Pick a Referee Crew

[lawdog911]

What association would you pick to do your game. With that I know each association has at least a few good officials. I hope no official would be upset about there name being placed on a good list. What association would you pick and what referees would you have on that crew or on a crew you work.

Good way to give specific refs. props for a good job.

[time2retire]

First off, where are you located?

Second, I would avoid small associations you hear very little about. There's a reason some associations never work beyond the first round.

[lawdog911]

I'm out of Baton Rouge

[dulac]

Why do you coaches wait til the last minute to secure a ref crew? Do you not realize the longer you wait, the chances of you getting a decent crew drops dramatically.

[lawdog911]

During playoffs I find the scramble to get a ref crew is crazier then ever. Everyone knows that there are associations that can go deeper with referees then others, but every association has at least one top level state referee and one or two others who can do the playoff games. It's no secret that Baton Rouge and Laf. Have the most top level refs. But I know for a fact Shrev, North Shore, and N.O can field at least on top level ref crew. This isn't saying other places don't but from years of traveling in and out of state to do games these are the best.

For Coaches first off there is no advantage of one association over others. The only conflict at all I can see is for the home team to not see the same refs as they have all season, but for the away team to not want to go with home teams ref association really has not bearing. If it makes you feel better then ok, that's one less thing you can blame the ref for "home cooking". Second if you have certain people that you want on the game or not on the game tell the assignor, if it is possible to accommodate usually they will.

[Sanofi-Aventis]

Law,
I think the Northshore can field more than one top flight crew. Last year the northshore crews did 3 of the 4 quarterfinal games.

[lawdog911]

Just the fact that they field a crew or 4 doesn't weigh on the caliber of officials they have. top level maybe 4 officials.

[futbolislife]

I actually wonder if I will live long enough to see the day when we pick the top referees across the state to work a game and not focus on an area. For our game, referees at every level are accustomed to working with different people. The system of standard signals, mechanics, etc make that relatively easy. Let's move away from associations for the playoff games (at least some of the final rounds) and put the state top referees in the games at every position.

[Sanofi-Aventis]

All I'm saying is that the teams could have picked crews from anywhere and they chose northshore crews.

I agree that they should try to get the best to ref in the quarters and finals. Refs do not need to be from the same area. When refs work premier tournaments the assignor puts guys from all over together and it works just fine.

[Sanofi-Aventis]

Are you saying that the northshore has four good centers, or four good refs?

[time2retire]

FIL we both know that the logistics are not ideal for this situation. The LHSAA wrongly makes the assumption that each association can provide a top-notch crew and we all know this isn't the case.

The ones of us who are dedicated don't mind that we may break even at best if we travel from New Orleans to Shreveport to work two games.

[lawdog911]

2 centers and 2 more that could do the rest. I

I agree 100 percent when it comes to the quarters and up the best from any association should work. This again is just ignorence by LHSAA. At the youth regional and national level the games you do are based on your preformance throughout the tournement. The best work the finals

[notonmyfield]

Why would you want referees for a game who have never worked together in such a meaningful game? Getting an association is a wise decision b/c the referee will be more comfotable with his AR's, knowing what he will and won't let play and they know each others tendencies. Picking refs from across the state and forcing them to work together is plain stupid!!

[cardsinhand]

Feb 9, 2010 17:06:55 GMT -6 lawdog911 said:

I agree 100 percent when it comes to the quarters and up the best from any association should work. This again is just ignorence by LHSAA. At the youth regional and national level the games you do are based on your preformance throughout the tournement. The best work the finals

I don't know about that, I was assigned to be referee of a youth regional final. The "higher ups" must have been watching with their shades on. I caught some flack from my LA referee brothers on that one.

Feb 9, 2010 19:32:04 GMT -6 notonmyfield said:

Why would you want referees for a game who have never worked together in such a meaningful game? Getting an association is a wise decision b/c the referee will be more comfotable with his AR's, knowing what he will and won't let play and they know each others tendencies. Picking refs from across the state and forcing them to work together is plain stupid!!

Now to avoid using your vernacular "stupid", that statement may be a tad bit ignorant. First off the crew I had working with me in that regional final, I had never meet before. It was a 17 year old female youth referee from Georgia and two referees from Arkansas. On the other hand, I know most of the referees capable of doing these matches in LA. In fact I'll have a hard time finding one I have not worked with. As FIL says we have a pretty standard set of signals and with a good pregame should cover any deviations from them. As far as what will or will not be called ..... cover it in the pregame and after 5 minutes most of us know what to expect.

Sorry but this really is a "no brainer" even the weakest referee could get correct! Buuuuut...... we all know there are no SOCCER referees at LHSAA. Soooo.........FIL you just had a birthday, how many you figure you have left? Keep fighting the good fight brother!

[lawdog911]

what you fail to realize is the upper level refs from all associations have worked to gether for USSF tournements youth and amature. The top 20 refs in the state from (Alex, Laf, BR, NO, Shrev and North shore) Have worked with each other. So crossing associations would have no bearing at all. We all have worked with one another at tournements in state, out of state.

[time2retire]

lawdog911 I pray I never get one of your game reports in my inbox. Just kiddin

[lawdog911]

You may already have gotten one from me at some point.

[futbolislife]

LHSAA is high on the association crew because in other sports like football, baseball, etc, crews tend to work together. This is not the case in soccer. Don't for one minute think that just because you have a crew come from an area that those referees have worked together. That may not be the case at all. Likely some of them have, but not necessarily. Smaller associations, this may absolutely be true. Not in larger ones. Given the standards of mechanics, signals, communication; referees who have "been around" understand how to communicate even if they have not worked together. Its done at the state cup level, regional, national championships and even the highest levels of the game.

IT CAN WORK and it has worked. This is not a new concept. I firmly believe that the finals (at least) should have an "all-star" crew of the best and brightest referees we have. And I know that all of them have worked with each other at various times. Will it happen? Not likely. And to me, thats just a shame. The game deserves better.

[lawdog911]

Futbol that was very well said. I agree with everything.

[misfitdingbat]

I agree it would be great to have an "all-star" referee crew doing the finals (and as many preceding rounds as possible), however that nasty filthy money stuff comes into the equation. Last night I traveled with a crew about 240 miles and the travel pay came about $270. Image a "all-star" crew from around the state doing the same game and the total coming to $1000 and this doesn't include the $170 for the game. I don't think LHSAA will be willing to spring for the money involved. Just a reality check, in this situation none of the officials would be at the site already for other puposes as they would be at a regional or other tournament event.