GCAA Basketball Referees

I would like for GCAA to explain to all parents what is going on with the referees.

Before Christmas, there were no problems. This week all games were pushed back 45 minutes (6:15 became 7:00, 7:15 became 8:00). On Tuesday, the referees showed at 7:30. This meant the second game started at 8:30 (on a school night!) and didn't end until 9:15. On Wednesday, the first referee showed at 7:25, and the second came in at the end of the first quarter (7:40). On Thursday, the referees showed up at 7:30. Today (Saturday) the referees did not show up AT ALL by the time the second game was postponed at 2:50. The first game (1:00 scheduled start) began at 1:30 without an official referee. The 2:00 game was postponed, and the remaining games were supposed to start whenever the refs finally showed.

So...myself and the other irritated (not yet irate) parents want to know what is going on. Did the refs form a union and forget to tell GCAA about their union demands? Did the paycheck for December bounce? WHAT? I think since we have paid for our children to pay basketball, have arranged our schedules to bring them to the games and practices, and have supported the sponsoring businesses that we deserve to know why we are having such difficulty in getting the referees to be on time to the games.

 

GCAA Basketball Referee's

The best way to get in touch with someone from the GCAA is to send them a e-mail at the following address: mailto:caainfo@4042.com . They will be glad to explain.

 

To the person who wrote this message….

First I’d like to ask you this question. Is writing and placing this on a website considered a bold and official way of handling this? Or – in my opinion – a childish way of getting attention? Really, how many people have the time to read all of these postings? If there is a question why not confront someone face to face who is directly involved with the officiating at GCAA and ask them. Wouldn’t the response you get be much better in person than doing it this way?

I’d like to respond to your inquiry about GCAA as a parent and as an Official’s wife.

Beginning with that…Clearly you are not informed of an Official’s responsibilities as well as the business of being an Official for basketball and for that, all sports. In this world there are ball games beyond the realm of Recreational ball. Those games would be Middle School and High School. Each Official that is at GCAA every night has usually – not always – been at a MS game prior to arriving at GCAA. MS usually begins at or around 4:15 and this time is beyond the control of the Official. The ones who call these MS games go to GCAA after they’ve finished these games. Girls play and boys play at these MS games and sometimes games go into overtime, etc. I’m sure you get this. Your Officials that you’ve mentioned who are not on time are coming from many different areas. Many different schools. Before Christmas there were not many public school or private school games which is why there were not arrival time issues. However, that is different at the beginning of a new year. To be honest with you, the games at GCAA should sometimes be scheduled later or perhaps not so many games on a school night. Have you thought that these Official’s have children as well and are not home until the games are over like you? Or even later when they are calling 2 – 6 games a night or day when you are there for only 1 or 2 hours.

Good Officials are hard to come by, especially ones that are High School Certified by the State of North Carolina. And GCAA has some of the best Official’s that there are. Have you been to any of the other Rec. basketball games in the area? If not, I suggest that you go to one or two so that you can appreciate the Official’s that GCAA has. Our Official’s care about the kids and the game. About sportsmanship and how important it is to play as a team and to follow the rules. If you’ve not noticed, GCAA’s Officials take the time to point out and to teach these children why a call was made so that they learn for future games. Exert a little more patience. I see both sides of the coin and can appreciate your frustration as a parent. But know that these guys (and girls!) do Rec. ball games not for the money, because school ball pays a lot more, but for these kids.

And if this is too much to ask of you, well then…I suggest that you put on the stripes and call some ball. Certainly you have the time to!

 

Wow. You've had your new ID...what?..2 minutes and you're already trynna stir **** up.

 

Wow...guess your screen name says it all. The only reason I responded...what, in 2 minutes... was so that I could reply to people such as yourself who think they know everything.

 

I'm a soccer referee and youth soccer coach, so let me referee this one.

In fact, both of you are correct. Nsane, you are right....as parents we want our kids to play, get exercise, learn the game, and still get home at a reasonable hour on school nights.....

Mhok is right, too. Finding certified refs can be a challenge for rec leagues. I am asked by local soccer groups to ref for about $20 a game. Middle and High School games typically pay much more. If my afternoon middle school game is in Riverwood at 4:15 and my rec game is at 6:30 in Benson, that works...unless my Riverwood game goes to overtime, then I leave Riverwood at 6:00, have to drive through Clayton to get to Benson, etc. you get the picture.

