What would make you quit?

[Texas Aggie]

I'm talking about situations on the field or directly relating to what we do -- not necessarily family situations. I'm preparing some training and want to do some research on certain topics - and this is one of them. All of us have a breaking point somewhere and I'd like to know what some of those points are.

For me -- I honestly couldn't say right now. My wife has never hinted that my schedule bothers her and there's no other family issues. I've had friends quit because they didn't want to take any more abuse. What about pay? Injury? Time involvement? Whatever.

Thanks for any responses.

[JRutledge]

I guess there are all kinds of things with my family that would make me quit on some level. But the only think right now I can think of is if there is a health or injury situation that would make me reevaluate my abilty to keep up with the game. Otherwise, there really is nothing that would make me quit on the surface. Life could change that, but I just do not see it other then what I stated.

Peace

[HLin NC]

I'm with Jeff. I am at a point in my career where I am comfortable with my knowledge of the rules and my relationships with coaches so there isn't much I can foresee that would make me throw in the towel at this point.

Giving up youth football sometime ago, the danger of issues flaring up from that are gone. I worked my state final last December and the state all-star game in 2010 so those bucket list items are checked off.

My son is currently playing JV's so I've already had to amend my scheduling. I am taking that opportunity to make the next step in officiating and am working as the R in middle school games so I can still work at 5:00 and go see him at 7:00. If/when he plays varsity, I know that there will be a couple of years where I am working little to no Friday nights.

This is my 20th season and 15th as a varsity official. I turned 50 in July. I would hope to get 10 more seasons in to give me 25 years at 60 years of age. My thinking is that will be a nice round set of numbers to go out on, provided my health allows it.

My remaining goals would be to make varsity white hat and work the Shrine Bowl before hanging them up.

[MD Longhorn]

The good ole boy network. Advancement due to who you know, not how good you are.

[Welpe]

For me, it is the system we work under which is what Mike alluded to. It is a case of the inmates running the asylum.

I've been on the cusp the last couple of seasons of calling it a career and just spending more time with my family due to some of the garbage we have to deal with including our crew not able to get games for not knowing the right coaches. Our system encourages the ignoring of bad behavior from coaches, skewed calling of games for fear of not getting picked for games and many other things that go contrary to how I believe games should be called, especially at the high school level.

In essence, officiating in this area leaves me feeling that we are the necessary evil that must be tolerated but only if the coaches and ADs get their way.

The straw that nearly broke the camel's back for me was a JV game our crew had this year where I flagged an illegal block below the waist. The HC lost his marbles, screaming at me and would not calm down. I flagged him for UNS and my white hat picked up my flag and then basically went over and kissed the coach's ass. That was the closest I've ever been to just walking off of the field.

The discussion in the locker room was interesting to say the least but this situation is completely indicative of what many crews, especially not established ones, go through. I'm about sick of playing this game.

[Rich]

I still have goals to fulfill in all three sports I work. I can't see me packing it in (unless there's some unforeseen health issues) otherwise. Once I meet those goals, I'm guessing I'll set other goals.

That said, when I do have a night off, I used to wish I was out working somewhere. That's rarely my feeling anymore -- I usually treasure the free time I can spend at home and with my family.

And Welpe, I am a white hat and, IMO, that WH overstepped his authority. I would never, *never* "pick up" a UNS flag thrown by a crew member. I simply feel I don't have the authority to do so. Why would he feel like he does?

[VA-Blu]

Health issues and losing the joy of working the game.

Those are my top two as I have no other issues that concern me at this time.

VA-Blu

[archangel]

When there's no more good looking moms in the stands.

[Suudy]

At one point I did quit. And what made me quit was the good ol' boy club in the association I was in at the time. The association had crews for the season, and evaluations were done by your crew. After each game your crewmates would submit evaluations. At the end of the season, the individuals with the highest evaluations were assigned playoff spots (with seniority as a tiebreaker). And the next season, crews were created based upon those evaluations. There was always 2 "elite" crews that were assigned the biggest games.

Well, after 2 seasons with them it became clear. The "elite" crews were the same guys every year. And after every game they all evaluated themselves perfect scores. The evaluation and rating system was clearly meaningless.

It all came to a head at the banquet at the end of my 2nd season. The playoff assignments were announced and they were the same folk as the previous year (and it turns out the year before that as well). The ratings showed them with 100% all season long. There was a clamor among the rest of the association, which the president and assignor dismissed and said they "would address any concerns at the next board meeting." I knew that was a deflection, and I think they thought nobody would come to the board meeting and fight against this crap. Myself and several other officials told them we quit the association and would be transferring to a neighboring association.

In the end, myself at 5 other guys joined the neighboring association. I found out later that several other guys quit as well, and two of the board members resigned. I didn't hear anything more for several years, then I ran into a guy I used to work with in that association. He was one of those "elite" officials. He and some others transferred to our association. I politely inquired about the old association and chatted with him.

After this, I called up a guy I knew that remained in the old association. He told me that the board had been ousted and a whole new slate of officers was elected. They had finally changed the evaluation process to be one of third-party evaluations (an off-crew had its members assigned to evaluate working crews). And the "elite" crew designation was removed. The board did still select which crews worked which games, and the board did create the crews. And unsurprisingly, after the changing of the rules, many of those "elite" officials either quit or transferred.

Now, this didn't make me quit altogether. Fortunately I lived in a large metro area that had multiple associations. But if the association I am in now were to degenerate into something like the above, I would quit. I'd have nowhere else to go (without driving 100+ miles to meetings and games). I might fight it a bit harder than I did back then (I was a relatively young official then), but I dislike politicking within sports.