How did you get started in officiating?

[whistleone]

Where did you begin your officiating career? (youth league, city league, college intramurals, etc.)

Why did you start officiating? (money, get away from spouse/kids, health, love of the sport, etc.)

Have there been situations that made you think about quitting? If so, what were they?

[Andy]

Originally posted by whistleone
Where did you begin your officiating career? (youth league, city league, college intramurals, etc).

When I was in eighth grade, my basketball coach asked me to officiate a seventh grade intramural tournament. He was a HS and college official at that time and gave me a crash course. I also did some city and church basketball and softball leagues during college for extra money. I consider my formal entry into the ranks when I signed up to do HS basketball in the late eighties

Originally posted by whistleone
Why did you start officiating? (money, get away from spouse/kids, health, love of the sport, etc).

At first, for the love of the sport and to give back while remaining close to good competition. The money was a small factor, also.

Originally posted by whistleone
Have there been situations that made you think about quitting? If so, what were they?

I basically did quit HS basketball due to the politics. We had a state commissioner that had his favorites and everyone else got the leftovers. That season, I injured my leg and can't handle the pounding on the court anymore, so that decision was cemented. Still active in volleyball and softball, however. The politics don't seem to be as bad in those sports.

[BigUmpJohn]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by whistleone
Where did you begin your officiating career? (youth league, city league, college intramurals, etc).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I started my senior year in high school with a church slow pitch softball league. I am currently a sophomore in college. In my freshman year, I officiated IM football, basketball, and softball. I am planning to continue those this year.

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by whistleone
Why did you start officiating? (money, get away from spouse/kids, health, love of the sport, etc).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hmmm... I'm still wondering why actually. I started umpiring because our league didn't really have anyone, and I really enjoy doing it. Why football and basketball? I guess it's a change of pace. Money is no factor. I would do this for free... well, maybe a free burger and coke at the concession stand will do.

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by whistleone
Have there been situations that made you think about quitting? If so, what were they?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I thought about not doing IM basketball because the players were TOO into the game and started intimidating the officials. It's intramural, it's meant to be fun. But if I quit, the players win. So I'm still in it.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by whistleone
Where did you begin your officiating career? (youth league, city league, college intramurals, etc.)

I got interested in officiating in High School. I did a couple intermural games, but that was just a taste. I started "officially" officiating High School Football in 1996.

Originally posted by whistleone

Why did you start officiating? (money, get away from spouse/kids, health, love of the sport, etc.)

A High School Football game.

Originally posted by whistleone

Have there been situations that made you think about quitting? If so, what were they?

Never. I am having a ball and always am right. So why would I want to quit that?

Peace

[Rick Vietti]

Originally posted by whistleone
Where did you begin your officiating career? (youth league, city league, college intramurals, etc.)

I started in college with intramurals. I enjoyed the experience and the check but did not have any training so I took a lot of abuse.

Why did you start officiating? (money, get away from spouse/kids, health, love of the sport, etc.)

When I got serious about it (doing softball in 1986), it started out for the money, but then I realized that I enjoyed being out on the field and then getting better became more important than the money.

Have there been situations that made you think about quitting? If so, what were they?

I do not let association politics spoil my passion to officiate, so I have never thought of quitting. In fact I added sports to officiate the last few years. I added football about 3 years ago and I added baseball this year for the challenge.

[Skahtboi]

I began umpiring for city SP and FP leagues. As a SP player, I enjoyed knowing that I was giving back to the sport, but the money didn't hurt either. As a coach of FP who had a daughter who played, I was less than happy with the level of officiating that our leagues had, so I was challenged to take up the mantle and join the umpire's association. I did, and haven't looked back since.

The only times I have thought about quitting are when I find myself leaving work in a hurry to make an assignment 50 miles away in less than an hour, and doing this four or five days a week for 6 or 7 weeks straight. What I have done instead is simply cut back on the number of assignments.

[rainmaker]

I started officiating with basketball with the local association at the JrHi/Freshman level. I was hooked from the very first game.

I began originally for the exercise, and a little pocket money. Have continued because it is a passion.

I only have thought about quitting once or twice when a game is so boring that I can hardly concentrate. The urge to get away from it all have been very fleeting for me, and rare.

[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by whistleone
Where did you begin your officiating career? (youth league, city league, college intramurals, etc.)

I started by doing intramural softball games in college. I did that for a couple years, but didn't stay with it after graduation.

When I got into basketball a few years after college, I started with youth leagues (5-8 grades) and tried an adult league. The adult league experience was a disaster. So I stuck with the youth stuff for a year, then started with HS ball at the Frosh and JV level.

Why did you start officiating? (money, get away from spouse/kids, health, love of the sport, etc.)

I coached basketball for a year at a very small private school. I coached the Freshman team, but throughout the season, b/c of other coaches' illness or schedule, I actually ended up coaching my own Freshman team as well as both varsity teams and both JV teams at one point or other over the course of the season.

Anyway, following the season, my own schedule wouldn't allow me to attend practices on a regular basis and I had to give up the coaching job. In order to stay close to basketball, I took the officiating test. Money wasn't really ever the issue.

Have there been situations that made you think about quitting?

Nah. Frustration about not moving up, sure. But never to the point that I was going to quit.