Picks and Assignments

[TXMike]

Don
I know there are many, too many, Chapters where that is the case.  I was referring to the situation in Houston (and in a few other Chapters) where there continues to be the issue of how many games a week do you work.  It is somewhat ironic that we have the 2 "issues" simultaneously, i.e. part of the state where guys struggle to even get on a varsity field and parts of the state where schools struggle to even get enough guys to cover the games.   The "easy" answer of sharing officials is not that easy because of the significant travel distances involved, even if there is reimbursement.  Clearly schools need to be more flexible and start playing varsity on Thurs and Sat in some cases.  (I know...that then affects the subvarsity situation)  Bottom line is there is room for changes in the way every entity connected with the game operates if this is to  improve.  Chapters need to recruit and retain better, schools need to schedule better, & UIL needs to exercise better administration over the process.

[Etref]

Don
I know there are many, too many, Chapters where that is the case.  I was referring to the situation in Houston (and in a few other Chapters) where there continues to be the issue of how many games a week do you work.  It is somewhat ironic that we have the 2 "issues" simultaneously, i.e. part of the state where guys struggle to even get on a varsity field and parts of the state where schools struggle to even get enough guys to cover the games.   The "easy" answer of sharing officials is not that easy because of the significant travel distances involved, even if there is reimbursement.  Clearly schools need to be more flexible and start playing varsity on Thurs and Sat in some cases.  (I know...that then affects the subvarsity situation)  Bottom line is there is room for changes in the way every entity connected with the game operates if this is to  improve.  Chapters need to recruit and retain better, schools need to schedule better, & UIL needs to exercise better administration over the process.

Actually this should be a TASO and local chapter issue only! I don't see where UIL should be involved in telling chapters what to do.

[TXMike]

No but they should be involved in telling  the schools what to do and that's what I was talking about.

[Etref]

 

[HOULJ]

I just want to know if anyone cared about the crews that are getting 3 games a week back when they were barely getting 1 game a week?

[TXMike]

Obviously not many folks in that chapter cared or the practice would have been stopped  .  But just because something was wrong long ago and never addressed is not any justification for it to continue.   That being said, obviously the majority of folks in that chapter are okay with continuing the practice so more power to them.   As long a you have a ready supply of officials and coaches are willing to have guys work 3 varsity days in a row it will go on.   I would not favor a statewide ban on the practice but if I were in a chapter where the majority wanted to limit it, I would support them. 

[Magician]

I have a friend in Houston who is a great official but stuck on one of those crews that can't get a game while other crews are working 3 games.  I don't care how good you are, there is no excuse for that.  This will bite them if and when they ever start to realize a shortage of officials and the snubbed officials have either left or don't have the experience necessary to work the big games.

[JDM]

Obviously not many folks in that chapter cared or the practice would have been stopped  .  But just because something was wrong long ago and never addressed is not any justification for it to continue.   That being said, obviously the majority of folks in that chapter are okay with continuing the practice so more power to them.   As long a you have a ready supply of officials and coaches are willing to have guys work 3 varsity days in a row it will go on.   I would not favor a statewide ban on the practice but if I were in a chapter where the majority wanted to limit it, I would support them.

The coaches are aware that a crew can work Thursday through Saturday and want the option to have the "pick of the litter" on Thursdays and Saturdays since there are much fewer games. What they don't know is whether the crew they are using on Saturday has worked the two nights prior. It's been suggested that the Houston Chapter limit games to no more than 2 per week, but it seems the coaches have too much clout.

[Welpe]

It's been suggested that the Houston Chapter limit games to no more than 2 per week, but it seems the coaches have too much clout.

Not only the coaches but the crews getting 3 games a week don't want to give them up either. I bet they would be more inclined if they were all TAPPS games paying $80 a pop. 

[TXMike]

The coaches are aware that a crew can work Thursday through Saturday and want the option to have the "pick of the litter" on Thursdays and Saturdays since there are much fewer games. What they don't know is whether the crew they are using on Saturday has worked the two nights prior. It's been suggested that the Houston Chapter limit games to no more than 2 per week, but it seems the coaches have too much clout.

Our Chapter did this somewhat this year.  Our crews were allowed to voluntarily agree to no more than 2 games.  Of all the crews, the number that opted in was not that great.  But when you look at the final analysis, in our chapter's case it is miniscule number of games that are worked by guys who have 3 in a week.  And even if those 3d games were worked by someone else, it would not make any real impact on the availaility of games for other officials.  There would still be guys sitting at home because many of the crews that only had 1 in the week would then have 2 in the week.