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How many of our local officials worked either boys or girls dist. ten playoff semis or finals and how did they compare with their northern counterparts who usually get the majority of the games?

i personally think the local refs really suck

And I personally think that an opinion like that one is better left unsaid on this forum. Unless that is you have taken the test and passed it.

Jim Kopen reffed the AAA championship game.
Nick Morocco, Jeff Valentino, Tom Platteborze, Mike Fitzgerald also did games.
Former local ref Paul Puleo did the WPIAL Class A Boys championship.

The Searle(s) and Paul Gustas did some games, but I'm not sure if they were semi's or finals.

Down here, the only good ref is the one who gives you all the calls.... Like any profession there are 1.bad ones..2.good ones and 3. great ones ...It's personal perceptions that influences the ranking of 1- 2- 3 . They for the most part they do a good job! Hey! they are right 50% of the time.

I think the officials around here have done the amount of games they deserve. From observing games of several different schools around the area I have came to the same conclusion a lot..... the officials appear very arrogant and make it too much about themselves instead of being about the kids. in many circumstances i have seen the outcome of the game determined by the officials because they have made a bad or wrong call and have the oppertunity to correct it, but do not capitalize because of blatant arrogance.

Come on...these are guys who make 50 bucks or whatever to ref games and get abused by fans, etc. If it were truly about their egos, I think they would choose some other avenue than officiating basketball games! I yelled at refs as much as any coach, (maybe more) to me that was all part of the game- but I also knew that most were doing the best they could do and were genuinely trying to help out the local area. The good ones around here are very good.

i still disagree. they make 71 dollars for 1 varsity game. that is not bad pay for an hour of jogging up and down the floor. and fans yelling at them should not be made into as big a deal as you make it sound. the officials need to block that out and let the kids play. also as a fan you have that right to yell at the officals. as a fan you pay your 3 or 4 dollars to get into the gym and that enables you to say how you would have coached, played, and officiated differently. this is in my opinion the best 3 dollars you can spend. not to mention it benefits the youth.

Yea, that's why we lose good coaches!

1- Varsity game = $65

2- 4 hrs. per game, not 1 (arrive 1 hr. pregame, 1.5 hr. during game, .5 hr. after game, 1 hr. avg. travel round trip.)

3- 20 addl. hrs. per yr. mandatory meetings/training/travel to mtgs.

4- 20 Varsity games = $1300, minus $75 local/state dues, $75 gear, $300 gas, $200 camps/training/etc.; leaves $600 per season.

5- $600 divide 100 hrs. equals $6.00 per hour

6- Get your three dollars' worth, but most officials don't care if a few fans wish to put their ignorance of the game on display in public, including, but no limited to: yelling "3 seconds" when there is no team control, wanting a foul for contact when a defender has established legal guarding position (no, he doesn't have to be "set"), unawareness of the principles of verticality and advantage/disadvantage. And I'm still searching but can't find "reaching" and "over the back" in the book.

7- Interscholastic athletics is supposed to be an extention of the classroom and educational process so why don't you go to a local classroom and act like you do at the games and see if it's tolerated?

8- I can assure you that even a mediocre official gets 98% of the calls or "no calls" correct, with less that a half-second to analyze every play. When we see a game where every coaches' decision is perfect, every player shoots 100% from the field and from the line, there are no turnovers for either team, then maybe we can expect to see an official call 100%.

9- Many local officials are highly regarded up north, and Mercer County receives a higher ratio of District 10 playoff assignments than any other chapter.

10- Don't mistake confidence and assertiveness for arrogance. If you are not strong-willed, you will not advance very far. Every official that has sacrificed to get to the higher levels strives to call the "perfect game", because in this video age, a referee is only one video clip away from being demoted by the supervisors. Nobody wants to blow a game by making something up and ending up on youtube the next morning.

. Really? And as an official they have the right to kick you out of the game or assess a technical on you. Not that I have ever seen the latter but I have experienced the former a few times when I was younger and stupider. You can pay your three bucks and go in and say stuff about high school kids, coaches, or officials??? I suppose that is a "right" also? please tell me you are joking. Well then I expect the $33.00 you owe me since this is what you have done here. I will reiterate something on here, this is not the place to bust on the officials of Mercer County. They are hard working people and obviously they have a love of the game other wise they would not be doing what it is that they do.

I fail to read anything in your posts, heater09, that would benefit youth. Your attitude and example as you express yourself here seems to be the exact opposite of the purpose of high school sports and what the adults involved are trying to teach.

I've watched games for over 60 years and have yet to witness any official from around here, up north, or anywhere else not try to do their best when calling a game. Basketball especially is a very tough job. It switches from offense to defense, from one end of the court to the other in seconds. A high percentage of calls are judgement calls. I marvel at how game officials, often past their playing prime in age, adapt to the fast pace of the game. I agree with the 98%-correct evaluation of their decisions...and the other 2%, no replay needed. Human error is part of the game. Coaches caution players never to let a situation occur that human error is the decision-maker between a win or a loss. If it is, it's their fault.

The best officials are in complete control of the game. The ultimate is to work unnoticed, but they need to be ready to assert themselves when the situation calls for it. Most of all, they must have the respect of players, coaches, and fans. They have earned it, for sure. Whenever they don't receive that respect - regardless of what anyone thinks of their calls - it is a reflection upon those being critical. Life isn't always fair. Live with it.

Somehow I hope that the "09'" in your screen name, heater, indicates that you are a younger person fresh out of school and are preparing to enter the adult world. You have a lot to learn about respectfulness and appreciation for the great things that others do. I wish you the best of luck and hope that you get there.

Really Good Officials-a few
Good Officials-vast majority
Really Poor Officials-a few

Tough profession w/ little reward; however, I've witnessed many games where it was obvious that the job being done just was not good...this can also be said for every profession. Also, don't think that certain officials are not "requested" to work games for specific reasons...many a deal has been cut down at the inn. On that note, in an effort to help officials navigate the perils of arenas where they work (disgruntled fans, thrown objects, verbal assaults, etc.) "Nick's School of Evasion & Home Security" is available to educate officials in how to ignore unwanted requests, evade pursuit by authorities, & arrive safely at a secure location following events...sporting or otherwise.

Oh my, for your sake I'd hope that your identity remains unknown. I'm sure some people would like to have a heart to heart talk with you.

skeet:Even down here where we lost the war, we would not make such callus remarks.. Be kind ..just ib case the finger points at one's self someday!

Instead of worrying about what nick is and isint doing you ought to spend more time in the gym with your team teaching defense.