for Derock

[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.....