Officiating

[LA_81]

"When a player gets too old to play, they coach. If you are too dumb to coach, you ref." I know some officials that do a very good job, and this saying does not apply to them. However, it does apply to most.

[DougS]

No Doug it was the first quarter. SH coaches were trying to get an explanation but I don't think they ever got one. It was bad. I do not know how 3 refs could get it wrong.

 

Wow. That is crazy. I have seen in a game where 2 teammates grab the rebound and 1 opposing player standing with hands down by his side, and ref calls jump ball. The arrow was pointing towards the guys that grabbed the rebound. No one still understands that one.

[GovMan]

Please explain how high school basketball officials are paid "pretty well"?

 

High School (girls/boys) $85

JUCO (1 game) $135

Division II (1 game) $225

Low Division 1 (1 game) $900 or more

 

Other high school sports officials pay (all of which are much easier sports to officiate)

Football (1 game) $90

Baseball (1 game) $65 (2 games) $105

Volleyball (1 match) $65

 

In addition, basketball is the only sport that requires calls be made in a split-second.  The only other time an official has to make decision that quickly is calling balls/strikes.

 

Also consider that if an official has to drive very far to a game, they are probably spending $25-30 in gas. 

 

Officials DO have to answer for to the TSSAA.  I know for a fact an entire crew in football got suspended 2 games for a variety of mistakes during a game this past season.  In addition, the white hat who tried to eject Ricky Bowers ended up losing his spot as white hat in a state championship game.

I'll give your opening question a shot ... if high school refs arrive 30 minutes before game to get ready, and each game lasts 1.5 hours, that means they are "on the job" for 3 1/2 hours.  Doing the math, that comes out to over $24.00 per hour.  Many would consider that being paid "pretty well" my friend.  Maybe high school refs, compared to the other levels you list, are behind ... but it's still decent pay.

Edited January 25, 2014 by GovMan

[BigDaddy_1]

Please explain how high school basketball officials are paid "pretty well"?

 

High School (girls/boys) $85

JUCO (1 game) $135

Division II (1 game) $225

Low Division 1 (1 game) $900 or more

 

Other high school sports officials pay (all of which are much easier sports to officiate)

Football (1 game) $90

Baseball (1 game) $65 (2 games) $105

Volleyball (1 match) $65

 

In addition, basketball is the only sport that requires calls be made in a split-second.  The only other time an official has to make decision that quickly is calling balls/strikes.

 

Also consider that if an official has to drive very far to a game, they are probably spending $25-30 in gas. 

 

Officials DO have to answer for to the TSSAA.  I know for a fact an entire crew in football got suspended 2 games for a variety of mistakes during a game this past season.  In addition, the white hat who tried to eject Ricky Bowers ended up losing his spot as white hat in a state championship game.

$85 a night is paid pretty well for high school. The numbers per hour proves that. Driving far and spending 25-30 bucks in gas..there are folks driving the same, spending the same on fuel, working 8 hours for much less than $24/hr and being held accountable for sub par work. It's normal home to work.

 

As far as officials having to answer.. I'm leaning towards that being an exception rather than the rule.

[tradertwo]

I'm not an official, and have no desire to be one...I played when in school, have officiated several rec league games and coached many more, and have also been a player parent, and a lifelong fan often with no personal preference in the outcome of a game. From someone with perspective from all sides, it's a difficult job to do well. Your physical condition must be adequate to keep in position to make calls, knowledge of current rules and focus on your area are a must, as well as indifference to public critique. In short, it's not an easy job to do well...there is no excuse not to be adequate at your job, and officials choose to call games for pay, they're not forced to do so. Some are good at what they do, and still are yelled at...my hat is off to them. Too often one official "takes charge" of a game, I've seen calls made from 3/4 length of the floor, while another was five feet away with a good angle, out of position calls, cluelessness about rules, arguments with fan's, bias against certain teams or players, desire to be "center stage", I've seen all the worst and there's no need for some of the conduct to have happened without reprimand, yet I never have had any knowledge of any official having been held accountable for subpar job performance...EVER!

The reason for my rant is a recent game...public school I follow plays private school and in walks two of the three officials that somehow always call games involving the private school...instantly everyone in the gym knows what to expect, and they do not disappoint. One in particular makes every mistake listed above, even down to removing her whistle, turning to the crowd and arguing with fan's for 15-20 seconds during play. I can accept human error, and can even rationalize incompetence, but obvious bias and intentional favor of one team over another is unacceptable from a "professional". Something needs to change in the evaluation process for officials, even extreme cases of one-sidedness goes undocumented and unpunished. Most teams film games nowadays, there should be an office available to submit film and review performance of questionable officials...until they're held accountable nothing will change.

[Ascendotuum]

Someone stated that officials make $125-$150 for a pair of games.  Officials make $85 for the 2 games TOTAL.  Also, this is the only level where an official works 2 games.  Everything above is 1 game only, even for JUCO.

