US Lax Recruiting Website

[Woodenstick]

The new Stripes newsletter stated that there were 172 inquiries To the US Lax website concerning becoming a referee in about an 11 month period. I was wondering what is supposed to happen when you make an inquiry.

When I started out to become a referee a few years ago, I emailed them 2x. I did not get a response or even an acknowledgement from US lax, and never heard from my local chapter. I ended up contacting local chapters on my own. One local chapter was very helpful but too far, one was completely unresponsive to email or telephone calls, and one ( my current chapter) was both helpful and nearby. So it all worked out in the end (although maybe the local coaches would disagree)!

So my experience with the US lax website was negative, I was also wondering if others had similar or different experiences.

[LaxRef]

The new Stripes newsletter stated that there were 172 inquiries To the US Lax website concerning becoming a referee in about an 11 month period. I was wondering what is supposed to happen when you make an inquiry.

When I started out to become a referee a few years ago, I emailed them 2x. I did not get a response or even an acknowledgement from US lax, and never heard from my local chapter. I ended up contacting local chapters on my own. One local chapter was very helpful but too far, one was completely unresponsive to email or telephone calls, and one ( my current chapter) was both helpful and nearby. So it all worked out in the end (although maybe the local coaches would disagree)!

So my experience with the US lax website was negative, I was also wondering if others had similar or different experiences.

I know the former MDOC secretary (well, I know the current one, too, but that's less relevant to the story). He said his job was to take in the inquiries and send them on to the district governors, who forward to the chapters. Some DGs would contact the people, and some wouldn't, or maybe the lack of follow-up was at the chapter level. I think in some areas there may be a "we don't need new officials competing for our jobs" attitude, but I'm not really sure.

Anyway, the current MDOC secretary sends a prompt e-mail reply and—I assume—sends the info on to the district governor as before. I'm not sure how well that system is currently working.

[avo]

I'm a YOC rep and I do get these forwarded from my DG.

[3rdPersonPlural]

I'm a YOC rep......

I'm skeptical, Avo. Those have been extinct for 25 million years. Giant Black and White striped reptilians don't roam the earth any more, let alone post revealing copy bites on web forums.

.........and I do get these forwarded from my DG.


:thinking:

[massref]

If we are going to try to attract new officials maybe we should set up a MDOC Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to reply to the inquiry, contact the DG, and follow up with the contact on training sites, materials, etc.

If we actually want more officials, we should do more active recruiting than the passive recruiting that we do now. Maybe there should be a MDOC Recruting Program and Czar so that it isn't just one more thing for the secretary to do???

[Woodenstick]

If we are going to try to attract new officials maybe we should set up a MDOC Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to reply to the inquiry, contact the DG, and follow up with the contact on training sites, materials, etc.

If we actually want more officials, we should do more active recruiting than the passive recruiting that we do now. Maybe there should be a MDOC Recruting Program and Czar so that it isn't just one more thing for the secretary to do???

As LR stated, it seems as though some local chapters are more interested than others in recruiting. But at minimum, we should at least make sure the passive recruiting works.

[Shorelax]

I had a very similar experience.


So my experience with the US lax website was negative, I was also wondering if others had similar or different experiences.