How would you handle...?

[Rich]

Originally Posted by GBFBUmp

CT1 you are correct. In our area there's a huge need for officials at all levels. By no means are the officials at the lower level for any other reason than there's a game scheduled. There have been sub-varsity games I've done where there are 4 Master level officials on the field, some with State Championship Game experience.

I take a full slate of sub-varsity games every season and my Friday night crew works them all. We are all Master level officials (of course, this isn't the hardest thing to maintain in Wisconsin). We love working football and the season's very short.

One thing we do for these games is to let people work out of their comfort zone. Two of my guys have committed to referee more games next season. I work umpire as much as I can. Our back judge works wings and white hats quite a bit (he's my backup white hat in case I have to miss a game). We work on a lot of things on Thursday nights and situations come up Thursdays that make us better on Fridays.

I won't blast anyone for not working games, but at the high school level I think most of us need as many snaps as we can get to stay on top of our game.

[GBFBUmp]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

I take a full slate of sub-varsity games every season and my Friday night crew works them all. We are all Master level officials (of course, this isn't the hardest thing to maintain in Wisconsin). We love working football and the season's very short.

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Rich, you are right on both counts. I used to do a ton of lower level games, and would work varied positions. Scheduling (oldest is in Frosh football now) makes it hard for me to do sub-varsity games, or I'd be doing them.

It benefited me immensely to do the lower level games. I am typically ump on our crew, however, if we have a sub, I am able to step into any position and provide a quality game to the teams because of my lower level refresher games at each position.