Your commitment to the game, HS and NCAA

Originally Posted by BigJWalt

I have a good discussion topic for you guys. I come across a lot of guys who have problems getting to meetings, can only do a specific number of games a week, etc. All this because of their significant other.

I can only speak for myself, but my wife if my biggest fan, and totally supports me not being home for 4 months out of the year. Regardless of the night, day, or how much time. We even postpone our anniversary until football season is over.

I mention this because I am looking to get into the college game within 2-4 years, and I expect to be gone from Friday at noon, until Sunday at noon (probably much less). And my wife does not see this as an issue.

How can other guys move up to the college level if their significant other constantly rides them to be home, and thats only at the HS level? I would have to think football caused a few divorces, or guys gave up on the college level.

This maybe off your subject but we always get guys in our association as "cadets" and get a ton of sub-varsity and pop-warner assignments that Varsity guys can't do. So, they get set with 30-40 games and don't make meetings or cadet classes and forget about taking that written test. Then they come up with I can't make the meetings because of work. But they have no problem making 30-40 games!

[ljudge]

I work real hard at making football work having a wife and two girls ages 3 and 6. The wife supports me working high school ball but wanted me to give up midgets. I just applied to college and will hopefully be accepted after the 2006 season. Those all-day Saturdays will be a whole new ballgame.

It sometimes gets "old" as she puts it but I need to focus totally 115% on family during the week and not talk about football or work. And, during the off season when she wants to go out, let her go!

A few weeks ago I received an e-mail with the subject line...."We're meeting to meet BonJovi in a suite at the Soul game tonight."

I thought "cool, a Friday night at the soul game." Then I read the body of the message. "We" is her and a girlfriend and they had free, open bar, etc. in a suite on a Friday night to watch the Philadelphia Soul. I had to take the girls to a movie. My response...."hey, you don't mind me doing fooball. NO problem!"

It's about working through it together.

[Jim D]

We I was a kid, my father worked high school and college ball and he was really not around much during the football season. It was something I had to think long and hard about when my kids were young.

Officialting not only takes time away from your spouse but, especially if you work college ball, you will miss a lot of weekends in the fall with your kids. It can make for some very tough choices.

[Biscuit]

I wanted to start officiating HS football 15 years ago but with 2 little kids it just wasn't practical for me. Once my son was done playing, I immediately got my license. I do have to schedule around my daughter's HS volleyball games which takes away doing as many lower level games as I'd like.

[kentref]

My spouse is very supportive. In return, since I started officiating, I try to take her out to lunch during the week. I only do football but the lunches go year round as much as my work schedule permits. With all the kids' activities and my work schedule, the lunch break is just that ... a good break from all the chaos!

My spouse was the one who encouraged me to get into officiating, so ... I suppose that gives me some leeway. I try to work as many games as possible and she is pretty understanding.

Family needs to come first. That means different things to different families.

[HLin NC]

I started out calling Little League baseball and some of the umpires were also FB officials and they asked me to try. I did both for seven years but when my son was born, my wife told me to pick one sport and live with it. Since I found myself beginning to hate baseball about district tournament time and hate the fact that football season was over, I stuck with FB.

This season will be interesting as my mother, who was our "on-demand" sitter, recently passed away. I'm also planning a HS class reunion which may knock me out of a Friday nite game. I'm getting the feeling that I might miss some games this year.

[irefky]

My wife continues to be my biggest fan. She's so supportive, went to the NFLRA camp, stayed in Orlando while I drove to Sarasota each day. I could not ask for anyone to be my best supporter than her. I think I will buy her something really nice this weekend.

With this little discussion, lets do that for our wives. This is the one time of year that my officiating is less, just after baseball. It's JUNE 1, football meetings start next month. I have one camp this month, and little league post season soon. I challenge each of you who have responded to this thread to do something good for your wife this weekend.

I don't mean let her prepare the salad, set out the plates, prepare the meat for grilling, bring you the plate of marinated meat to grill and you finally getting up and putting them on the grill. It does not mean after dinner, you set back down and she cleans up the table, prepares the scraps for you dog and feed your dog nor for her to wash and dry then put up all the dishes either!

This will be a good thing... Have fun and cannot see what some of you do this weekend.