Is it even worth it anymore?

[lastchance]

Keeping my conference affiliation anonymous.  Not sure if I'm bitching/venting/complaining, but I have no idea anymore why I'm even making an effort.

Long story short, 20+ year of HS, 8 yrs college (D3/D2).  Have had a total of 15 varsity college games in that span.

I get a ton of clock assignments, a smattering of JV games.  No negative feedback, no criticisms, nothing bad/critical at all.

I keep getting the whole, "You'll get your chance" and "Just stick with me one more year" while I watch brand-new guys get put on crews, work every week on the field, then 3-4 years later, they're in D1.

I'm not looking for D1/NFL, I am happy working (when I can) the games I do.  Yet despite me asking, going to seminars/conferences, rules meetings, etc., I've put in 8 years and my experience is
tremendous......as a clock operator. 

I keep asking myself, why am I allowing myself to, year after year, psych myself up and say, "This is the year I get a crew assignment?" and, just like this one, I get stuck as a filler, told "Well, you'll
get games, don't you worry" - and I don't - and I end up with clock duties week 1-4, while the brand-new guys who have never stepped foot on a college field are getting on crews and are working
the first few weeks.

Eight years I'm good enough to pay money for dues/fees and be affiliated but seemingly not good enough to do much more despite asking what I can do better.

Every year is one year closer to the point where physically I won't be able to do it, yet I keep hearing "Just be patient, you'll get your chance" ... for eight seasons.

I just received my first four weeks worth of clock assignments.

Despite no one telling me anything negative, this seems like it's an eight-year hint.  My money is good enough to pay, my time is valuable enough to give to the association, but getting on the field is next to impossible.

I *hate* sounding negative about something that means so much to me.  I've been invited into the party, but I'm being kept in the foyer.

Would *you* quit after all of this?  Why or why not? 

[CalhounLJ]

I get it. A friend of mine has been "in the pipeline" for the SEC for about that long. He gets a ton of scrimmages, a smattering of nonconference fill-in's, but not even a hint of an SEC crew assignment. To top it off, this year, he heard through the grapevine he was being targeted for the replay booth, because he was "getting too old to be on the field..." . I guess you just live with it as long as you can, and when you can't, find another dream to chase.

[HLinNC]

I think you've already been told.  You've just not wanted to hear it.

I'm only basing this on those guys that I have seen and worked with in HS that have worked D1, D1-AA, D2, and D3.  I've worked a few spring scrimmages over the year with no plan or desire to ever go the college route, just filling in to help out when needed.  I know HS guys my age and older that have never worked a down of college ball and are getting D3 games now.   If you've put in 8 years and that is all you have gotten on the field, you are either in an area with a glut of officials or aren't making the grade for some reason.

[sirhoagy]

I'd walk. 

There's a massive shortage of officials across the United States right now at the high school level.  A lot of us have quit due to the abuse from fans, from coaches, from players, etc.  And some of the assigners think they are gods and have attitudes even bigger than that.  So much  potential talent has up-and-walked off the field forever due to one or more of those factors.

Now, consider the ones that remain and want to move up to college.  There was a time that getting into college ball was a monumental undertaking.  Now you can waltz into most college organizations with 2-3 years of experience, if even that, and expect to, at the very least, work a game or two your first year.    For the past four years, I've heard about how we college officials are starting to see shortages at the D-3 and D-2 levels because of the lack of officials coming from high school and the good ones moving up to D-1 and NFL ranks. 

Point is, with the massive shortage of officials at HS, there's far fewer to move to the college ranks.  I, too, have seen college officials who shouldn't even be at that level.  Hell, I've watched games on TV where I've asked how someone can be working FBS/FCS and making basic mistakes with mechanics/rules.  Yet, they continue to work the next week.  HS officials move quickly to college associations which makes no sense.  You used to need years of experience before you'd even be considered.  Why, then, are college associations taking guys who clearly aren't ready for that level?  And then assinging them to the field?

