Officiating, what is happening?

[OldBaldGuyGaming]

Maybe I am crazy, but over the last few years, it seems to me that the officiating of these games has just gotten worse and worse. What is the root cause? I am I not talking about the close borderline calls, I am talking about blatant bad calls that get called or blatant calls that just somehow not a single official sees. And why is it taking a huddle of 4 officials for every penalty to make a decision. Last night was a perfect example, I calculated that we had almost 20 minutes of just official stoppage as almost every call took a huddle of officials to spend 2 to 3 minutes to just make a decision on the flag that was thrown.

- Is it lack of training?
- Is it a lack of officials overall?

What gives?

 

[YTOWN]

I don't know what the story is either but we were talking about that last night at the Mooney-Boardman game. Not only missed calls, which can happen, but even the most obvious simple penalties, like illegal procedure or encroachment, required an executive committee meeting to make the call. That crew last night took forever to make the call and mark off the penalty. If they had not missed a bunch of calls we might still be there.

 

[cjb5656]

It’s a job nobody wants to do anymore now that the fans and coaches treat HS football like it’s the NFL and go after the refs nonstop some nights.

 

[murphy13]

Maybe I am crazy, but over the last few years, it seems to me that the officiating of these games has just gotten worse and worse. What is the root cause? I am I not talking about the close borderline calls, I am talking about blatant bad calls that get called or blatant calls that just somehow not a single official sees. And why is it taking a huddle of 4 officials for every penalty to make a decision. Last night was a perfect example, I calculated that we had almost 20 minutes of just official stoppage as almost every call took a huddle of officials to spend 2 to 3 minutes to just make a decision on the flag that was thrown.

- Is it lack of training?
- Is it a lack of officials overall?

What gives?

They always want more people to sign up... Go show them how it's done!

 

[cone]

The new generation of officials are not there anymore. At the next game look at the age of the crew, Like everything else people no longer want to give up their free time.
Look at your adult baseball-softball-basketball leagues they are folding for a lack of players compared to twenty years ago. People now want to do different things with their free time.

 

[ELKSONE]

What's happening? Really? Parents and coaches have been such a-holes over the years that you're left with the bottom of the well. Perhaps you should sign up and become a ref.

 

[bkmk1]

You know the number 1 thing that really bothers me when I'm at games when it comes to refs: I see players run or catch and run and then go out of bounds and many refs signal to keep the clock running. That is such BS. I wonder if they are being told if it's close, run the clock. I hate it because I know many times that kids are out of bounds but yet the ref signals run the clock. And it is very inconsistent.

 

[Gbulldog]

What's happening? Really? Parents and coaches have been such a-holes over the years that you're left with the bottom of the well. Perhaps you should sign up and become a ref.

Agree...my brother did it for 4 years (35 yrs old) and he said he couldn't take it anymore. He dreaded when he had the sidelines. He said almost every coach disputed every call that went against them and gave him an earful all game. The final straw is when he was approached by a few fans after the game walking to his car. Nothing happened, but the fact they waited that long for the crew to leave made him question if it was worth it. He said there was zero respect from the fans and coaches (most of them).

 

[sapientia et veritas]

Part of it is that the fans are getting dumber and get the crowd worked up about rules that don't exist in high school. It's embarrassing. There were about 30 folks screaming uncatchable on a pass interference call last night. I educated those in my vicinity, but it's a losing cause. Another problem is that "good" coaches know how to "work" the officials which has to be annoying AF.

 

[nooks]

It’s a job nobody wants to do anymore now that the fans and coaches treat HS football like it’s the NFL and go after the refs nonstop some nights.

