Officiating Article

[prosec34]

As a lawyer who has called ball for three years now, I feel most officials should feel offended by this guy's comments. What a horrible choice of words for the "top official" in the state.

I work games with guys who work in factories and other blue collar occupations, and I try to go out of my way to not act like I'm something better than them. Because I'm not. I don't even tell them what I do for a living unless they ask.

If you're dedicated to your sport(s), try to learn the rules/mechanics and try to act professional while wearing the uniform, you have what it takes to be a good official, no matter what college degrees you may possess.

[SouthGARef]

Those pay increases put them just a little below what we offer here in Georgia. The pay's not going to pay all of your bills, but it is a quality second income.

The days of "doing it for love of the game" are over. The middle class isn't doing that well, and often times they do it because they need the money. I don't have any problem with this, as long as it doesn't interfere with the job they do on the field/court.

I know it may not be a popular idea, but one area to concentrate recruiting is on college campuses. I know I began officiating at the intramural fields, and that's where I learned how to officiate. There are wealths of young bodies out there that have the extra time, are often available in the afternoons when games are being played (while the older officials are at their 'real' jobs), and the money made for college students has a lot more influence on their budgets than it does on a grown man providing for a family.

I know it's a sore subject, because I know I've received resentment from the experienced officials when they see a 21 year old kid walking up to call a game with them. But I know that in my (small) football officiating association that on Friday's where we've put 30 officials on the crew that around 7-10 of them were college students. At first coaches tend to give us little credit, but once we do the job well we gain their respect.

[HLin NC]

SouthGa,
I believe you are right on in recruiting the college student ranks. The only caveat I would add is you need to screen them carefully. I started umpiring LL baseball in a college town and we had a lot of students umpiring. Some tended to straggle in, be sloppily dressed, and lack focus and discipline. I always tried to arrive early, which meant I was always getting the plate gear on first.

I would make sure the intramural director offered a good recommendation

[SWFLguy]

We used to get some college kids for softball. They generally worked out
pretty good, except that when school was over--they were gone. I like the
idea of college kids for football. I may pass that on to our association. Their
might be some college age kids who played high school ball and would like to
give it a shot.
PS--I totally agree that "the days of doing it for the love of the game" are long gone. Quality I believe will come when you have quantity.