for Derock

[STEVED21]

AB,

You sound like the perfect size for an umpire. All the best ones are the size of linemen. Don't give up.

[HighSchoolWhiteHat]

REF oz

Please tell me where I made it seem to everyone that im better?

Please just show me once

[HighSchoolWhiteHat]

Oz,

Putting down Referee's????

and youre a 13 year official?
I heard it all now.

[The Ref of OZ!!!]

Just simply go back and read the way you've replied to me and Derock. You've taken yourself too seriously. I believe Derock is just simply trying to yank our chains..... Don't yank back.

If I've missjudged you, I am sorry. I didn't come onto this forum to upset anyone... Just to communicate with other officials. I enjoy they game, and on the field as an official is the best way to participate when you're 47!

[JMN]

Guys,

In your associations, how are white hats moved from Youth to High School to Varsity?

Our association generally starts good officials off at Ref on Youth games with some veteran guys. Guys are chosen based on their skills at other positions and ratings by fellow officials, desire to Ref and availability, of course. If there are no repercussions, they begin receiving some Frosh assignments.

JV opportunities are usually provided by a Varsity Ref who says "I'm not interested in White Hatting 2 games. Would you like to take the JV game?" They work with you to get things right and help with winding/killing the clock, penalty enforecement, etc. If you do a good job, you start getting JV Ref assignments from the assignor. I sure appreciated our senior guys for providing me with this support and opportunity to learn the new position on the field. No better way.

As far as Varsity assignments, it appears to be a waiting game until the current Varsity Ref's decide to hand up their cleats.

How do the rest of you move folks into Ref assignments?

[ABoselli]

In our association, you send in your availability sheets in May and you can specify up to 5 schools you would prefer not to work and your three choices for posistion in order of preference. You will probably not get an R gig until you have a) been there a while b) proven that you're not a complete nitwit c) have done a good enough job so that the assignor can go to a vet and ask him about you and get a positive assessment.

In our chapter, there are a little over 100 'active' officials (those who have come up through the ranks three years, have passed all the tests and graded out sufficiently enough by active officials on the games they worked with them) and there are probably 15 or so consistent white hats. They'll work BJ on occassion or umpire, but they're R's for the most part. It's tought to break into their club, but if you let it be known to the assignor that you wish to R, you will be considered.

I know a lot of guys who have zero desire to referee for various reasons. That's fine. I would rather be in charge, run the game at my pace, and be in a position to respond to coach's concerns than not. If I can't R, I like LJ because you're in constant contact with every other member of the crew and really help move things along.

[nvfoa15]

For rec games the Commissioner assigns four officials and lists them by position (assigning software requires this), at least one is a varsity qualified official. When I have these games I generally will rotate the positions among the crew for those that want to work other positions. BTW, we all wear black hats for these games. For F/JV the Commissioner assigns a four man crew. If one wants to work as WH then they can ask him to assign him as one for these games. Sometimes I will switch with one of the crew if they want to get some experience. We do F/JV combinations and send five men (four onfield and one timer). The ECO for the F game will be the WH for the JV game and vice versa. On the schedule the HL and LJ will switch from the F to the JV. The U stays the same for both games. For Varsity games, we operate under the crew concept. The Commissioner selects the crew chief (R) and he is a WH until he retires or is removed for other reasons (never has happened to my knowledge). The usual method would be for the official to make his intentions know to the Commissioner that he wants to be a crew chief. When a vancancy opens up (or a new crew needs to be formed) his request will taken into consideration. What criteria the Commissioner uses I don't know; he can take recommendations from other WHs but the final decision is up to him. We currently have 25-26 permanent 5 man crews and probably will form 2-3 more in the next 3-5 years due to new schools being built in our service area.

[HighSchoolWhiteHat]

I assign youth and CYO ball for 6 leagues in pa.

All 1st year officials come in as linesmen, 2nd year if youre doing fine I'll assign you to the umpire position, by the 3rd year you should be ready to start being a referee.(youth level) We are an association that teaches officials. 4th year officials can move up to the high school level. We work with 3 high school assignors and they ask us who's ready to move up. You start out doing f,jv ball and will not get a high school assignment till your 3rd year. At the high school level you make a choice of what position you want to work. All our high school assignors have ex officials and theirselves scout you while youre on the field. All 3 assignors we work with have crews themselves. ( they do not work games that they assign) The way I got my break was being a fill in. I worked a game for a referee who was in an accident on his way to a game( I just got a lucky break by being at that game also). The next year I got a crew.

Let your assignor know you want to be a ref and im sure he'll do what he can.

good luck

[The Ref of OZ!!!]

The luxury of having many officials!!!!!

We had 15 officials this last season. We cover 5 High Schools, and 5 Middle Schools. Generally we can cover all of the games with who we have, but when all the High Schools have home games on the same night.... We have to call in the guys from another association. We've been trading games with an association in the Willamette Valley, and that's worked out well.

Some of our guys work at the local papermill, and they work a rotating shift, so they're unavailable for half the season's friday nights. But, that works out good, because when I'm working at my regular job on a Friday, I'm off during the week to work the lower level games. We fill in where ever.... I was even lucky enough to pick up a Varsity game my first season.

We start new officials at the Umpire position, with an experienced Ref to help him out. The guys who can still keep up with the 16-year-olds, work the outside. The guys who are a little older, slower, and hurting, work the inside jobs..... That was me this past season. It'd be nice to have 100 officials, but.....

[JMN]

It appears that getting a Varsity White Hat assignment or crew across the country is consistent. They are few and far between and thankfully earned. I wish no ill will towards my fellow Varsity WH's and will await the opportunity to earn a slot. That's probably a good problem to have; guys who are prepared and itching to fill a vacant WH position in an association.

We've had both crews and individual assignments. There are pro's and con's for both. This thread is pretty long and has your buddy's name as the title of the thread. Think I'll start another topic to discuss your guys' opinions of crews vs. assignments.

Thanks for the feedback regarding getting to the Varsity White Hat position. I've been Ref at Youth, Frosh, and JV level for 4+ years. Ready to move up when there's a spot!I certainly don't know it all, but feel confident that me and my assigned crew could provide a good game.

[HighSchoolWhiteHat]

OZ,

how come you only cover 5 high school? don't you belong to an association that covers a league?(aren't these schools in a league?)

[The Ref of OZ!!!]

We cover two schools in one league and three schools in another league. These two leagues are based on size of the school. 2A is from 125(?) to 315 students in 4 grades, 3A is 315 to 850(?) students. We also officiate a few 1A (8 man) games.

In this area, the schools are few and far between. We travel about 60 miles, one way, to the furthest school we cover.......

[Edited by The Ref of OZ!!! on Dec 27th, 2002 at 02:56 PM]