So, often if rec leagues are going to choose to play weeknights instead of weekends, they are going to play second fiddle to the primary job (yes, I've had to call and cancel out on my rec league game because of my REAL job), to the high school game, etc.

Having reffed in both weekend and weeknight leagues (and been a referee booking agent), I can tell you absenteeism and tardiness is less on the weekends.

My bigger issue is with parents who ride the refs of 10 YO basketball games about calling every little thing....but I'll save that for another day.

 

I'm happy with that. How about this one for later too: The parents that assult the palyers and coaches on the field and side lines... :evil:

 

Well, Mhok2, I was not insulting your spouse. I was asking GCAA about an issue regarding their game times since I know several board members participate in this forum. I used to teach middle school until this year. Middle school basketball games are on Mondays and Thursdays as a general rule so they do not interfere with high school games.

That week, the GCAA games were already rescheduled to begin 45 minutes later than the original scheduled times. There are only 2 games: 7:00 and 8:00. No middle school game would run from 4:15 until 7:30. When you mention they should be scheduled later, at what time do you feel an 8 or 9 year-old should be in bed on a school night? How much later could the games start? That statement of yours has no merit in this situation.

The one acting childishly was you in your response and assumption that I was attacking your husband. I merely asked a question as to why the games ran late three consecutive nights and one Saturday where the referees did not show up until the 4pm game when the first game was scheduled at 1pm. This is not a case of running a few minutes late.

At no time in my post did I question the integrity or the ability of the refs to coach the game. I have had NO problems with the ways ANY of the games have been called. I appreciate how they talk to the children to make sure a call is understood. I did not complain about their actual time spent refereeing the games. I do have a problem when I come at 1:30 for a 2pm game and I wait until close to 3pm and the refs are not there when it has been on the schedule since December that the games begin at 1pm. We then returned at 5:30 for a rescheduled game (and yes, we did have other plans for that night that we cancelled so the game could go on). At that time we learned the 3pm game had also been cancelled so it too was rescheduled for that night. There are no middle or high school games on a Saturday afternoon, so that argument is not valid.

As to your last statement...if you are volunteering to babysit my children for free while I attend the training and then referee, sure, I'd love to do that. However, for you to assume I have bunches of free time just because I asked a question on a message board shows you do not have much common sense, IMO.

 

My bf is an Official as well and I completely agree with you. Its so much easier for people to sit on the bleachers and complain than to put on the stripes and walk in their shoes for awhile.

 

Mafiaman, I got you a present. You might want to use it from time to time when you're posting on here...
















































:mrgreen:

 

If you know “several board members” than why not simply ask them? Because you know that you will receive the same response that myself and others are giving to you. I’m not in any way worried about you insulting my spouse and I know that this is not what your intentions were. Plus, my spouse is much more involved with GCAA than you know. I will leave that at that.

As for your teaching previously until this year…I’m not sure where you taught at but Middle school basketball games are Monday thru Friday and yes, they do sometimes interfere with High school games. In fact, today is Wednesday and my husband is at a Middle school game now. You’re correct, no Middle school game would run from 4:15 until 7:30. However, you need to consider that – as I said before – games do go into overtime, etc. And of course there is drive time of to and from the school game to the rec. ball game. That should also be taken in accountability. These guys go from Johnston to Wake to Harnett and beyond. Give them break….. They don’t have wings.
I have two children – which I will add is not any of your concern. Read my response, I did not say games should be started later, simply put in a suggestion. But, if you are going to let an 8 or 9 year old play ball on a school night than you should responsibly consider that they probably won’t be in bed on time.
As I said, I as a parent understand your frustration with the Official’s being late and games having to be pushed back. But you as a parent do not understand the Officials. Clearly. Have you been to the games where Official’s are yelled at, taunted, threatened even? And yes, I’m referring to Rec. ball games.
Last of all… I don’t volunteer to watch anyone’s children. Trust me when I tell you this, you have a lot to learn about Officiating and the time involved in your “training” would definitely interfere with your Saturday and or other night plans. These Official’s have a certain amount of clinics that they must attend. I don’t mean one or two. Five or six and they are 3 sometimes even 4 hours long or more. Then once the clinics are completed they have to work a certain amount of scrimmages – that I will add they do not get paid for. Once those two steps are completed they have a State meeting and then a State exam. This is not just for basketball but for all sports.
My assumption of your time clearly was misunderstood. If you have so much free time than maybe you should be more involved with GCAA yourself. I’m sure the Official’s that were at the games on Saturday had to cancel their plans as well to call the games.
By posting your question on a message board has clearly not gotten you the response that you were hoping for. So…with that. Let these kids play ball and have fun. After all, isn’t this what we’re all there for?:lol:

 

Mafia Man...get a whistle and try it once. Guaranteed that you wouln't last until half time.

