How are TSSAA refs assigned?

[CPA4Ever]

FIRST - I AM NOT accusing refs of purposefully fixing games! However, I don't think it is appropriate or smart to make the head referee of a game who is an alumni of one of the schools. It is extremely hard for a ref to be totally impartial when they are an alumni of a school playing even if they are an honest person.

In last night's CPA/PC game, the head ref was a noted former alumni/player of Pearl Cohn.

IMO, that is not fair for either CPA or for that ref. It opens room for extra criticism of his work, and puts him in a bad position of his calls being questioned.

This was a regular season game so there was plenty of time to make different ref assignments, and avoid this situation.

I might add there were some questionable calls, but they occurred on both sides, and I do not think there was any particular favoritism.

[WiseOldManGiles]

Well if their glasses are over 1" thick they are assigned to Marshall County.

[devilsden]

Eeney, meney, miney, moe

[BLUEMOM]

Officials are usually assigned to games by the assigning officer of the local association. The assigning officer is usually elected by the local association and approved by the state. At the high school level an alumni is not an automatic exclusion. Automatic exclusions from a school at the high school level are being an employee of the school, married to or related to an immediate family member who is employed by the school, having a child or close family member on the athletic team in question. An official may recuse him/herself from a school if they feel there is a conflict of interest. Coaches usually have at least two exclusions available to them. These are true for the Chattanooga association and probably very similar for all across the state.

 

It is really difficult to not use alumni at the high school level due to geography, growing up in the area and the # of games in the geographical location and the number of officials available.

 

The usual problem is that the official who is an alumni holds his alma mater to a tougher standard than the opposing school. Actually unfair to his alma mater. If an official appears to be biased towards a school, it is usually handled internally by the assigner.

 

It is actually pretty common for alumni to call their school if they grew up in the area. My better half, "BlueRef", has called his school numerous times even in big rivalry games. Last night on his crew one of the officials had actually played for the head coach at a previous school.

[CPA4Ever]

Officials are usually assigned to games by the assigning officer of the local association. The assigning officer is usually elected by the local association and approved by the state. At the high school level an alumni is not an automatic exclusion. Automatic exclusions from a school at the high school level are being an employee of the school, married to or related to an immediate family member who is employed by the school, having a child or close family member on the athletic team in question. An official may recuse him/herself from a school if they feel there is a conflict of interest. Coaches usually have at least two exclusions available to them. These are true for the Chattanooga association and probably very similar for all across the state.

 

It is really difficult to not use alumni at the high school level due to geography, growing up in the area and the # of games in the geographical location and the number of officials available.

 

The usual problem is that the official who is an alumni holds his alma mater to a tougher standard than the opposing school. Actually unfair to his alma mater. If an official appears to be biased towards a school, it is usually handled internally by the assigner.

 

It is actually pretty common for alumni to call their school if they grew up in the area. My better half, "BlueRef", has called his school numerous times even in big rivalry games. Last night on his crew one of the officials had actually played for the head coach at a previous school.

 

Thanks for the explanation. I can see where this would be more commonin rural areas, but not in a Metro area.

[Cole54]

I feel that the referees in this area miss way too many calls that are right in front of their face. Expecailly HOLDING CALLS. i think if there was a game between 2 midstate teams that are close in geographic location.. bring in some refs from 2 or 3 counties away from the both of them... that would be more fair i think.