TSSAA Officials

[WestTNHoopsFan]

14 hours ago, HereComesTheCloser said:

Example of refs dong too "good" of a job:

2023 AAA girls tournament semi final between South Side and Elizabethton.

Double overtime game = 48 minutes played.

Number of fouls called, you guessed it...48.

 

So to all refs of clear conscience, please don't be those refs. Let the kids play some...please.

#HereComesTheCloser

What you said!!! Let them play. STOP calling every little thing.  Let them play defense. 

[BelmontRebel]

On 11/29/2023 at 7:53 PM, crazzyness said:

Ok, this is the way criticism should be conveyed. I can appreciate this point of view, put across this way. 

Unfortunately, this will be becoming the norm, moreso in some areas than others. In my local association, last week, we had to inform schools (2 or 3 middle schools) that their contests would have to canceled/postponed till a later date due to lack of officials. This is the first time our association has  had to do that, ever. I'm afraid there will be a few more times in December and the early part of January that it'll happen again.

The turnover is just too high, we can't keep up with it. I'd guesstimate the 5 year retention rate for new officials in our area is now roughly 15% or less. So with 3 or 4 guys retiring every year, we've got to bring in 20 new faces evey year, just to break even. So when you were used to seeing, say, two veterans and a younger, less skilled ref making his way up through the ranks in a Tuesday or Friday night game, now you're going to maybe see one veteran, one younger developing guy (or gal,) and a fella that quite frankly has no business being in that game. But the spots have to be filled with the personnel that are available. 

And to address your idea of the TSSAA offering constructive training, that's a pipe dream my friend. I suppose folks don't realize this, but the TSSAA doesn't really put anything monetarily into its officiating base. In fact, they actually rely on officials paying fees and paying to attend summer camps (where officials have to pay the state $200 to work an entire weekend for free in order to maintain 'postseason eligibility' while the TSSAA pockets the gate money) in order to meet their bottom line in the balance sheet. They do pay a stipend for a few supervisors in every area, but the reality is that you can't expect 2 or 3 people to be able to train/develop new officials efficiently, and especially not on the fly while the season is in progress. Any preseason training is paid for out of local associations' coffers, which are dwindling due to less officials in it to pay membership dues. 

It's just not a good situation. And it's going to get a lot worse, I'm afraid to say. 

Talking about stipends for supervisors?  Are you a supervisor - just curious.  I know that in MidTN the association charges 120$ per official.  Where does that money go?  It goes into the pocket of the assignor.  I know assigning is difficult to put in all those schedules and deal with cancellations, turn backs, etc.  I quit reffing because of this.  

[BelmontRebel]

On 11/29/2023 at 3:22 PM, Doc931 said:

Hate to be this guy, but are refs across the state just awful or is it just South Central and Middle Tn associations that are just that bad?  It's hard to watch. TSSAA needs to host clinics and offer trainings because it is clear some of these men/women have never called or never played the game of basketball. I appreciate their commitment cause without them there is go game but the product that is on the court is crippling really good basketball games. 

You should see a middle school game sometime.  They don't call enough fouls.  I get the game will last longer but that's too bad.  These kids are killing each other.  There was a ref last night too worried that the chairs weren't inside the box.  It was like 1/2 inch outside the box.  

[Doc931]

44 minutes ago, BelmontRebel said:

You should see a middle school game sometime.  They don't call enough fouls.  I get the game will last longer but that's too bad.  These kids are killing each other.  There was a ref last night too worried that the chairs weren't inside the box.  It was like 1/2 inch outside the box.  

I'm with you brother... they think because its middle school it doesn't matter, they spend more time worrying about things that don't have an impact on the game like such and uniforms plus etc instead of calling the game. It's the same with JV refs they let them beat the snot out of each other and then wonder why tempers flare... 

[crazzyness]

11 hours ago, BelmontRebel said:

Talking about stipends for supervisors?  Are you a supervisor - just curious.  I know that in MidTN the association charges 120$ per official.  Where does that money go?  It goes into the pocket of the assignor.  I know assigning is difficult to put in all those schedules and deal with cancellations, turn backs, etc.  I quit reffing because of this.  

No sir I am not. I'm no chief, I'm just an Indian. I was under the impression our supervisors were at least partially compensated via the state. I could be mistaking though.

In our association, after we pay the $70 to the state of course, we have dues of $50. That is to (to my understanding) either pay, or supplement pay of the supervisors (they really do put in work they are out and about throughout the area 3 or 4 nights a week observing,) pay for the end if season banquet, and to pad a contingency fund. After that, each assigner (varsity, sub varsity, MS) has a $50 charge. I don't really mine at all paying the local guys, especially the MS assigners. They got a tough job trying to fill out their schedules, especially on Tuesdays. They really have scrape the bottoms of the barrel to get games covered.

 

[baldeagle22]

Refs are just terrible in general, all just trying to hurry up and get through the night, doing a lousy job. 

[Nontypical]

On 11/29/2023 at 3:22 PM, Doc931 said:

Hate to be this guy, but are refs across the state just awful or is it just South Central and Middle Tn associations that are just that bad?  It's hard to watch. TSSAA needs to host clinics and offer trainings because it is clear some of these men/women have never called or never played the game of basketball. I appreciate their commitment cause without them there is go game but the product that is on the court is crippling really good basketball games. 

South central has always been awful. 

[Nontypical]

On 12/5/2023 at 11:40 AM, BelmontRebel said:

Talking about stipends for supervisors?  Are you a supervisor - just curious.  I know that in MidTN the association charges 120$ per official.  Where does that money go?  It goes into the pocket of the assignor.  I know assigning is difficult to put in all those schedules and deal with cancellations, turn backs, etc.  I quit reffing because of this.  

I agree my son just became a ref 2 months ago. He is doing good but it did cost him a little over$300 to become a ref. That his fees and tssaa liscense and uniforms. I thought that was a little steep to become a ref with the shortage of refs. I see both sides of it. I was once that crazy fan. I think its all good fun as long as people dont curse them.