I've been officiating some games this year, first time in a while and know that in the mid-state there have been game cancellations/postponements because of a shortage of referees. I've spoken with several officials and Dennis Cook, our assignor, about these issues and have the following suggestions.
(1) Boys and Girls Varsity should play doubleheaders on Tuesday/Friday night and have Boys & Girls JV play on Monday/Thursdays. This way you get the best crews for the Varsity matches and perhaps allow a seasoned official to work with newbies (like myself) during the JV games.
(2) Have Girls JV/Varsity play doubleheaders on Monday/Thursday and Boys JV/Varsity on Tuesday/Friday. Again, you eliminate almost half of the games being focused solely on Tuesday/Fridays as it is now. Maybe play March one way and April another (i.e. - M/Th for Girls in March and Tu/Fr in April).
(3) Game times should not start before 5:45 pm. I don't know if I've done one '5:30' game this year that has started on time. It's too hard for teams transportation to get there - most have to run a regular route after school and THEN go pick up the sports teams. Another problem is many of the coaches and certainly the officials don't work at the schools, so you have them either late (one-man system to start) and other times them sprinting to make kickoff (after they sign in for paperwork and such). Heck, one of the guys I was working with the other day got a speeding ticket en route to the JV game and was 30 minutes late due to being pulled over! Whoever schedules teams from Rock Hill, Florence, Sumter, and Aiken to make it to Columbia for a 5:30 pm game must be hallucinating.
(4) We should have three-man crews for the 'big games.' It's too hard for two of us to monitor and do our job effectively. Sometimes it's hard for us to do it with three! I know it's more money, but this should be required at the Varsity level.
(5) How many times must we argue/discuss the JV overtime rules. It's simple, if the game is tied at the end of regulation, then you go to OT/PKs, IF there is enough time to start the Varsity game on time. Unfortunately, if you have a 5:30 start time plus an hour game and 10 minute halftime, you're at 6:40 -- if you started on time, which is very rare. I think JV should go to two-flat 35 minute halves and end in a tie if level at the end of regulation, thus no overtime.
Now, who do we direct these suggestions to?
