Are you coming back?
One question that always comes up at the end of any Olympiad is - are you going to re-certify for the next one? This is getting to be a tougher question each time around. Gas prices are up, travel expenses have increased. And, let's face it, the officiating pool is graying rapidly.
As we look forward to the 2008-2012 Olympiad, how many of our officiating brethren will still be there? Are you one who is considering hanging it up? If so, why? And what can we do to get more, younger officials into the fold?
As we look forward to the 2008-2012 Olympiad, how many of our officiating brethren will still be there? Are you one who is considering hanging it up? If so, why? And what can we do to get more, younger officials into the fold?
posted by Hammer at
Friday, June 20, 2008
10 Comments:
Yes I am coming back. However in order to get more people into the official's ranks there will have to be some changes. I get paid to start high school track meets. I start races because I love the sport but the money allows me to stay in the sport and officiate college meets in the field events in which I get paid nothing. To off set the high cost of travel all officials should get paid something for their time and effort, if not there will come a day when there will be no officials to work the meets.
Wow anonymous i was going to write the same thing.
Another comment i had was charging people $30 per year to volunteer is not a good way to encourage participation. Most of the meets i have worked lately have been so understaffed, they weren't even any fun to work.
I want to come back, but the expenses just keep increasing, ie; travel expenses, 3rd Different Uniform shirt in less than 8 years (when was the last new uniform change for football, baseball, or basketball officials) and now mandatory membership to get re-certified. I don't know about other Associations, but in my area Track and Field Officials very rarely, in ever get paid for working a meet. In the last 8 years, I have been paid 3 times, once at the NCAA D-II Outdoor Championship, once at the MIAA league Championship, and once at the MIAA league Multi event championship meet. The last two were nice, but didn't cover my expense, but did reduce my out of pocket expenses. I think that it is time for something to change.
Yes I'm coming back. It's too much fun not to. as for recruiting--this is always a challenge, but each year I see one, two, three people we haven't seen before. Recruiting is basically retail work: finding someone who is helping with your event and doing a great job, then saying to her or him, why don't you join us? it's each individual official's job.
the whole national shirt thing has been out of hand for a long time, though. maybe new leadership within the national officials committee or for that matter USATF national could resolve this issue in a way that's not burdensome (personally, for a dozen years, I got by officiating 95% of my meets--everything other than national championships--by buying white polos from Lands End. my association's uniform is white top, khaki pants/skirt/shorts, white shoes.)
Will I come back--I am not sure? It is getting very expensive, and with the current economic situation, donating my time and expenses is not practical.
Those of us who do not live on the West Coast, and want to work the outdoor meets, or those who wish to work the Indoors, but do not live on the East Coast, are penalized because we are forced to spend a great amount of money just to get to the site. We have very little choice for the next four years. With the exception of an Outdoor in Iowa, everything is on the coasts.
It is unacceptable when a high school can afford to pay all officials, and USATF and NCAA claim they cannot.
In addition, I must pay to join USATF and pay a fee just to re-certify so that I have the privilege of spending my money and donating my time, so someone can make a profit. I love the sport and the athletes, but it is getting very expensive.
Also, I just looked at the recert test for a Master official. The amount of time, (and money--to purchase and IAAF and NFHS rule books)just to complete this test is ridiculous.
I have to decide--can I afford it, and do I need this aggravation? Time will tell.
At 32 I am a new official. I was surprised to learn, however, that even though I pay a starter $50 for my 3 hour junior high meet I would have to volunteer to work an NCAA meet; that seems a little backward to me. I think I'll stick to the local meets.
I did decide to return and re-certify. However, with the requirement to renew the USATF membership each year, the cost of rule books, etc., this may be the last year as an official. In the past I've contributed my time as an official, primarily as a starter, often taking vacation days, traveling, paying hotel bills, sometimes without a stipend. mainly so others can have the opportunity to compete....you know, the saying "without officials, there wouldn't be a meet". I'm not sure how long I'll be willing to support the track and field community by volunteering my services/time. With the current economy, just this year alone I've decided to cut back about 1/2 of my meets and have already withdrawn applications. Who knows, when it comes time to renew my membership, buy new rule books, I may decide that I've given enough of my time to the sport and move onto another hobby.
I'll be back, but will be to a different association. We are encouraged to bring in new officials, and do, but they are greeted by certification chairs who have different agendas. Some are power-hungry, disorganized and make things unrealistic for moving up. Others welcome us with open arms and ask, HOW CAN I (WE) HELP YOU? When obsticals are created, people find other ways to occupy their time. That's why we are a dying breed. No vision for making it a fun hobby.
I will continue to be a USATF Official because I love the sport and working with the athlete's. I am lucky that I do get paid for most of the meets I start, but I think it is a shame that USATF does not do anything to encourage officials to continue being a member by making them pay each year to maintain membership and then asks officials to fly all over the USA on our dime and pay for lodging and food other than a cold hamburger at the meets. They make you purchase your own uniforms and the officials uniform order page is a joke. Where can a person purchase a red sports coat? I guess I will never need to purchase one since the head honchos who have everything paid for and make sure that a select group of officials work the "Big Meets" a person like me will never get a chance to move up in the ranks. I believe that the governing board needs a lot of new blood and revitalize the entire system. If they don't, there will be less and less officials out there in the years to come other than the select few.
Yes I will continue to come back but not because of USATF but for my love of the sport. I have worked hard every weekend starting with the Indoor Season clear through the summer meets. I have missed camping trips and riding with my horse & Mule riding club. I feel that the USATF needs new blood in the Board of Directors and get moving in a new direction. I have tried to work meets outside my immediate area but it always seems that the same group of officials such as starters work the meets year after year. Are they the only ones who can professionally pull a trigger and start a race? If the USATF wants to make sure that they will have qualified officials for the Big Ones or any other meet then they need to be bringing up new people and get them exposed to everything and become comfortable in the experience. Do not even get me started on making officials purchasing Red Sports Coats for TV Meets and paying their own way across the nation to meets and then pay for a hotel room and food other than what they supply at the meets which is usually a cold hamburger or some cheap wrap with little to nothing in it. May USATF RIP.
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