How long to make it onto a varsity crew?

[GBFBUmp]

I was fortunate to have a mentor crew that I was asked to be an alternate on. I knew one of the crew members outside of football. I prepared the year prior, met with the crew a number of times, and actually had my first game on a Friday also. The mentoring helped immensely.

[umpirebob71]

In Ohio, you can't work at the varsity level, until you have completed two years as a Class 2 official. A test has to be taken, and you have to have at least two favorable observations. If both the test, and the observations are passed, you can be considered for selection to a regular crew. Some guys get on a crew fairly quickly, for some guys, it takes a few years.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by umpirebob71

In Ohio, you can't work at the varsity level, until you have completed two years as a Class 2 official.

That's the general rule, but Class 2 officials may work varsity with the permission of both head coaches.

[jaybird]

..with the permission of both head coaches.

Seriously?
In our area, coaches would have no say so. As long as an official meets the state requirements to be a registered official, realistically, an official could officiate a varsity game as a rookie with no game experience. That's not going to happen, of course, but the decision would be in the hands of the local association assigner and no coach would have any input.

[FredFan7]

Illinois is hurting for officials. I did a varsity game my first year (although I had been an official before that and took some time off for a job). It took me two years to be a regular with a full schedule on a crew. Where I am, if you learn, work hard, and hustle, you'll be working varsity sooner rather than later.