Let me guess, DBS -- you've never been selected to work a championship.
Hmmmmmm?
The cry of 'politics' might fly in some circles, but not on my watch.
I was honored to work 4 state championships. Subsequently, I was elected assigner for our chapter, and I did not work any more championships after that. Yes, it would have been easy as pie to assign myself, but I didn't. I was privileged to assign many more championship games that I had worked.
Hearing the guys react to my phone call was almost as rewarding as working the game myself.
How did I select the guys? I looked at the list of guys who were, in my opinion, qualified. Then, I looked at the guys who, for whatever reason, had never been picked. (Perhaps politics???) THESE got the nod. If there were ONLY men who HAD worked a state championship, I assigned the game to the man who had not been picked for the longest time.
How good is the guy? That's all that matters. How well will he serve the players? How well will his knowledge and performance reflect on the chapter?
Chapter tenure? What does that have to do with anything? Nothing.
Been there, done that. We had a guy move in to our chapter. Great credentials, but no one in our chapter knew anything about him. Initially, I put him in the smaller classification games. Men who worked with him commented on his performance -- all good. His 'grades' from the coaches were always 1s with an infrequent 2. I started putting him in the higher classification games and got the same results. A couple of years later, I assigned him a state championship game. This deed irritated a long-time chapter member who complained to the local Board because I'd 'slapped him in the face' as well as other members who had as much or more tenure. Oh, boo-hoo. Except for the complaining guy, who'd have benefited by putting someone else in the game? Nobody.
Smoke and mirrors? Sound like sour grapes to me.
Game assignment complaints are probably the common denominator in any chapter. As I heard at a secretary's meeting at the state meeting one year: "If Jesus Christ himself came back and served as an assigner, somebody would COMPLAIN."
My suggestion to you: Be available to work games at ANY level, ANY time. Don't compare YOUR assignments to your buddy's assignment; but if you do, and his games seem better, don't complain. Just be glad you're working a game and not sitting home watching reruns of Dancing with the Stars. During the off-season, attend clinics, state meetings, and any function that might improve your knowledge and ability. Learn the rule book and its annual changes and UIL exceptions. Run for local chapter offices for an opportunity to show your willingness to serve (and not just BE served), and to discover the policies and procedures of your chapter's function.
Work a little harder on the field. Do your best job, whether it's a 7th grade C game or 5A district championship. The kids deserve your best.
I guarantee it will be noticed.
And you will reap the rewards.
