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Mon Nov 17, 2003, 01:46am
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Compared to officiating college intramurals, youth leagues are a breeze and high school is a downright privilege. I've been calling intramurals at the Univ. of Tennessee (where I am a student) and I am convinced that no player in the entire league (something like 220 teams) knows the rules of flag football, or any NFHS enforcements (which is basically what flag football goes by). Not to mention that I am one or maybe four or five semi-competent officials in the whole system. We have folks show up to officiate wearing jeans and boots, or that like to play with their flag while the game is going on, or that like to talk to the people they know on the sideline during a play. It gets a bit ridiculous. Add to it that we barely get paid minimum wage and work four games a night, and it gets to the point where it's not hardly worth it. The players don't care who you are, to them you are just another student. If they get thrown out, so what? They'll just be back the next week and they'll remember who you are.
I got threatened by this one player I ejected a couple of weeks ago. After I flagged him for USC, he ripped his jersey off, got right up in my face, bumped me, pushed me, and called me everything in the book. I proceeded to toss him, which fired him up even more, and then I yelled to the supervisors on duty to call the police. They finally got him out of there, with him threatening me all the way off the field. Turns out the guy wasn't even a student and had used a fake name and ID number when he signed in. The other players on that team didn't even know who he was. I think all the guys on that particular team were punished for letting him play, but they didn't really care. The problem is, there's not much way to be completely preventative of something like that happening, although they do periodic ID checks throughout the season. I'm not in it for the money, but the intramurals have gotten to the point where they are not enjoyable any more. I am somewhat regarded as the one of the most knowledgeable football officials with RecSports, and I will be the R in the championship game this Wednesday night, but I think this will be the last year I work intramurals. I'd rather work 3 hours and make $60 on youth leagues than work 4 hours and make a little over $20 with the intramurals, not to mention intramural games not ending until after midnight. [Edited by bigwes68 on Nov 17th, 2003 at 12:48 AM] 
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Fri Nov 21, 2003, 03:11pm
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I'm sorry that your exsperience with IM's has not been the best Bigwes68. I went to UT undergrad and now run the IM program at Purdue University. I know Jackie well enough to know that he won't stand for the actions of the player you described. I have no doubts that Jackie would want you to stay and help improve the program during your time at UT.
Having done Flag for years, your right, players don't know the rules. Mostly because the rules actually are very different to regular football. We use most of the same concepts and penalty enforcement principles but flag football is about speed and quickness, not strength. Don't get to discouraged. We all enjoy progressing to higher level games. But also remeber where you came from. Someone gave you a chance to be as good as you are at your current level. Do you still do the finals in Neyland?
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Fri Nov 21, 2003, 05:30pm
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Intramural Officiating
I also have officiated intramurals for the past few years concentrating on flag, but also doing softball and volleyball. Effective leadership and support of officials need to be in place starting from the director on down to the supervisors.
Any ejection due to sportsmanship issues carries an automatic one game suspension and a required meeting with the director. IDs are checked every week and at least one supervisor is on duty on each field or court to deal with injuries, unruly players, etc. I agree player knowledge of the rules is an issue (officials too, I had a back judge blow the play dead after a punt returner signaled fair catch, but that's a different topic). I'd suggest increasing the team registration fee by $7 and give the captain a rule book. The pay sucks, but I enjoy what I'm doing. I've met many and gotten to know many players and fellow officials and that is worth the occasional jackass on the field. I'd work for free (maybe not as many games however).
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Fri Nov 21, 2003, 10:10pm
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I returned to youth league football last season after several seasons with adult flag football. Youth leagues cannot come close to the abuse, stupidity and downright arrogance of adult flag football.
The league boasts it is the largest flag league in the country. In reality it is a bunch of overgrown kids who are either wannabees, has-beens or never-was who haven't got a clue. Sometimes they show up drunk. Have been known to physically strike officials and generally act without any respect for anything.
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Sun Nov 23, 2003, 09:47am
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They don't still do the finals in Neyland, unfortunately. I think that changed when they got rid of the turf and went to natural grass about 10 years ago.
Jackie is (well, was) a very good program director and I knew I could count on him anytime I needed help with something intramurals-related. However, he resigned/retired last week. We let him do the honorary coin toss at the men's flag football championship because it would be his last-ever intramural game. I don't know what they ended up doing about that guy that nearly assaulted me that night, but I think the whole team got into quite a bit of trouble. They don't usually check ID's every week here during the regular season--maybe once during the regular season, and then every week in the playoffs. Maybe after something like what happened to me, this will change.
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Sun Nov 30, 2003, 10:50pm
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Quote:
I played intramural sports at UT. 90% of the officials were truly horrible, but I don't expect much more than that when people are paid so poorly.
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Mon Dec 01, 2003, 08:04pm
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Rich,
Please don't send this out to my students. I have a hard enough time recruiting as it is. I have no illusions that most of the Intramural Officials hired at most institutions are not that good. We don't pay well, my kids get around $6.50 a game. But, as I tell our captains at thier meetings, these kids have decided to come out and work these games instead of flipping burgers at a dining hall. It is also a great place to start out as an official. At Purdue, we have around 350 basketball teams. Out of 85 officials, 10 or 12 of my kids hav e become licensed in the state of Indiana. Most don't have a desire to go on but some do. Whave established a Football officials association for Indiana recently. One of the suggestions that we talked about in regard to not bringing in new officials is to look at kids in IMs. Most of my kids won't get licensed but some will. And even if they move on after graduation, they will keep working where ever they go. Sorry, I'm off my soapbox now. I hope you enjoyed Knoxville during your master years. Indiana is quite a bit different to good ol Tennessee. Where are you at now Rich?
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Wed Dec 10, 2003, 03:38pm
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Fans
Our league has a rule where the coach is responsible for the sidelines. The refs can also eject any fans as well. If the fan is ejected, their son/daughter is also ejected for 1 game. If it happens again, the parent has to attend a anger management class and they can not attend another game that season. I am not sure if the child is removed for the season. I am only doing Pop Warner for the experience as its my first year. As soon as I get to HS, I will only do Pop Warner once in a blue moon to help the scheduler out. I am obviously not in this for the money.
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