That's part of it. Having umpired baseball, I knew that after about a half dozen seasons, I'd had enough. What I found is that there was no longer any respect given from either fans or players. Nothing like when I played many decades ago. The only parties that treated us reasonably well were the "older coaches," who knew what a thankless job it was. The other component is it is not easy and it takes years to really get good at seeing the nuances of the game, when to make a tough call and more importantly when not to.
I remember an old football ref friend who was calling a freshman game. The score was already settled and both coaches were subbing liberally. The losing team finally breaks a big run and RB is off to the races. A young sub WR who is all excited finally getting to play, makes an insignificant push from slightly behind a defender 10 yards behind the ball carrier, which was technically a clip. He started to throw the flag, then regrouped and put it away. He told me that since the game was no longer in doubt, since the RB had made a spectacular run and since this poor sub WR might never play another down in HS, there was no way he was going to call that TD back, even though he was justified in doing so....That's what good officials do and only years of experience groom you for that.

 

[Buck1977]

It is a two way street and anyone who doesn't understand this needs to come to a quick reality check. Yes, the younger generation doesn't want to do it because they have other things to do with their free time or because it's easier to sit in the stands and complain. Yes the fans have gotten bad, but at a football game the people on the field including the refs are so far away from the stands that they can't hear the people in the stands anyway. There has become a terrible trend of coaches "riding the refs" from the opening kickoff to the final whistle.

However, there seems to be a second direction of this street too. It seems as if there is less accountability from the governing bodies to hold the officials accountable to be correct/good officials. I don't know if the training has become demanding because the need is so bad, but they just don't seem to have the same training that they did years ago.

 

[Stirred not Shaken]

I must live in a sheltered area, go to almost all the local team's games rarely if ever see fans or coaches going after the zebras. I have noticed fewer penalties being called and rarely do the zebras measure on 4th down. Personally, I think they should let locals help out on jr. high and frosh games/JV games. Leave the registered refs do the varsity games.

 

[VTJGball]

I must live in a sheltered area, go to almost all the local team's games rarely if ever see fans or coaches going after the zebras. I have noticed fewer penalties being called and rarely do the zebras measure on 4th down. Personally, I think they should let locals help out on jr. high and frosh games/JV games. Leave the registered refs do the varsity games.

There was not one holding call called in last night's game. But it appeared to be a well officiated game.

 

[AllSports12]

- Is it lack of training?
- Is it a lack of officials overall?

What gives?

- Average age is +55
- Those veteran officials are retiring in increased numbers.
- Limited number of young to replace the retiring veterans.

we cannot get good young officials because….
1) they don’t want to spend the time or money to get licensed
2). They don’t want to put up with the BS we put up with day in and day out.

if you think officiating is bad now or has been bad over the past 15 years)…..

Buckle up, that perception will pale to the reality you will soon witness.

 

[Buck1977]

Maybe there needs to be a discussion in increasing the pay?

These guys travel to and from the game and spend 4-5 hours of their time in total

Most are only getting $75-$100 per game?

Maybe that needs increased, especially with the cost of fuel to travel

Maybe $150-200 per game needs to be considered

 

[AllSports12]

However, there seems to be a second direction of this street too. It seems as if there is less accountability from the governing bodies to hold the officials accountable to be correct/good officials. I don't know if the training has become demanding because the need is so bad, but they just don't seem to have the same training that they did years ago.

I’m always curious to hear how the average fan wants to hold high school officials “accountable” for what they allegedly miss.

This isn’t the NCAA or the NFL where there is a long list of good officials waiting in the wings for their shot.

We are talking about (in many cases) first ad second year officials pressed into service way too early because there aren’t enough officials to work the games currently scheduled.

 

[Smarty2022]

Maybe there needs to be a discussion in increasing the pay?

These guys travel to and from the game and spend 4-5 hours of their time in total

Most are only getting $75-$100 per game?

Maybe that needs increased, especially with the cost of fuel to travel

Maybe $150-200 per game needs to be considered

Definitely needs to be a discussion about Pay Increase. There a League here in SW Ohio that didn’t give a Pay Increase of any kind for 12 yrs. If people think the HS Officiating is awful now wait until more of the “New” Officials hit the Court or Field after taking their Online course for whatever Sport they choose to Officiate. Yes you read that right. You can get a License for whatever Sport without leaving your house.