 

$85/3hrs = $28.33/hr

$85/4hrs = $21.25/hr

 

If you look at the numbers that way, yeah thats a good hourly wage.  But this isn't a job where you can work 40 hours a week and make $850-$1133 per week.  So just looking at it by hourly pay isn't the best argument. Plus, look at how much upper levels get for less time involved (usually 2-2 1/2 hours work).

 

I will agree that a lot of these guys (or gals) aren't 100% on their rules, court coverage, signals, ability to communicate with coaches, etc.  A lot aren't in very good shape, either.

 

Your coach has the opportunity to call the assigning officer for your area and vent about an official and perhaps even blackball them from returning to your gym.

 

Two points I am wanted to make - 1) if TSSAA basketball officials' pay was $125 per night as someone mistakenly thought it was, then you would see better officials being willing to work the games.  I know a lot of guys that as soon as they got enough college games to fill their schedule, they stopped doing high school completely.  $85 vs $225 or $900 drives people away.  2) Except in rare cases, officials do not decide the outcome of the game.  Yes officials miss calls.  Yes officials kick rules.  Yes there are even guys who want everyone to see them.  But I promise you, if you and your team decide that you are not gonna try to blame the game on the officials and play hard through whatever happens, you're gonna be just fine. 

 

And if you disagree with my last statement, then don't give the officials the opportunity to decide the game!

 

Rip me if you want.  I've been booed before.

[tradertwo]

Someone stated that officials make $125-$150 for a pair of games.  Officials make $85 for the 2 games TOTAL.  Also, this is the only level where an official works 2 games.  Everything above is 1 game only, even for JUCO.

 

$85/3hrs = $28.33/hr

$85/4hrs = $21.25/hr

 

If you look at the numbers that way, yeah thats a good hourly wage.  But this isn't a job where you can work 40 hours a week and make $850-$1133 per week.  So just looking at it by hourly pay isn't the best argument. Plus, look at how much upper levels get for less time involved (usually 2-2 1/2 hours work).

 

I will agree that a lot of these guys (or gals) aren't 100% on their rules, court coverage, signals, ability to communicate with coaches, etc.  A lot aren't in very good shape, either.

 

Your coach has the opportunity to call the assigning officer for your area and vent about an official and perhaps even blackball them from returning to your gym.

 

Two points I am wanted to make - 1) if TSSAA basketball officials' pay was $125 per night as someone mistakenly thought it was, then you would see better officials being willing to work the games.  I know a lot of guys that as soon as they got enough college games to fill their schedule, they stopped doing high school completely.  $85 vs $225 or $900 drives people away.  2) Except in rare cases, officials do not decide the outcome of the game.  Yes officials miss calls.  Yes officials kick rules.  Yes there are even guys who want everyone to see them.  But I promise you, if you and your team decide that you are not gonna try to blame the game on the officials and play hard through whatever happens, you're gonna be just fine. 

 

And if you disagree with my last statement, then don't give the officials the opportunity to decide the game!

 

Rip me if you want.  I've been booed before.

Two observations about your post

1. pay doesn't affect performance, more pay only attracts more people to choose from...ask an official if they would do a better job with a raise.

2.YOU decided that you wanted to be an official, nobody forced you and if you're not happy with the circumstances, you can quit.

I know personally several officials, they're not perfect and all admit to mistakes...I can live with honest mistakes, but the money thing (linked to performance) is redundant and untrue...if an official wants one team to win over another, it will be very difficult to overcome and I've seen it happen...it also would happen if the official were being paid double the norm. I'm not saying that it's a common thing but don't tell me that you think it's never happened. A small amount of accountability wouldn't hurt...if I suck at my job I don't get boo'd, I get fired.

[BigDaddy_1]

Agreed trader!!

[BigDaddy_1]

I don't think anyone expects these officials to be perfect. But I do think they should be held accountable, be knowledgeable, and maybe most of all, be fair.

 

For the record, I am a parent and a fan. Because I am doesn't make ignorant to the game!

[wingman10]

bump

[bigstick12]

If it's a non-district game you will more than likely get refs.without much experience this causes a huge problem in a lot of games.In the last 2 years the refs. have really fallen off.One of the worst calls going on at the present time is the walking call.a player can't even try to make an athletic move without one of them wanting to be seen and blowing the whistle.out of posision,wanting to show power,is getting way out of hand.TSSAA needs to go have more training for them and tone it down a bit.you can let the players play without letting it get out of control if your a fair and good ref.i've seen it happen to many times and then the best team will win.in a long story short to many bad calls,to many want to be seen calls,to many I don't know what im doing calls and all this takes away from the only one that matters the players.

[Ascendotuum]

Somehow what I posted before got taken farther than I meant it to.

 

I did not say the pay affected performance.  My point was the pay wasn't enough to keep better officials from moving on and never looking back. 

 

If every official that screwed up a call, rule, mechanic, signal, etc. got fired, there wouldn't be any games because there wouldn't be anybody left to officiate them.  And there must not be too many people lining up to do it because someone stated in this thread that they had no desire to be an official (but yet are quick to criticize).