We officiate probably the most rules-complex sport in the world, and yet it gets even more complex with the changing and adding of rules every year. What we do is really complicated from a rules standpoint. We, all of us, are going to kick a rule every now and then. We have a lot and I mean a LOT of guys in their 50's and 60's and beyond who have no inclination to progress to the college level. Let's be honest, it is unlikely to happen at that age, although it does happen every now and then. If we were to tell those guys they are too old, what do you guys think would happen to coverage of sv games, and even varsity games? What I'm getting at is that guys that age may not put as much into officiating as some younger more eager guys. If someone expects every official in the state to never misapply a rule, I think we are really kidding ourselves. It happens to every one of us. The simple stuff should always be automatic, but the rare calls are going to occasionally cause problems for the best of us. We work a sport with imperfect players, coaching, fields, weather, lighting, etc, and officiating is right there; it will never be perfect. We also are doing this as an avocation and only have so much time to devote. I think we should expect officials to do the best they can and realize there will occasionally be mistakes, just like the other imperfections. If someone, UIL, coaches, schools, want to hold us to a very high level of accountability, fine, but you get what you pay for, part-time, not very well paid hobbyists. By expecting everyone to attend a rules clinic, TASO has just created an additional burden and, essentially, a tax. Adding this requirement doesn't make officials any better or accountable. It's just fluff. The guys that want to learn and not embarrass themselves will always learn on their own and the ones that don't wish to be better aren't going to try to be. Sitting them in a clinic isn't going to make them learn. But, with the state of officiating now days, we can't very well run them off either. Bottom line is, this requirement succeeds at nothing other than telling UIL that it is now a requirement, fluff. This, just like adding placards to the back of an official's shirt, do nothing to make us all better officials.
