In Ohio playoff officials are chosen individually (as opposed to crews) by votes from coaches. How do other states select playoff officials.

Crews - I'm not totally sure how it works. I believe the crews are selected by the comissioner of the association until a school plays another school which the association doesn't do. At that point the comissioner sends a list of top crews to the state and the state picks from the list.

Kansas

During the first week of playoffs the state assigns crews to the games. This covers two rounds for 5 classes and the first round for the two largest classes. After that the state can assign however they feel is appropriate. The coaches send in votes on who they feel are playoff-quality officials and the state uses those numbers to help them select the officials as well as proximity to the game site as the state pays for mileage in the playoffs.

San Diego section of California.
First round is by crew, so are some of the second round. After that it's put together crews formed by the Assign Sec and approved by the board committee in charge. There are individual requirements established by the assoc for all playoff games, which may eliminate an official's chance of getting a game, even if the rest of their crew is going.
How the rest of the sections in California do it is up to them. We don't really have any state "oversight" or input. How they intend to pick officials for our future, if it really happens, "state championships" (think bowl game type invites from all the section champs)is anyone's guess.

Here in Missouri it is crews. If a person cannot work he is replaced. Very seldomnly is a crew selected and "the weakest link" subbed out for. I think it has happened though.
I should find out if our crew got a playoff or not tonight. Here's to hoping!

New Jersey -

We have crews all season long and only crews are allowed to work in the playoffs. There are some isolated cases where a crew member gets injured and we allow for a sub. We typically have 3 rounds (unless only 4 teams make the group).

The quarterfinal rounds are done locally by our local chapter.

The state gets a list of top crews for semi-final and final assignments. For both of these 2 rounds we usually get sent out of district, but we've had local crews who worked local championships. I'm not 100% sure if these are hard and fast rules for the latter rounds.

Minnesota

9-man and 5 classes.

Each section coordinator picks the crews and that varies based on the coordinator.

The state association assigns the crews for the final three rounds in each class. 4 quarter-final games, 2 semis and the final.

To get assigned to those games the crew has to apply for state tournament assignments at the beginning of the season. Your crew must then be observed by the state association observers.

The observer must recommend the crew for consideration for assignment to the state tournament. The observers do contact the referee and provide a written evaluation of your crew.

Also, coaches rank the crew after each game.

The crew's application, game schedule and members is all entered online in the state association's website by the referee.

The assignments have already been announced, I think. The crews that are working the tournament in my local association already know their assignments.

SC, it's by individual. We do not have assigned crews throughout the year.

It is via a point system independent of voting by the coaches. I personally do not believe coaches have the ability to properly rate an official.

In Texas it is a mixture of both since certain chapters have crews and others do not. The coaches usually get together and negotiate issues (location, time, officials) and depending on what they decide, either they agree on a crew, agree on a chapter, or one coach picks one or the other. I doubt now they would negotiate or even pick individual officials but it may happen in areas where both schools work a chapter that doesn't use normal crews.

KY does the finals with an "All-Star" crew. 1st, 2nd, some 3rd & some 4th are done with regular crews. The "A.S." crew is worked in at week 3 and may have a semi before the finals. There's some good and bad to this system. The good is someone from every region gets to work a finals rather than 4 crews out of 16 regions. Problem is some assignors have their favs and will send them every year rather than opening the door for another qualified person. The region could also send a bad apple where as if they sent a crew, I don't think the state people would let a bad crew get that far.

I saw that before too (Local crews on Local games). We always have to drive to the other end of the state! You shouldn't have crews doing schools they do during the regular season. It should be hard and fast!

Colorado

The officials rank one another. A first place vote is 10 and a 10th place ranking is 1. The playoffs are worked with your crew. Once the rankings are turned in, then the state says ok we need one crew for this date or two crews for this date etc... Most the time in our association we only get one crew. I believe it is because there is a lack of quality officials (or those officials that desire to get better) and a lack of teams from our area that play deep enough into the playoffs.