It could be politics.  It exists, don't let anyone on this forum lie to you.  Politics is the biggest factor in college at all levels.  Then again, that's a given, so let's move past that.

It could be that it's something personal.  But, I question why they'd keep you around for eight years.  Coordinators/assigners will dump guys if there's a problem with you.  I've seen it happen many times.  If they don't like you, you'll be gone - you won't get a "renewal" for the following season or whatever your association calls it.

It could be professional.  In that case, they OWE you an explanation as to where you are not performing, and that's a huge red flag about the integrity of that organization, its assigner(s), the senior staff, the observer(s), et cetera.  Why are they letting you remain underdeveloped?  For eight years?  If that's the case, you walking is doing yourself a huge favor as they clearly either cannot or will not devote the time/resources/energy to you - which is telling you something about them moreso than about you.

It could be that there's simply so much competition in your organization that you are constantly lost in the shuffle - which means, again, you aren't doing yourself any favors by pretending that you will get noticed if you stick it out just one more year. 

You know your story better than anyone, therefore, you are in the best position to answer as to where your strengths and weaknesses are.  If the association won't put you on a crew and all they are letting you be is a professional button-pusher, you need to ask yourself if you're content with that or not.  If you can't get answers from them, then they are telling you all you need to know.

I left a conference a few years ago because the coordinator clearly played favorites and quite frankly he lied right to my face and made a promise he never even moved a single inch forward on.  Then he just flat-out ignored all emails, texts, calls.  But I listened to him for two more years telling me and everyone else,  "Don't worry, you guys are gonna get your chance" - and it never came.  I bailed and went to another organization.  He's now retired (or, rather, has been made to retire, whatever the truth is, opinions vary).  he still has a legion loyal to him despite how he treated a good number of others.  I saw the politics, I saw the favoritism, I got the hell out and found out the grass isn't greener.....it simply looks different, but it's still grass.   This'll be my final year of high school as well because I'm tired of the substandard performances by other officials, the god-like attitude of a lot of the assigners coupled with the blatant good-ole-boy favoritism, and the level of play in my area. 

Can't tell you what to do, but I will ask if it would benefit you more to get out knowing you can't move ahead, or stick around and continue to feel worse with each passing season where you get to press more buttons?

Good luck with whatever choice you make.

[bossman72]

I think the writing is on the wall.  Whoever makes the decisions there doesn't seem to have a high opinion of you, unfortunately.

Although we always want our officiating abilities to be objectively assessed, our business is inherently not objective.  It's more like figure skating.  3 judges give you a 4.9 and the French judge gives you a 4.1 (and that person happens to be the assigner). 

Some officials are not objective with their abilities and performance too.  This leads them to feel like they're getting screwed.  Some officials equate "years of experience" and "clinics attended" with ability.  Those are all supposed to help with your ability, but some guys just don't apply the things they learn at the clinics.  I've known guys that went to multiple clinics every year and it didn't help one bit.  Sometimes you can get better and work your way back into favor with the assigner.  But only you know if that's the case or not.

[VALJ]

.  Some officials equate "years of experience" and "clinics attended" with ability.

There are a good number of officials who don’t have, say, 15 years of experience.  They have one year of experience 15 times.

[CalhounLJ]

There are a good number of officials who don’t have, say, 15 years of experience.  They have one year of experience 15 times.

Truth.

[TampaSteve]

there's possibly greener pastures elsewhere.
but 8yr of clocks...and nothing in wk 1-4....it seems there's no interest with this local assn you're affiliated with

[Ralph Damren]

Let this topic be of interest to we ole' vets (I'm one  ).  In post-game, it is much easier to pat your crew members on the back with : "GOOD JOB, GOOD JOB  " then to offer constructive criticism.  In private, lead with a mistake you made in the game (none of us are perfect) then instruct : "You should work on........., ........, and ....... ." Help your crew members improve and lead by example.