Varsity Eligibility

PiggSkin · #1 (**permalink**) Fri Sep 26, 2003, 02:42pm

I've seen a few people mention working varsity games in their first or second year... What are the requirements for being eligible to work varsity games in different areas..?

Around here, we're required to do three years of sub-varsity and accrue so many points... I'm sure this will make be a better official, let me build character and all that other stuff... But I'm kinda jealous that in other places, one could be varsity eligible in year one or two, while I won't be eligible until year four...

(I know, I'm whining...)

Is the three year plan more of the exception or the rule..? Just curious...

BktBallRef · #2 (**permalink**) Fri Sep 26, 2003, 02:54pm

I don't think any booking agent wnats to put people on the field who aren't ready. But let's face it, it's a numbers game. When you normally have 12 games to book on a Friday night and you get hit with 17 during a non-conference week, you have to make difficult decisions.

I was put on a crew in my second season. However, I had worked 5 years of rec ball, so I wasn't green. Just had to have some things polished up. Years aren't necessarily the key. I worked with a guy this past Wednesday who's worked 10 years but may never be ready for a crew.

JasonTX · #3 (**permalink**) Fri Sep 26, 2003, 03:04pm

My rookie year I had 6 varsity games. That seems about average for the rookies that joined this year as well. By the 3rd most will get 10. A full schedule here is 12 weeks.

JRutledge · #4 (**permalink**) Fri Sep 26, 2003, 03:10pm

The only requirements are to get a license and get hired by the assignor, AD or Crew Chief.

Usually the a crew chief can put anyone on their crew they like. It is ultimately up to the crew chief to decide who will work for them, but it could cost the crew playoff opportunities (all 5 working together) or with getting assigned particular games.

As long as you have a license with the state, you can officiate any level you like outside of the playoffs in my state. That is the way it is in all sports. No association has a say, just the folks who give out the games or hire the officials to join their crew.

It is not completely unusual in my area/state to have first and second year officials work varsity games. They might not get the games on their own, but they might be picked up by a crew chief or replace someone on a crew for that night.

I worked about 4 varsity games my first year. Two of the games were last minute or unusual circumstances that allowed my crew to get the game. My second year I was on a crew that had all our Friday nights as varsity contests.

Was I perfect during these games, of course not. I was not perfect on the varsity game I worked yesteday afternoon. But I am much more relaxed and knowledgable about the game I am officiating, than I was my first and second year.

Officiating is not only about experience, it is about talent. Some guys are just more talented and deserve more opportunities than guys who have less talent.

Peace

sloth · #5 (**permalink**) Fri Sep 26, 2003, 03:16pm

There is no eligibelty criteria around here. If you are liscensed by the state athletic association, you are allowed to do varsity games. No finding a crew cjief that will put you on the field is another thing. My instance is that I'm a fill in. I've worked about 75% of my sub-varsity games with the crew chief that asked me to fill in. I think that he has enough confidence in me that he knows I may make a few mistakes, but I'm not going to do something crazy like freeze up and loose it.

We are also a bit shorthanded around here, which contributes to the situation a bit.

MD Longhorn · #6 (**permalink**) Mon Sep 29, 2003, 10:06am

Wow, Jason - wish I was in your chapter.

DFOA (Dallas) has plenty of seasoned guys. It's very problematical to get assigned to varsity games as a new guy. The veterans (crew members) only have to work 3 sub-V games all year, and most put in exactly that. So any given young official might have the chance to impress a veteran 2 or 3 times a year. And then you had to have impressed them enough that they remember you when one of their crew is absent.

One in-road to varsity here is that Texas has some schools that play 6-man football. These schools have Varsity games. Young guys (me) can go to a rules clinic and work varsity games early on (I've worked two - hopefully one more on Saturday) - where you're usually teamed with other varsity crew members (another chance to get noticed). It also helps that the man who schedules "normal" varsity games also schedules 6-man, so you get recognized by him as well, which might accelerate the process.

Sleeper · #7 (**permalink**) Mon Sep 29, 2003, 01:47pm

Because of numbers, I ended up on a crew and had 9 last year and 11 this year. The rest of the crew are veterans from 4th to 20th year and I am second year.

Subvarsity is readily available and I worked 67 last year and will work 75 or so this year depending on how many get moved, cancelled, etc. I worked semipro and 7 on 7 over the summer.

It isn't uncommon for first and second year guys to be working 6-man, private school or small-school ball.