I think the coaches need to have a say in who works. I recently transfered from KS and the coaches voted and the number of recommendations you had determined how far into the playoffs you worked. I like this way as opposed to the CO way. IF you piss a coach off he might not vote for you for that year. If you piss one of the officials off in the little area, they may never rank you.

It’s a mixed bag in Alabama. We have local associations – some use crews and some assign individually each week. The first and second rounds are assigned by the AHSAA to an association and each association determines who individually works the games. It is preferred that each official worked that position multiple timeS during the year and should be a class 2 or 3 official.

We have 8 district directors (retired officials) who also act as evaluators for 3-5 associations through out the year. Third and fourth round games are assigned to the directors, who choose the individuals. Usually they pick a crew by position from an association (mainly for easy of travel) but can mix and match if they so choose.

The finals are assigned by the AHSAA by position based on the director’s (and others) evaluations from through out the year. Coaches also send an evaluation each week – I am not sure how much weight their evals carry. I can tell you that a negative eval by a coach is investigated and can lead to officials being suspended and/or an association put on probation.

The 6 finals are all played over a three day period in Birmingham. The individuals have a pre-game meeting the day before their assigned game, stay in a hotel together and have a pre-game meal / meeting with member of the AHSAA staff the day of the game. Believe me when I say it is an honor to be selected!

Zebra Sports sponsors a suite at the stadium for game officials, instructors and directors. If you thought coaches were tough on officials – you should listen to those guys pick you apart!

In Iowa each school can nominate 3 crews for playoffs. The number of recommendations is how playoff crews are decided. Approximately 20% of crews will get a playoff game as of the 160 games each regular season Friday night some are OOState crews.

Ky jumped on the NFL waggon with All-Star crews and just read in the referee mag that the NFL is getting back to the crews. IMO, I like the crews if they are solid but have been at the finals last two years and noticed officials in different positions that sometime are not lined up at the right spot.

On the other hand, all star crews work two game prior to the finals, correct Gman34? I cannot remember but it seems like the crews do a good job down there.

How did your game go at Frankfort? Mine was OK, 49-23

Albany, NY
 

First three rounds (i.e. up through sectional finals) are handled by the local associations for that section. For the last three rounds (state quarters, semis, and finals), the state tells each association to send so many Rs, so many Us, etc.; it's entirely up to the local associations who gets sent.

In Minnesta.

On our letter from the state for the quarterfinal, they said that if two or more members of our crew could not make the game, the entire crew would be replaced. I believe that is the same for semifinals and finals.

in Georgia,
-it depends on your association. ours, we make the playoffs as an individual ranked by position. you then are put with the corresponding crew with your rank. all #1 ranks on #1 crew, #2 with #2, etc. this makes for a couple of very strong crews. this has worked for us the past few years. we have had a state championship game for the past two years.

In NC --it's up to each association --which we have 8.
In ours -- it's done by indivuduals --not crews.
The State chooses the ones to do the Finals --based on recommendation from the association.
As far as I know - coaches have ZERO input .
We'll get 2 playoff games --if we are lucky --but the ones working the c-ship games will get one every week -- 5 total.
They'll work together --generally the 3rd week of playoffs -before the c-ship game.

I n Ohio, it's highly unethical and down right subversive for a white hat whose first and last name begin with the same letters to work any level of post season play.

Any organization that would even consider employing such a scoundrel deserves what it gets.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by tpaul

Quote:

I saw that before too (Local crews on Local games). We always have to drive to the other end of the state! You shouldn't have crews doing schools they do during the regular season. It should be hard and fast!

The other end of the state? Aren't you in the middle? I could see Ljudge complaining if he had to come up here but not you.

We normally work crews during the year. All games are assigned by a booking agent, so coaches are not an issue.

