Super Chapters

[JarMan69]

Have any of you guys ever thought of merging some of the existing chapters and create some "Super Chapters" similar to what the Houston Chapter has right now?? You can look a geography and play what ifs:

1. Austin and San Antonio
2. Abilene, North Texas and Lubbock
3. Dallas, Fort Worth and Commerce
4. Tyler, East Texas and SFA

Can you imagine the possibilities of this?? I look forward to your imput.

[clearwall]

I know Commerce tried to merge with Tyler but it wasnt to create a "super chapter." I hear Tyler didnt want them so it fell through. Most of their games are already going to Dallas and Tyler anyway and I would think eventually their members will have to go to one of those two if they want to continue working. Caddo Mills, Sunnyvale, Commerce have all moved west for coverage. I wouldnt mind merging with FW, frankly. They seem like good guys.

[JasonTX]

What would it accomplish?  If it's to help alleviate the shortage of officials I am not sure that would solve anything.  Most of those chapters already help each other out during the season to cover games.  When we have a small workload we'll send crews to fill games for other surrounding chapters.  A lot of behind the scenes work goes on during the offseason as the chapters get their schedules and we all discuss with each other what the heavy weeks will be for each other.  This year there were crews traveling some 4 or 5 hours to help other chapters out. 

[mishatx]

I can imagine a lot of travel....

[JarMan69]

Clearwall, if all of the Commerce Chapter's games are going to Dallas/Tyler then why did 7 teams (including an entire district) come to them last year to pick them up with probably more coming in 2015. And as far as the possible merger with Tyler, sounds like you have an inside source somewhere so you might want to check your sources. It was a mutual agreement last year between both boards.

[JarMan69]

JasonTX, it would create Chapters that could service schools for an entire region similar to Houston and when it comes to playoff time the games that in the past have gone out of the area might stay home.

[Wingmanbp]

I know Commerce tried to merge with Tyler but it wasnt to create a "super chapter." I hear Tyler didnt want them so it fell through. Most of their games are already going to Dallas and Tyler anyway and I would think eventually their members will have to go to one of those two if they want to continue working. Caddo Mills, Sunnyvale, Commerce have all moved west for coverage. I wouldnt mind merging with FW, frankly. They seem like good guys.

We are good guys Clearwall 

[clearwall]

Clearwall, if all of the Commerce Chapter's games are going to Dallas/Tyler then why did 7 teams (including an entire district) come to them last year to pick them up with probably more coming in 2015. And as far as the possible merger with Tyler, sounds like you have an inside source somewhere so you might want to check your sources. It was a mutual agreement last year between both boards.

Well, two things...didn't say ALL. Just mentioned the three there. And outside of Paris now(and I know for a fact that Dallas covered some of those games too this year) Commerce was their biggest school. Since they are now being worked by Dallas, my statement of "most of their big games" are now gone. Secondly, if I'm incorrect on why the merger didnt happen then I'll acknowledge that fact. Im just reporting what was told to me by a few members of that chapter.
 
I most certainly don't dislike Commerce or their members because I was one. I still have some good official friends that are there. I enjoyed everyone in that group and really was sorry to see how things have been going negatively for them.

[ZebraBear]

I have been saying this for years.  It could be like CFO West. Positives: pooling of resources, less expenses hopefully for admin, coach scratches then bring in someone from outside the local sphere, larger presence could mean more chance of playoff and big games (Houston seems to get majority because they are the largest chapter). Negatives: more travel but as long as we get paid to travel so be it, regional approach could be better for recruiting and training (people in burbs sometimes are lost due to geo limitations for various reasons). Politics, egos and greediness won't let this idea happen. Beyond Super Chapters I have never seen the point of TASO Districts - the district chapters don't seem to work together. Districts look to only be setup for makeup of the board member.


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[Etref]

Would you break Houston, Dallas, etc into 3-5 smaller chapters? Then why merge 3-5 smaller ones to get a large one. Makes no sense to me!

