You know, I don't buy this response anymore. I get why you say it and I hate when parents and fans shout at officials when they really have no idea what they are talking about. However, I would go out on a limb and say the average official makes more money a month during the season officiating than the average assistant coach receives in total for the entire season. Think about that. And think about the scrutiny given not only in an informal (fans/parents) sense to coaching staffs but the official (school administration) scrutiny as well.

 

There are some amazing officials out there (25%) then there are some solid officials (%50) then there are some poor officials (25%). Pretty much like there is in any other profession. You wouldn't look at someone who got a bad haircut from an unskilled barber and hand them an application for Great Clips. You would tell them to use a different barber.

 

This!

 

I might tell them to cut their own hair.

 

Just like with any other job, the more qualified officials there are to choose from, the better the overall officiating "product" will be.

Yes. Officials are typically evaluated by the person who assigning games, many times multiple times through a season, often times brutally honest about skills.

 

Most things said so far are true, there's good, there's some not so much….it's a different kind of brutal hobby physically, mentally and emotionally.

 

As for calling it from the stands, a 360 view is completely different than a uni-dimensional view.

 

If you pay your money to get in, do what you want….if you want in on what's special about officiating….you only get that by coming on board

 

Just to be clear, are you saying that officiating is a hobby? I'm not sure in my mind that I get that. I don't know what H.S. Basketball officials are paid per game, ( I do know what HS football officials are paid), and all though I'm sure it's not enough to support a family, they are being paid ( and fed at most venues for free). I don't know where the line is between a hobby and a part time job. Again I will say, I appreciate the majority of guys and ladies that do it, but some seem to be going thru the motions sometimes out there , so most people will assume they are there just to pick up that check.

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Just to be clear, are you saying that officiating is a hobby? I'm not sure in my mind that I get that. I don't know what H.S. Basketball officials are paid per game, ( I do know what HS football officials are paid), and all though I'm sure it's not enough to support a family, they are being paid ( and fed at most venues for free). I don't know where the line is between a hobby and a part time job. Again I will say, I appreciate the majority of guys and ladies that do it, but some seem to be going thru the motions sometimes out there , so most people will assume they are there just to pick up that check.

 

I called it a hobby, and maybe that's an understatement, because it's more than a part-time job. Most are not doing it to get rich, many are doing it to make a car or tuition payment or supplement an income. It is certainly much more than a part-time job.

 

If you consider pizza and / or a hot dog being "fed" and you can do that for 3 - 4 months a year….well I guess some people are a cheap dinner date. For the record, with budgets the way the are, "feeding" officials is becoming less common, but I don't hear a lot of complaining.

 

As with any situation where humans are involved, some may be "going through the motions"….you get that at times.

 

I was only attempting to clarify your concern about being evaluated…

 

What I don't hear is a solution to your concern(s)….

I'm unfamiliar with what refs do to qualify. I have noticed that the JV refs and the varsity refs are different and have different uniforms. So I'm guessing the varsity refs have somehow qualified. So there is training? Is it regular (ongoing) or just a one time thing. Consistency can be an issue with some refs for sure, it's like they are watching the offensive player too much so they are inconsistent. When you keep your eyes on the defender only it's much easier to be consistent and keep from calling ghost fouls or not miss a foul. Do refs get trained/taught that kind of thing? I truly have no clue what refs do to qualify

I'm unfamiliar with what refs do to qualify. I have noticed that the JV refs and the varsity refs are different and have different uniforms. So I'm guessing the varsity refs have somehow qualified. So there is training? Is it regular (ongoing) or just a one time thing. Consistency can be an issue with some refs for sure, it's like they are watching the offensive player too much so they are inconsistent. When you keep your eyes on the defender only it's much easier to be consistent and keep from calling ghost fouls or not miss a foul. Do refs get trained/taught that kind of thing? I truly have no clue what refs do to qualify

 

I've never seen a region that has different shirts for JV/frosh vs Varsity officials.

 

Training is up to the local officials association. However, there's only so much you can do. You can't force a person to really dive into the rulebook as is truly necessary. You can evaluate them and give them suggestions and critiques but it's still up to the official to make the required changes.

 

Hardest part for a new official is to get them to prevent "ball watching." Watch your area. Watch defenders.

 

P.S. I don't recall ever being fed at or after a game. Some schools will provide drinks but that's not an automatic.

You know, I don't buy this response anymore. I get why you say it and I hate when parents and fans shout at officials when they really have no idea what they are talking about. However, I would go out on a limb and say the average official makes more money a month during the season officiating than the average assistant coach receives in total for the entire season. Think about that. And think about the scrutiny given not only in an informal (fans/parents) sense to coaching staffs but the official (school administration) scrutiny as well.

 

There are some amazing officials out there (25%) then there are some solid officials (%50) then there are some poor officials (25%). Pretty much like there is in any other profession. You wouldn't look at someone who got a bad haircut from an unskilled barber and hand them an application for Great Clips. You would tell them to use a different barber.

