 3 more. First time I've ever worked 7!

I can honestly say I handled it physically better than I handled it mentally. After that 5th one, I had to keep reminding myself to stay focused. Fortunately, it was all 5th grade and didn't have to do much more than run baseline to half-court, but 7 games is still 7 games...

Any other "fun" stories of working way too many games in one day?

Originally Posted by Danvrapp

Any other "fun" stories of working way too many games in one day?

Nothing about working 7 games in a row is "fun".

[just another ref]

My limit now is 3 in a day, and I prefer 2. Nobody alive, in my opinion, needs to do more than 2 high school games consecutively. The quality will suffer after that.

But, back around 1990: I got a call to do a fundraising tournament to raise money for a guy's medical bills from a wreck. 50 bucks for the day. I said I would do it. It started at 9:00 a.m. Guess what? No partner. One of the players at the place hosting filled in for the first couple of games, actually doing a pretty nice job. 5 minute halftimes, 10 minutes between games, and a 30 minute break at noon. The rest of the time, we were playing ball, finished up around 10 p.m. 10 games total.

Due to all the circumstances, highlighted by the partner no-show, they actually paid me 80 bucks instead of 50. I graciously accepted.

Ah, to be young again...

[grunewar]

I try not to do more than four in a row. That being said, if it's on a middle school floor, it's much easier on my old legs than doing a high school floor.

Due to a ref cancellation this past season, I did five in a day, but had a several hr break in the middle.

Certainly a long day for me though. I slept well.

[SNIPERBBB]

Most I've done basketball I've done in one day is 10 games.

Few years ago, did a little league tourn, 1 hour time limit 10 games behind the plate then went over and did bases for a 15u game.

[Raymond]

3 games, in a row and for the day, is my max. Once a year I make an exception during AAU Nationals and take a day off from work and do 4 games with a break between games 2 & 3.

[SNIPERBBB]

Don't know how guys keep going with taking breaks. I'd rather work straight through. Adrenaline is a good drug. Breaks and boring games kill me.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by SNIPERBBB

Don't know how guys keep going with taking breaks. I'd rather work straight through. Adrenaline is a good drug. Breaks and boring games kill me.

Most off-season games are boring.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by AremRed

Nothing about working 7 games in a row is "fun".

Except the check.

BTW - I once did a MS rec tournament on a hard tile floor. The seven games I did that day seemed like fourteen games to my knees.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Danvrapp

Working the King James tournament in Akron, OH on Saturday. Scheduled to work a 4-game set. Halftime of the second game, site director says we're adding 3 more. First time I've ever worked 7!

I can honestly say I handled it physically better than I handled it mentally. After that 5th one, I had to keep reminding myself to stay focused. Fortunately, it was all 5th grade and didn't have to do much more than run baseline to half-court, but 7 games is still 7 games...

Any other "fun" stories of working way too many games in one day?

I would have told him he needed to call the assigner to get some officials for those final three games. No way I'm doing 7 in one day.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Except the check.

BTW - I once did a MS rec tournament on a hard tile floor. The seven games I did that day seemed like fourteen games to my knees.

They had a big national Nike's girls tournament here this weekend. They set up 12 thin jig saw courts at the convention center directly on top of concrete. My knees were killing me after 3 games Friday with my Zigs. Saturday I wore my old, ugly standby NB610's and had zero knee pain after my 3 games.

[Freddy]

Originally Posted by Danvrapp

Any other "fun" stories of working way too many games in one day?

When listing the downsides on the left and the upsides on the right, the left column is always longer when assessing "meat market" officiating like this.

[constable]

My record is 15 in a weekend.
3 Friday
3 Saturday morning, 3 in the evening.
6 Sunday.

It sucked.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

My knees were killing me after 3 games Friday

That's kind of the reason I always took my meds before (and during - and after) games.

[Kansas Ref]

Youth recreational weekend tourney in Topeka back in 2014: did 3 consecutive on Friday, 6 games on Sat, 5 games on that Sunday = 14, fortunately all were 20 minute running clock on both halves and fortunately also I reffed them consecutivetly (hate taking a game break!), but downside was the last game went to double OT @ 3 mins per OT, although I got a cash payout on Sunday aftenoon, I won't be doing that grind again.