[Welpe]

Would you break Houston,... into 3-5 smaller chapters?

Hey if it reduces travel, why not? 

[ZebraBear]

Would you break Houston, Dallas, etc into 3-5 smaller chapters? Then why merge 3-5 smaller ones to get a large one. Makes no sense to me!

I've been told Houston utilizes satellites (locations, meetings, etc). Is this not the case? Does Dallas?


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[DallasLJ]

I have been saying this for years.  It could be like CFO West. Positives: pooling of resources, less expenses hopefully for admin, coach scratches then bring in someone from outside the local sphere, larger presence could mean more chance of playoff and big games (Houston seems to get majority because they are the largest chapter). Negatives: more travel but as long as we get paid to travel so be it, regional approach could be better for recruiting and training (people in burbs sometimes are lost due to geo limitations for various reasons). Politics, egos and greediness won't let this idea happen. Beyond Super Chapters I have never seen the point of TASO Districts - the district chapters don't seem to work together. Districts look to only be setup for makeup of the board member.


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  I think the travel becomes an overwhelming negative which kills this for me.  If you want to step up to college ball -- you are by definition agreeing to travel.  At that point -- when you are based in Fresno, it really isn't much of a difference having to travel to Seattle, or Oklahoma City or Denver.  Moreover, there is a pay scale that takes that into account, including per diems.  On the other hand, for high school you are talking about making SuperChapters as a remedy to getting officials to help cover large geographic areas with shortages of officials.  Right now, those shortages are covered by officials from other chapters that volunteer to go.  And yes, they are paid for travel by mileage.  But since we are talking about shortages in the country -- we are talking about officials agreeing to long trips out and back.  Right now, I know what the "coverage area" is for me in Dallas (and it goes about 90 north of me to about 40 miles south of me, and 30 to the east and west).  Reasonable distances to get to.  And, I have been asked to and agreed to take games in other places -- more than 300 miles away.  Having said that -- I would not want to be part of a SuperChapter and told I have been assigned a game 200 miles away on a regular basis.  In Dallas, like other places, you try to take every assignment given to you -- both because you should want to work the games, but also because you don't want to be the guy that says no -- so they stop asking.  I am glad to be asked to cover those out of chapter games and accommodate the requests when I can.  But in a SuperChapter you would just be assigned these games instead of it being voluntary.  At some point, people are not going to want to have to take 3 500+ round trips in a high school season and eventually will burn out and quit.  This would be especially true been sent out to cover SV on long assigned trips.  So, you are not solving a problem -- and may make it worse.  I think keeping it voluntary to travel great distances is a better solution.  If the schools have more problems -- they will have to pay more for travel (get volunteers from further away) or cancel their programs.  That will cause changes at the UIL level by maybe getting pay increases to help recruit more officials and create a better balance.

[clearwall]

I've been told Houston utilizes satellites (locations, meetings, etc). Is this not the case? Does Dallas?


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Yes, and San Antonio does too. I know theres a group of "Red River" officials who have satellite meetings up in Sherman and they pretty much all work together for SV up there. All of Dallas pretty much uses Satellites for SV games. The ones I can think off the top of my head are Plano/Wylie, Frisco, Commerce/Caddo, Dallas ISD, The Colony/Lewisville, Carrollton/FB.

[Welpe]

I've been told Houston utilizes satellites (locations, meetings, etc). Is this not the case? Does Dallas?

Kind of. We have regional meetings but we also have chapter wide meetings that we're expected to attend. We can also work sub-varsity across the various regions.

[Redriverref]

Clearwall, if all of the Commerce Chapter's games are going to Dallas/Tyler then why did 7 teams (including an entire district) come to them last year to pick them up with probably more coming in 2015. And as far as the possible merger with Tyler, sounds like you have an inside source somewhere so you might want to check your sources. It was a mutual agreement last year between both boards.

[Redriverref]

Jarman......I hope yo weren't counting on all of that 2015 growth.