Oh ya...they do get paid. But it's not enough money to put up with the crap from people such as yourself.

 

Hey, no stealing... that's my pet name for him!

 

Well, mhok2, clearly you have difficulty reading and understanding my original post as well as remembering what you have written.

First, I did not say I knew several board members. I said I knew several participated in this forum. There is a huge difference there.

Secondly, your first post is mostly about how hard-working the referees are. At no time did I say or imply otherwise. In fact, I was wondering, if you read my post, what could have happened that the referees were consistently late on four game days in one week. You mention the responsibilities of a referee: it is the responsibility of any person who accepts a job to be there ON TIME or at least reasonably on time. To come to work three hours late, as happened Saturday, is not acceptable by any organization or business with which I am familiar.

Furthermore, you did say the games should start later. Go read your first post. You stated, "the games at GCAA should sometimes be scheduled later" which is what did happen last week. All games were changed by 45 minutes. Your response implied that I did not like the games being moved. I did not have a problem with the games being pushed back in advance. I do have a problem with a situation where the GCAA representative is standing there frantically trying to call referees and other GCAA members in order to find out where the referees could possible be when they are 2 hours late, as they were at that point in time.

I also said that middle school games, which you used as your example, were usually scheduled on Mondays and Thursdays "AS A GENERAL RULE" so that they would not interfere with high school games. The phrase "as a general rule" means that there are exceptions from time to time. I do understand there are sometimes exceptions. However, there would not be any games, middle or high school, being played on a Saturday.

You said that the referees probably also had to change their plans Saturday night. I am sure the referees Saturday did have other plans. However, if they had been on time originally, no one would have had to change their plans to accommodate a 6pm and 7pm game since the games would have ended around 6pm. Any change in their own plans rests upon their shoulders.

Finally, my suggestion that you babysit my children was, I assure you, a facetious comment. I would never allow someone I do not know to watch my children. It was your assumption that I had a lot of free time and could easily become a referee that caused me to make that comment. You stated that your knowledge of my free time was misunderstood, and then you stated I should get more involved since I have so much free time. Your post there does not make any sense. My point was that I know there is a lot of training involved. At no time did I say or imply otherwise. If I chose to go through the training, would it interfere with my plans? No, the training would be my plans and part of my schedule for those weeks. Meanwhile, I am as involved in GCAA as my schedule allows. Furthermore, it would probably be seen by many people as a conflict of interest if I were to officiate at my own children's games.

I do want the children to have fun and play ball. That is, and has been, my entire point. They could not do that without the referees there to officiate at the games.

 

why don't ya'll go to the Official's website and complain in their forums instead of here? :idea:

 

Mafia Man...I have to admit...I do agree with you. There are some Official's that just want to be in charge and be the boss. That's why those Official's are not at Cleveland. Any way. I don't think that any of us bickering here are trying to make excuses one way or the other. I just think that each of us have an opinion that we want to get across and we are all entitled to that. The most important thing that we all agree on is the kids and them having fun playing ball with good Officials who really care about the game and the kids!!!

 

Ok My Children First...This has gotten petty and down right ridiculous. Your opinion is great, my opinion is great. Bottom line...Official's were late for reason's that neither you or I know about. Your point is as of a frustrated parent who did not appreciate having to wait for the Official's to get there. My point is of a frustrated Official's wife who did not appreciate the comments that were made.

Let's agree to agree on this and be done. There's alot more going on in this world than this!!

 

I still don't understand why you took offense. I never insulted the officials. And once again, read more carefully. The user name is All Children First.

 

Official's web site and Forum link?

Tangerine states "why don't ya'll go to the Official's website and complain in their forums instead of here?"

Can someone post a link to their website and forum?