LaxRef
10-09-2005, 08:50 PM
I worked a fall ball game last week, and I'm fairly annoyed. The game itself wasn't too bad, but the organization was abysmal.
First of all, I have my wife get off early from work to take the kids so I can be on time for this game, then find out that they changed the game time to a half hour later and didn't bother to notify the officials. The teams also changed, not that that really matters much to me, but that could be important if an official has a conflict of interest with one of new teams.
Then no one could get the rules straight. I pinned down that we were using 2005 NCAA rules, but with running time, no sideline horns, and time-and-a-half for penalties. But one of the teams, a men's club team, insisted that they were told club rules, which they took to mean that they didn't need mouthguards or shoulder pads. This created a major conflict.
After our game was over, someone told me they weren't doing overtime--good thing my game ended in regulation. I went over to the guy who was running the tournament, who was coaching in another game, and waited for his game to end so I could get paid (we were told we would be paid on-site at the end of the day). Well, his game goes into OT, so I have to wait around even longer. Then I ask him for a check, and he says "No one told me I had to pay people tonight!"
It just drives me nuts. I don't understand when people want to hold a tournament but then don't want to put in the effort to make it run well. And, from my perspective, that starts with making sure the officials know what's going on. I've had similar bad experiences with summer camps and off-season leagues.
[/rant]
First of all, I have my wife get off early from work to take the kids so I can be on time for this game, then find out that they changed the game time to a half hour later and didn't bother to notify the officials. The teams also changed, not that that really matters much to me, but that could be important if an official has a conflict of interest with one of new teams.
Then no one could get the rules straight. I pinned down that we were using 2005 NCAA rules, but with running time, no sideline horns, and time-and-a-half for penalties. But one of the teams, a men's club team, insisted that they were told club rules, which they took to mean that they didn't need mouthguards or shoulder pads. This created a major conflict.
After our game was over, someone told me they weren't doing overtime--good thing my game ended in regulation. I went over to the guy who was running the tournament, who was coaching in another game, and waited for his game to end so I could get paid (we were told we would be paid on-site at the end of the day). Well, his game goes into OT, so I have to wait around even longer. Then I ask him for a check, and he says "No one told me I had to pay people tonight!"
It just drives me nuts. I don't understand when people want to hold a tournament but then don't want to put in the effort to make it run well. And, from my perspective, that starts with making sure the officials know what's going on. I've had similar bad experiences with summer camps and off-season leagues.
[/rant]