where does the money go?

[TankTalk]

Tank, I can understand your frustrations, however lets make sure we get the facts straight. 3 officials @ a varsity basketball doubleheader (boys/girls) make $65 dollars each. If the school can't afford to pay the officals ($195) they should drop the program. Let's not kid ourselves by thinking basketball refs are overpaid. I suggest you put on a striped shirt and get a whistle and tell us after two games who much you think it's worth.

 

I am sorry, I was told by the school official it was $75 per official and $195 per night is a big blow to some schools. And you actually think if $195 is kind of high for a program, they should drop it? It may not break them, but why couldn't the TSSAA and their high-paid executives not pay 20 or 30 percent of that? By the way, I have officiated in the past and $30+ each game is too high, in my opinion.

 

Now, since you are quite aware of the basketball officiating situation, what guidelines and standards are these officials held to?

 

I know there are some outstanding officials during basketball season...but don't kid yourself, some have no clue.

[TankTalk]

Tank, in an example such as the Halls/Clinton game a couple weekends ago, Clinton Coach Catlett was suspended because he kept protesting Halls' ballplayers not wearing all their pads. Come to find out, Clinton's players didn't have all their gear on, either. Catlett and his best playmaker were suspended for 1-1/2 games, and Catlett was fined. Does the fine money come from his pocket, or the school's??

 

Just guessing, the school will pay the fine...but I can't say without a doubt that's the case. I can say, without a doubt, that the fines that are levied each year by the TSSAA, around 99 percent of them are paid by the schools. Therefore, the programs are fined and not the ones truly responsible.

[swamp]

Tankster, when's your book, "101 things I hate about TSSAA" coming out?

[HOTHEAD]

I want to present a different view. I believe the school should pay the fine. The school has hired the coach to do the job of coaching. If the school is not pleased with his actions, they have the ability to terminate his contract. If he was known for these actions, they shouldn't have hired him in the first place. If he got fined for trying to protect his players from calls that are not getting called that could injure his players then the school should back him.

I know there are all kinds of situations, and the school should have some kind of policy in place that should state how they would handle each situation.

[Idunk2]

Posted by TankTalk:

Tank, I can understand your frustrations, however lets make sure we get the facts straight. 3 officials @ a varsity basketball doubleheader (boys/girls) make $65 dollars each. If the school can't afford to pay the officals ($195) they should drop the program. Let's not kid ourselves by thinking basketball refs are overpaid. I suggest you put on a striped shirt and get a whistle and tell us after two games who much you think it's worth.

 

I am sorry, I was told by the school official it was $75 per official and $195 per night is a big blow to some schools. And you actually think if $195 is kind of high for a program, they should drop it? It may not break them, but why couldn't the TSSAA and their high-paid executives not pay 20 or 30 percent of that? By the way, I have officiated in the past and $30+ each game is too high, in my opinion.

 

Now, since you are quite aware of the basketball officiating situation, what guidelines and standards are these officials held to?

 

I know there are some outstanding officials during basketball season...but don't kid yourself, some have no clue.

 

Why have TSSAA pay the officials ? The officials are independent contractors hired by the school to officiate a contest. The officals in know way work for TSSAA. TSSAA recives no gate money from reg. season games / the revenue generated by those games is dumped back into the athletic fund. So in my oppinion, a school who blames officials fees for financial hardship should either drop the program, or let the coaches from each team officiate the game. (let me know how the later works out).

As far as standards goes, officials are required to attend 5 local meetings and 1 state sponsored meeting to stay in good standing with TSSAA. These meeting are great for passing information, reviewing rule changes, mechanics, and reviewing common errors. These meeting make officals better. Do they make them great ? No. But they do give officals the necessary tools to work on their game. Also, officals are observred several times a year. Those that don't make the cut, don't get to work. Simple as that. I agree there are some sub-par officals, but there are lots of them that put in the time and effort it takes to constantly improve their game and I think $65 is a minimal fee for a job that is under a micoscope the way it is.

[orangenblack]

Tankster, when's your book, "101 things I hate about TSSAA" coming out?

 

Put me on the list, I want a copy.

[Bighurt]

I agree with your frustration over the TSSAA.

 

However on the issue of officials pay, I know I would not officiate for $65 or $75 or $100 per night seeing what those guys have to bring up with. I think at little less money needs to go to Ronnie Carter and the TSSAA and a lot more to the officials.

 

That's my opinion and I am stickin' to it.

[Edited by Bighurt on 10-17-02 12:33P]

 

[TankTalk]

Why have TSSAA pay the officials ? The officials are independent contractors hired by the school to officiate a contest. The officals in know way work for TSSAA. TSSAA recives no gate money from reg. season games / the revenue generated by those games is dumped back into the athletic fund. So in my oppinion, a school who blames officials fees for financial hardship should either drop the program, or let the coaches from each team officiate the game. (let me know how the later works out).

As far as standards goes, officials are required to attend 5 local meetings and 1 state sponsored meeting to stay in good standing with TSSAA. These meeting are great for passing information, reviewing rule changes, mechanics, and reviewing common errors. These meeting make officals better. Do they make them great ? No. But they do give officals the necessary tools to work on their game. Also, officals are observred several times a year. Those that don't make the cut, don't get to work. Simple as that. I agree there are some sub-par officals, but there are lots of them that put in the time and effort it takes to constantly improve their game and I think $65 is a minimal fee for a job that is under a micoscope the way it is.

 

Why have the TSSAA pay? Who forces the school to use three officials? Who makes all regulations dealing with atheletics? Who makes up and executes this ridiculous fines? The TSSAA does. Also, do you not think it is rather funny, that the people who make our young athletes work so hard to raise money and then take it from them, make more than our school officials and teachers? I do...they make the salaries they make...then they pass the rules they pass....and you don't expect them to help pay for the officials? Perhaps I am just missing something.

[TankTalk]

Posted by HOTHEAD:

I want to present a different view. I believe the school should pay the fine. The school has hired the coach to do the job of coaching. If the school is not pleased with his actions, they have the ability to terminate his contract. If he was known for these actions, they shouldn't have hired him in the first place. If he got fined for trying to protect his players from calls that are not getting called that could injure his players then the school should back him.

I know there are all kinds of situations, and the school should have some kind of policy in place that should state how they would handle each situation.

 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I would never put someone down for what they thought. However, when you say the "school" should pay, you do understand that these kids spend their summers, their weekends and their effort to raise these small amounts of money? You understand that most school systems, if not all, give NO funding to athletics? With that said, if you feel the schools, or rather the kids, should pay for something adults are responsible for, then so be it...I don't feel that way.

[TankTalk]

Posted by swamp:

Tankster, when's your book, "101 things I hate about TSSAA" coming out?

 

Actually Swamp, I respect the TSSAA for the job they have and do. I just don't understand a few of the small details and policies that they have.

 

But, the book is almost complete.

[TankTalk]

Posted by Bighurt:

I agree with your frustration over the TSSAA.

 

However on the issue of officials pay, I know I would not officiate for $65 or $75 or $100 per night seeing what those guys have to bring up with. I think at little less money needs to go to Ronnie Carter and the TSSAA and a lot more to the officials.

 

That's my opinion and I am stickin' to it.

[Edited by Bighurt on 10-17-02 12:33P]

 

Hurt my friend, you have hit the nail on the proverbial head. These guys make way too much money. I feel officials are underpaid as well, which leads us to subpar officials. If the TSSAA helped pay, we would get more qualified people on the courts. In my humble opinion.

[Bighurt]

One other thing. Put a little more money in the pocket of the coaches who work with these kids every day.