 

This thread comes up at least once every season, and the problem is the same every year because we have the same bad officials every year with no accountability. And the proposed "solution" is the same every year - pick up a whistle. Me picking up a whistle does not solve the problem, but if some referees would put their whistle down, it would be a good start to a solution. Referees are not volunteers, and they don't officiate for community service hours. They get paid. And get paid pretty good, around $30 per hour. I don't know of many other jobs where you can make this kind of money with no accountability.

 

Some nights you get 1 average official, 2 below average officials and they make this post relevant. The nights you get 2 great officials and 1 average nobody complains..

Some nights you get 1 average official, 2 below average officials and they make this post relevant. The nights you get 2 great officials and 1 average nobody complains..

 

THIS! We can always find a way to complain about officiating. But like I said before, teach the kids to overcome it and control what they can control.

 

Officiating is a variable in any sport. Do they get paid...yes. But I work with a lot of people that get paid and don't do their job very well for various reasons. Some aren't good because lack of experience and some because they are just in the wrong role. Some do it because they need the money and some do it because they're passionate about it. Reffing is just like any other job. Some are outstanding and some are average and some are not good in their role. Deal with it. Are you the best in you position? (Just a general comment) just saying their are always different levels in any job. Eventually the bad ones get weeded out or quit. The problem with refs...there just aren't a lot of people that have the ability to be really good. It takes a unique person and not just someone that thinks they are good from the stands or someone that needs some extra cash. The problem is, the spots need filled and there aren't enough really good ones to fill all the needs.

It is pretty consistent that officials will be biased towards teams from their own region when the opponent is out of region.

THIS! We can always find a way to complain about officiating. But like I said before, teach the kids to overcome it and control what they can control.

 

Officiating is a variable in any sport. Do they get paid...yes. But I work with a lot of people that get paid and don't do their job very well for various reasons. Some aren't good because lack of experience and some because they are just in the wrong role. Some do it because they need the money and some do it because they're passionate about it. Reffing is just like any other job. Some are outstanding and some are average and some are not good in their role. Deal with it. Are you the best in you position? (Just a general comment) just saying their are always different levels in any job. Eventually the bad ones get weeded out or quit. The problem with refs...there just aren't a lot of people that have the ability to be really good. It takes a unique person and not just someone that thinks they are good from the stands or someone that needs some extra cash. The problem is, the spots need filled and there aren't enough really good ones to fill all the needs.

 

Pretty tough to do when the definition of a foul is dependent upon what colour jersey one is wearing. Kids do need experience with hostile and/or incompetent officiating, and Lord knows we have plenty of both, and it is tolerated.

 

We used to teach our kids to take charges, but since the call is made incorrectly the majority of the time, we stopped.

It is pretty consistent that officials will be biased towards teams from their own region when the opponent is out of region.

 

Is it bias or the way they call it in that region and not being able to adapt?

 

My daughter has been playing high school basketball since 7th grade and starting since the 8th. In all those games and playing all over the place, I can only remember one time that I felt there was bias going on. Other than that, I have never felt that way. Do I think it's called differently in different regions, yes. But never bias to the region team. Heck, in the 9th, there are more than a couple of NCC alums that officiate...HHS' biggest rival. If I were to think any bias would go on it would be against HHS in their own region. My point, officials have absolutely NO reason to be bias. The only time I would even think that is if you were playing with a red from a former rival school and that would typicall be in your own region.

 

There are a few on here that blame bias reffing EVERYTIME they play outside their region. And it seems to be the same ones from the same school everytime. You rarely hear "bias" from anyone else on here.

 

Refs don't care who wins as much as you might think. Why would they?? What incentive do they have for their region team beating out of region teams?? People put too much stock into thinking any ref cares who wins a game. Now, can a team, fan base or coach that have consistently been trouble for a ref cause him to be on the defensive as soon as they take the floor and possibly allow to look at that game a little different because of the team, fans base or coach's behavior in the past? Yes, I think that happens because they are human.

Pretty tough to do when the definition of a foul is dependent upon what colour jersey one is wearing. Kids do need experience with hostile and/or incompetent officiating, and Lord knows we have plenty of both, and it is tolerated.

 

We used to teach our kids to take charges, but since the call is made incorrectly the majority of the time, we stopped.

 

Huh???? You really think a ref is biased to particular teams???

Refs don't care who wins as much as you might think. Why would they?? What incentive do they have for their region team beating out of region teams?? People put too much stock into thinking any ref cares who wins a game. Now, can a team, fan base or coach that have consistently been trouble for a ref cause him to be on the defensive as soon as they take the floor and possibly allow to look at that game a little different because of the team, fans base or coach's behavior in the past? Yes, I think that happens because they are human.

 

Huh???? You really think a ref is biased to particular teams???

 

Agreed, however, you will never convince people who make these types of statements anything different…just not going to ever happen...

I have done many games as most of you know and I think the Bluegrass Association (Region 10 & 11) has some of the best Referees in the State. Trust me, I just came from the Louisville and 8th region areas.