 

[AllSports12]

Maybe there needs to be a discussion in increasing the pay?

These guys travel to and from the game and spend 4-5 hours of their time in total

Most are only getting $75-$100 per game?

Maybe that needs increased, especially with the cost of fuel to travel

Maybe $150-200 per game needs to be considered

Many Conferences begrudgingly agreed to boost game fees to the $90-$100 range last year. Some have refused.

I remember the butt chewing a couple of assigners I know got when they asked for $75 5 years ago.

$150-$200 ??? At least you are dreaming big

 

[Scipio]

Maybe the OHSAA can add an additional stipend.

I mean, its possible.

Regardless, I wouldn’t want the job.

 

[BigK72]

I saw a game this year where one of the side judges was a 17 year old kid from another school.

 

[jtk]

its a product of the good ol boy club. there were lots of young guys about 5-10 years ago. they did everything right and were good officials, but the assignors had their boys on the games and never gave the new guys a chance. especially in basketball.

jtk
()

 

[chs1971]

FB officials have to attend one state meeting and four local association meetings a year. I think with access to video the quality of those has improved over the years. Some local associations are better than others, some officials attend the minimum number and some attend more.

There is a weekly bulletin. It helps, but how much varies and is dependent upon each official's motivation.

The Gold Book has existed for over 15 years. It's pretty detailed on how to officiate the game.

Experience is vital. You can know the rules, and the how, but it takes reps to get any good.

The rules are different for NFL, college, and HS, and they keep changing them. There are major differences. Most fans, many coaches, and some officials do not know the rules. The rule changes this year on penalty enforcement were unnecessarily complicated and extensive.

There is a very real shortage of officials. Officials lacking experience and officials lacking skill are doing games every Friday night.

 

[chs1971]

I must live in a sheltered area, go to almost all the local team's games rarely if ever see fans or coaches going after the zebras. I have noticed fewer penalties being called and rarely do the zebras measure on 4th down. Personally, I think they should let locals help out on jr. high and frosh games/JV games. Leave the registered refs do the varsity games.

Why?

 

[hammer89]

Maybe the OHSAA can add an additional stipend.

I mean, its possible.

Regardless, I wouldn’t want the job.

The OHSAA won’t toss in money directly to officials so as not to run the risk of having them deemed employees of the OHSAA.

training requirements were recently lessened. That’s probably not having an effect immediately but will in the long run. But a general decrease in the amount of officials will also result in a decrease in quality.

 

[chs1971]

if you think officiating is bad now or has been bad over the past 15 years)…..

Buckle up, that perception will pale to the reality you will soon witness.

I belong to two local associations and have friends in some more.

We are all losing officials faster than they are being replaced.

 

[AllSports12]

its a product of the good ol boy club. there were lots of young guys about 5-10 years ago. they did everything right and were good officials, but the assignors had their boys on the games and never gave the new guys a chance. especially in basketball.

jtk
()

The new guys thought they were ready for Massillon/McKinley, Pick North/Pick Central, Elder/Moeller, St Ed’s/St I’s, Colerain/StX, etc…. After a few years of working……

those guys are all finding out or will find out in a couple of years that they aren’t ready for those games.

 

[Gbulldog]

I belong to two local associations and have friends in some more.

We are all losing officials faster than they are being replaced.

With the current attrition rate, when do you think this will have a major impact on HS varsity games. Like cancelations?

 

[AllSports12]

With the current attrition rate, when do you think this will have a major impact on HS varsity games. Like cancelations?

Already has across most every sport in Ohio

 

[hammer89]

With the current attrition rate, when do you think this will have a major impact on HS varsity games. Like cancelations?

I ref soccer and the shortage has already resulted in weekly varsity game cancellations because of lack of officials. Football and basketball being the most popular sports, it’ll take longer for it to be as bad there.

 

[Myron]

It’s a job nobody wants to do anymore now that the fans and coaches treat HS football like it’s the NFL and go after the refs nonstop some nights.

100% truth