Reply too HighSchoolWhiteHat (long post)

[James Neil]

"Two years and you're getting National Championship Games? Who do you know?
Please don't say it’s on merit, please.
Don't take this the wrong way, I've been an official going on my 8th year now and had to earn my way up to the HS varsity level. In Phila,Pa. you have to have 3 years on grass to get into the association that schedules catholic league HS games.(and you don't get a varsity game till your 4th year).In the Public League its a little easier(just make a phone call and lie to the scheduler that you have 4 years with an association)you still don't get a Varsity game till about 2 years with the Public League, but you'll get Jv games. P.I.A.A. is the State Association and you have to be there awhile before you can get a Varsity schedule. As for Playoff in any of these games, NO way you'll get a Championship or Playoff game after 2 years of being an official in Pa."

Again don't take this the wrong way, I think its great for you to be getting these games. Im an assigner and wouldn't take a chance of putting a second year official in a HS varsity game. I also wouldn't evaluate a 2nd year official for a HS Varsity schedule unless I heard hes the greatest official anyone has ever seen.(and nobody has ever said that about an official)(haha)

What state are you an official in?
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Sorry HSWH, I should have been more specific about the assignments but didn’t feel it necessary for ole Derock . But for you sir, no problem 8^)
I’m 46 years old and a member of the Rogue Valley Football Officials Association. We have just over 50 members and are located in Southern Oregon. I worked two games for the Pacific Northwest Regional Pop Warner Championships in Santa Clara Calif. on theNov.23. One of these games was a Regional championship game for Div.1 Pee-Wee (10-12); one was Div.1 Midget (11-15). The Midget game was a semi-final with the winner going to Florida to play in the National Championship Tournament. The IWFL (Independent Woman’s Football League) championship game I worked on July 6 of this year was played in Ashland Oregon between the New York Sharks and the Texas Outlaws (Austin). This was the first Super Bowl of woman’s football ever played and despite the fact that it was played by woman it was very exciting and I’m proud to have been a part of it. I worked Ump in one varsity game this year for a small AA high school in Glendale Or. This crew consisted of a WH with 30 experiences, LM with 6 years and a LJ working his first game EVER! LOL This official is a Police Officer with over 15 years working baseball. He has one of the best field presents I’ve ever seen and am always very happy to be assigned to work with him.
Now, how am I getting these games? Definitely not on merit. Well not on merit alone.
I have no special relationship with the assigner of my association. I’ve only known him for the two years I’ve been a member. He not only takes into account availability (which I am 24-7) but also preparation when assigning. He takes into account that if you’ve worked Monday through Thurs and all day Saturday, you’re going to be rewarded. This doesn’t mean a rookie or two year guy will be working a 4-A game every Friday night. But he will assign to one or two 1A or 2A V games if you’ve met his criteria for assigning V games.
This has helped shake the more experienced officials out of their complacence and given the less experienced guys more incentive to work harder in their preparation.
My preparation has consisted of one year of studies before I even joined the association. I started visiting all the on-line football official sites in Sept of 2000. I joined an ICQ chat room in Dec 2000 and have studied there almost every night. We get the most die-hard officials from around country .In our group are some of the country’s top High School (active and retired), NFL and Div.1 NCAA officials. My main Mentor is a retired official whose last game was as WH for the 2000 Rose Bowl. He also worked as an NFL replay official. I correspond daily with officials from around the country. I usually do 1-two hours of study daily both on and off the computer year around. I write in my journal and self evaluate after EVERY game. I dress and look as professional as I can both on and off the field. I ask for evaluation after every game from my crew, and when available from the association. I’ve received scores of 95 and 93(the 93 was closed book) on the two NFHS tests I’ve taken
So as you see, this is a passion in my life. My situation is not the norm and I’ve probably progressed faster then most two year officials. I’m going to stop now before I need to get a bigger hat size. Besides that I have to study up now and prepare for the bashing I’m going to get in tonight’s chat class 8^)

[mikesears]

Can you send me instruction for joining the chat room again?

I'd appreciate it.

mailto: [email protected]

Thanks!

[Sleeper]

James,

Our association doesn't have the luxury of new officials not calling some varsity. We need the bodies. As a first year official, I called 125 games. Nine varsity on a crew, 76 subvarsity from 7th B to big school JV and 40 Pee Wee games. We had a full crew of all first year guys that called a full varsity schedule of private school games and a couple of crews of first year guys that did Varsity 6 man games. Probably not ideal, but I wasn't going to turn down the opportunity. I have more games in one season than my dad did in his first 5 years of calling back in the late '60's and early '70's, because of the drop in officials combined with the explosion in new schools. Sometimes, necessity overrides logic.

[AndrewMcCarthy]

Obviously how fast you're able to move up is mostly a function of the local supply/demand. I just completed my second year and will officiate varsity games for the first time next year- all at the linesman position. Only after my third year will I be eligible to be an "active" official.

There's no way to move up quicker where I am- which has its advantages and disadvantages. While it's obvious that James works very hard, I'm sure there are others who might not and must learn from their mistakes made during varsity games. And where does the "weeding out" process occur? I've seen guys who figured out that officiating wasn't their calling- I'm glad that didn't happen on the varsity field!

While I would have liked to work varsity games sooner, I'm more comfortable knowing that the guys I'll be working with had two years under their belt at the sub-varsity and youth levels.

I'm sure in a lot of areas they don't have the luxury of bringing guys along this slowly- that's just the way it is.

BTW, James- if I could have any info on that ICQ chat room I'd be very interested!

[HighSchoolWhiteHat]

Jim

keep up the good work, more 2nd year officials should prepare as hard as you do.

If youre ever in philly I'll assign you some games (haha)

[James Neil]

Good to see some interest in the ICQ chat room. We can use the new blood. As the rookie of this group I useally take the most heat when we get down to biz. After almost 3 years of this I could use a break LOL.
What you do is go to icq.com and hit the green “down load ICQ” icon on the left hand side of the page. After you do these, post your user number at this thread or send me an e-mail and I’ll add you to my user list. We usually get together around 6:15 PM Pacific Time and will chat till around 7:00. We work NFHS rules but welcome all officials. Well almost all officials. If any of you have Derocks officiating attitude and think you can do this without having a rule book ,(or are making up your own), don’t bother. You won’t like it there. The bashing he’s taken here is nothing like the one he’d get after 5 minutes with these guys. Hell, Dan Louie would probably track him down and strangle him with his own flag. 8^)

BTW HSWH, since the season ended I've fallen into a deep depression. The way I see it I’ll be in this condition until I work my next game. I’ve booked a flight to Philly to take you up on your offer. What’s for dinner? ;^)

[HighSchoolWhiteHat]

Jim,

we'll have to go out to eat my wife can't cook worth a damn