Why are referees not evaluated?

[attila]

I have seen a ton of games this year, there is a level of professionalism that is lacking in our area of  Middle Tennessee. Now, there are some very good officials that do a great job, who are completely unbiased and show no attitudes toward players or coaches. But these officials are getting fewer and far between. However, there are nights that i watch games that an official will completely blow an obvious violation (which happens in all sports) and then get mad at the coach for asking a question about the call. It should  not a stretch to get the officials to 1) call what should be called, 2)  not have a bad attitude when they are questioned by coaches, 3) Worry about what is happening in the game-between the lines, not if the coach is 'out of the box', ad nauseum. 4) Know that this is THE only job for that coach, it is not PART-TIME and the players have worked year round for several years and both deserve the best they can get that night. 5) Start a program for the officials that allows coaches and schools as well as their supervisors to evaluate them after each game, and at the end of the season the highest ranked officials get rewarded by being able to officiate in the tournaments and pay them $125 per game or maybe higher. This gives the officials an incentive to work harder, get better , and improve the quality of play across the state for everyone involved.

[Vandychris]

Saw the Perry Co coach get T-d up tonight talking to her own player.....with a 30 point lead

Edited February 19, 2016 by Vandychris

[cocheese]

A lot of highly knowledgeable people on here, the TSSAA sure could you use you guys/gals. TSSAA is in serious need of officials in all sports. Please go to TSSAA.ORG and get signed up.

[wingman10]

[tradertwo]

A lot of highly knowledgeable people on here, the TSSAA sure could you use you guys/gals. TSSAA is in serious need of officials in all sports. Please go to TSSAA.ORG and get signed up.

There are a lot of people on here that recognize the difference between human error and incompetence. Do you believe that all officials are completely unbiased, give 100% effort to be fair, and never inappropriately feel that their authority needs to be asserted rather than just call what they see? Nobody is claiming that there's no decent officials out there, because there are...knowledgeable people do however see the need for the implementation of some form of assessment or evaluation of performance.

   Sarcasm seems to be your preferred method of communication, so let me take this opportunity to sincerely offer my thanks for pointing out the shortage of good officials...that's the conclusion everyone else was having trouble with, but working toward... you were insightful enough to spell it out for us dummies!    

[crazzyness]

There are a lot of people on here that recognize the difference between human error and incompetence. Do you believe that all officials are completely unbiased, give 100% effort to be fair, and never inappropriately feel that their authority needs to be asserted rather than just call what they see? Nobody is claiming that there's no decent officials out there, because there are...knowledgeable people do however see the need for the implementation of some form of assessment or evaluation of performance.

Sarcasm seems to be your preferred method of communication, so let me take this opportunity to sincerely offer my thanks for pointing out the shortage of good officials...that's the conclusion everyone else was having trouble with, but working toward... you were insightful enough to spell it out for us dummies!

I totally see what he is getting at. If there are SO many people out there that seem to know when and what officials are doing wrong, then why don't they go out, sign up to be a ref, and fix the problem themselves?

 

It's a legitimate question. If it irks people off so bad, and they know how to do it better, why aren't they doing something about it?

[tradertwo]

I totally see what he is getting at. If there are SO many people out there that seem to know when and what officials are doing wrong, then why don't they go out, sign up to be a ref, and fix the problem themselves?

 

It's a legitimate question. If it irks people off so bad, and they know how to do it better, why aren't they doing something about it?

Haven't read a post where someone stated that they could do better, all that people(at least most)want is an honest effort. Nobody implemented the draft, referee's do it because they chose to, and they knew the pay scale beforehand.

   I may be different, but I've never had bad feelings over a missed call that I thought was just "missed". Repeated missed calls favoring one team over the other is bias, and that's not "human error"...Making a call and following the player across the floor waiting for, or to illicit a reaction is not either, nor is changing a ref's call that happened right in front of him from 3/4 floor length away, and I've seen all happen recently. The worst misconduct I've ever witnessed, an official told a coach that "you're not going to win this game" right before the tip, in front of the scorer's table...how do you defend that?

    Why is there no system in place to evaluate the performance of officials, and how difficult would it be to implement one? That's also a legitimate question, and that's what this topic is, and nothing more. 

Edited February 21, 2016 by tradertwo

[cocheese]

Sarcasm wasn't the intent, had no point other than there is a need for officials. I we'll aware of bad officials, been one myself a time or two(in more than one sport). Some want to be a part of the problem, others want to be a part of the solution. Those on the solution side should go to tssaa.org and give it a look. If there's more than enough bodies to fill the games, then we can start talking about evaluations. Hard to put a standard on something no one wants to do.

[Ericblair]

Lot of good comments here and I do agree that officials have a hard job.  Part of the issue here is that pay has basically been flat for 10+ years or so.  The TSSAA says schools can't pay anymore and yet its Executives continue to get healthy raises.  I believe all Executives now gross over $100,000 with Childress at $186,000 or a 5% increase over last year.   I don't now why its more important to increase executive pay but not officials...money is coming out of the same bucket.

 

The better officials go to college level while the weaker ones stay at high school.  TSSAA has basically farmed this out to associations that have little if any control/review processes in place...they just need bodies.  The bottom line is that the TSSAA doesn't really make this a priority or you would see this process under their jurisdiction and pay would be more equitable.

 

[speakingtruth]

In coaching multiple sports in high school and middle school for the last ten years, I have seen the entire spectrum when it comes to officials. I have had some of the most competent and professional officials all the way down to officials that saying they were incompetent would be a gross understatement. Any time I would speak to an assignor I would be sure to compliment the good ones, to which the assignor would always reply with a thank you and state it was always good to hear coaches compliment. In the same light, when I would voice a complaint or issue, the response was always abrasive, like they "didn't want to hear it" and, my personal favorite, "when you start recruiting young men/women to be officials in your area then you can complain". Assignors/supervisors should want input. I agree that the job is a thankless one, but I will never complain about an official that works hard and is professional, because those that work hard and remain professional work to get better and try very hard to call a good game.

 

The real issue, from my standpoint, is that the referee has all the power and recourse. If an official doesn't like the way you or a player acts or does their job, their recourse is the whistle. I am guilt of emotion and frustration, and have, deservedly, received the recourse from an official with a T or being restricted to the dugout. And an official can write a report to file with the state about a coach or players behaviors/actions. But there is no real recourse for a coach/administrator to report a poor official.

 

I have a difficult time believing the T$$AA would not be able to provide a "post-game" report for coaches or administrators to fill out about officials. Make the link open for a game 24 hours after the completion of a contest. Make a coach/admin have a "cooling off" period before they can access the report. Isolated poor reports can be attributed to "sour grapes", but consistent poor evaluations from multiple evaluators could be reason for a supervisor to take some type of action. Reward good officials, call to task the poor officials.

 

I know it is not an easy job nor an appreciated job, I have umpired baseball for several years. But I have always tried to be professional and communicate with coaches, and wanted to give the kids the best game I could. I have also had conversations with officials before, during, and after games where they would say they wouldn't coach because it is often as thankless a job as an official.

[speakingtruth]

Great analysis!

[wingman10]

There are good refs..