We all have our own stories, and reasons for working - or not working - multiple sports. So much of those decisions depends on family and primary occupation considerations. Family must be priority, but that doesn’t have to limit your progress. To reach the higher levels in any sport, there will be missed birthdays, anniversaries, school concerts, etc. But, you find ways to make up for those lost events. Compounding those with multiple sports makes it even more difficult.
Me?
I am in my 51st season of on-field football officiating, which includes 14-seasons of FBS football (99-2012). I also had a 10-season career in baseball, including one summer of National Association professional baseball (Gulf Coast League).
Baseball occurred before I was married and had a child (son). As others have alluded, I experienced my share of “parent ball,” and concluded that I wanted nothing more to do with that and limited my baseball involvement to high school, college, and professional. I hung up my mask (after I was married, but before we had our son), when high school, in particular, became nearly an every day activity. But, I was blessed to have been able to work the State Championship games for four consecutive years.
After that, I just stuck to football. After our son got old enough, I would take him with me to HS games, and let him serve as the “clip guy.” During the FBS career I mentioned, I was able to take family with me to our summer clinic (Park City, Utah), as well as a few games each year. All of those things helped balance missed family events.
But, I am clearly blessed to have family that allowed me to participate in these activities, and accepted the trips, etc, as ‘offsets’ for any missed family events. At any time, if it had come down to them, or officiating, the choice would have been easy - family.
I was blessed to have had a professional occupation (architecture) that, also, allowed me to participate in these activities. Yeah, when I worked at a public university during half of my FBS career, I had to use up virtually all of my vacation time, each year, to make it work, but, with bowl games and football trips to Hawaii, and other decent destinations, that was not a major hindrance.
So, evaluate your priorities, and examine how you can balance your officiating activities with personal and professional considerations, and do what is best for you.
Best of luck.