This year, I am honored to be assigned to work a state championship game. I'll now have one in both sports that I work. But my concern is that the 5 of us have been pulled together from 3 different crews. I'm a little nervous about working with guys that I've never worked with before. Big games...you just don't want to fall on your face, ya know? Just wish we would have had the chance to work just one regular season game together. A blowout would have been great! :)

No matter, I'm looking forward to it! Can't wait! :D

here in SE Virginia we use crews assigned by the commisioner.

For semis and finals they crews are gathered statewide. Each association is allotted officials based on the number of schools they service. But we are in the same boat--working with strangers.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by waltjp

Quote:

Originally posted by tpaul Quote: I saw that before too (Local crews on Local games). We always have to drive to the other end of the state! You shouldn't have crews doing schools they do during the regular season. It should be hard and fast! The other end of the state? Aren't you in the middle? I could see Ljudge complaining if he had to come up here but not you.

21/2 hour drive for a game is far! Pennsauken isn't that far this year. Maybe an hour. That isn't too bad. I wouldn't say complaining. I would go just about anywere for a game...LOL ;)

Who is working Pennsauken? That's local to my chapter but I can't be there. I was told my crew was given consideration for a semi but we only got a quarter and I was very happy with that. We weren't selected for a semi so we decided to work the chains at Delsea for a S.J. Group 3 semi. We had an Atlantic Chapter crew come and work that game tonight.

We have crews coming to North Jersey tomorrow. My old crew where I was a LJ is coming up that way but I'm not sure which game they were assigned.

My LJ called our assignor and offered to work a final chains assignment. Since 'Sauken didn't play yet I'm assuming you're talking about tomorrow's semi. I can't make it because I have to deal with my boat before winter.

If any of you get a final in two weeks let me know. We may offer to work the Pennsauken final if they win because it would then be a Saturday game and we're available then.

LJ,
My crew has the Absegami vs Pennsauken game sat at 1PM. We are from Central Jersey. I never heard of either team...LOL

2-3 years ago we had Delsea vs Hammington. Awesome game...

Screw the boat and come on down!

Shucks! Just getting your message at 2:45. Absebami is out of district but Pennsauken is covered by us. Tony Sacca (Penn State / Arizona Cardinals) is one of Coach Lawrence's assistants. I guess by the time you get this message you would have met him.

EDIT - Wow! I just saw on the internet that Absegami is up 21-0 at halftime. I haven't seen either team this year but that's a surprise.

I read it on...

http://www.nj.com/forums/hsfootballs/

Also, when you get a chance check out....

http://www.sjsportsphotos.com/shop/

I'm sure your game will be on here. I had the Cherry Hill East v. Egg Harbor Township consolation last weekend. Go figure...we had a quarterfinal and no good game picks but a consolation game was covered. Your game should definitely be here by the time you get this message.

[Edited by ljudge on Nov 19th, 2005 at 02:57 PM]

Last year an Austin (TX) crew was assigned a first round playoff game between an El Paso School and a Lubbock school that was played in New Mexico.

In Texas, "other side of the state" takes on a whole new meaning. Just imagine "out of state!"

REPLY: You're right about that. I read a post about one of our colleagues whose playoff assignment was 250 miles away. Heck, here in NJ, if my playoff assignment was 250 miles away, I might be doing a game in Virginia..maybe with TxMike!

Nothing on there yet...Butr I will check it later...AC was the last game list against Absegami. Absegami out coached Pennsauken big time. Never seemed like Pennsauken got in the groove at all.

wow, that is a trip!

In Michigan we try to work together year round and work the first three rounds of the playoffs together as a crew. After that the last two rounds (State Semi's and Finals) our governing body and local associations select individuals to work together based on ratings, experience, etc. There are certain requirements for each member of the crew (# games worked this year, # of ratings, Rating Avg) for that person to be postseason eligible. If one person can't make it out of a five person crew then the state will appoint a fill in for a selected five man crew.