Okay, first of all I take full responsibility for my failure to know the correct procedures for renewing my license. Last year was my first year to officiate. In getting prepared for this volleyball season, along with attending the rules interpretation meeting and my local association meetings, I took in a varsity match about a week before my first scheduled match. I noticed that the officials were wearing a different colored patch from the one we had last year. I was curious why that was.

I got home and started looking through all my correspondence and realized that, like an idiot, I had set aside my license renewal form without returning it. The next day I called the state association and apologized profusely. I wasn't trying to get out of the late fee, which is $100 extra here in the state of Indiana (the regular fee is $55). The lady I spoke to assured me that I wasn't the only one who hadn't renewed and that if I faxed the form along with a credit card number that I would have my patches and rule books within 2-3 days. I was glad to hear that since on the form it said to expect to wait 30 days.

The problem is that it is now three weeks later and I still haven't received anything. Every time I call this same lady assures me that she received my form, my credit card was charged (I knew that already!) and that I will be getting my package within 2-3 days. I feel bad showing up for all my matches with last year's patch, and having only last year's rule book to review (I would have ordered one from NFHS if I knew it would take me this long). No one has said anything to me about it but still I feel as though I am out of uniform.

Does anyone have any similar horror stories? How about any advice to give to me? I hate being a pest and calling this woman every few days, but by the same token I feel that the $100 extra late fee is punishment enough without me having to grovel to get my patches and books. Would I have a similar experience outside of Indiana? It goes without saying that I will never ever set aside that letter that has "Attention: License Renewal" again.

Let me see if I've got this right. You pay $100 for the right to take leave from a good paying job to officiate a bunch of brats for low pay.

There's something wrong here but it's not the slow pace of bureaucracy. Unless they are paying you a whole bunch of money, the problem is in your head. Tell 'em to find another sucker to work their ball.

Changing patches every year has to be a pain in the as*. What part of Indiana are you from?

Actually I paid $155 ($55 plus $100 late fee). I'm not ready to tell them to find another sucker yet since I'm a bit of a masochist and am enjoying officiating.

I would say that changing patches each year is a pain since I had to perform a "honey do" in order to have my wife change my patches once I get them! I'm from northeast Indiana and work matches everywhere from Marion to Fort Wayne to Rochester.

[Edited by BlitzkriegBob on Sep 19th, 2005 at 03:28 PM]

Suggestion: Remove your old patches and tell them your new patches haven't arrived for some reason.

Go to the NFHS website and pick up the new rules.
http://www.nfhs.org/scriptcontent/va...Footer=VB_FOOT

mick

I've considered removing my patches and maybe that's what I'll have to do. If they're not here in time for softball season then I'll really be ticked!

Thanks for the link also.

That would be really sad if they weren't in by spring. I would do as Mick suggested.

I finally did get my envelope last week. It was exactly three weeks after I first made contact (and after hearing on three separate occasions I would be getting it within 2-3 days) that it was postmarked. Can't blame the postal service for that one. There wasn't anything in there that they shouldn't have been able to pull off a shelf and stick in the envelope so I'm still left scratching my head as to why it took them so long to send it.

Good luck getting your new patched sewed on now!

Opening a can of worms here.....I'm sorry to say that if you officiated a varsity match without being certified...the home team might be required to foreit the match. Depending on what your state by-laws are.....Typically the home team (administration) is required to only hire state certified officials for varsity matches. I would keep my mouth shut but it is important to be certified for this reason.

When I originally called the IHSAA office I asked the question if I would be registered for my matches and they assured me that I would be since they had received the paperwork and payment. They were just slow in getting the patches to me. I only worked two varsity matches but I hope that the information provided to me was correct.