Post by cg on Apr 15, 2013 15:47:40 GMT -6
Did one of these last year, and it makes sense to do it each year. On behalf of the officials, I would like to extend thanks to the league as a whole. The overwhelming majority of the weekend was civil, and while tempers inevitably flare in certain moments, players were quick to control themselves and their teammates. Having used alumni officials for two seasons now, I think it’s a safe conclusion that involving alumni in the NCDA is a net positive. More detailed comments follow:
Meetings – it’s our understanding that some sort of meeting took place Friday involving rules. If so, notifying and including officials in such a meeting would probably be advised so everyone is on the same page.
Floorspace – As with every tournament, floor space is at a premium and scheduling multiple games at once is a difficult task. Having said that, allowing 8-10’ of space outside the playing surface for officials to maneuver would be very much appreciated. Officials need to protect themselves on the court, and self-preservation becomes more of a priority they closer the official must be to the playing surface. Allowing more space allows the official to focus more on taking the game in, resulting in fewer missed calls. Everybody wins.
Spectators – Fans are generally a welcome addition to any sporting event. There were certainly plenty of moments this past weekend when they added to the atmosphere. Much like with floorspace, though, there comes a point where they can become a safety issue. Booing calls and chastising the refs is fine, as happened to me – that’s no problem. Doing so when they are literally within spitting distance and confronting volunteer officials after games, however, is an untenable situation. Alumni are here as volunteers who want to contribute to a good experience for those who come after them; that desire is gone when situations like these arise. For that reason, I request the NCDA institute a rule that spectators must be a minimum of 15’ from the playing surface – no exceptions. If such a rule is not in place, officials in the future will be instructed to stop play in situations like these until the spectator leaves the area, and to rule a forfeit result if necessary. Without knowing who on earth it was, I’d be embarrassed to be the guy or girl whose parent thought it was a good idea to confront someone about the way their son or daughter plays dodgeball.
Again, though, the overwhelming majority of the weekend resulted in high marks from the officiating staff. The league as a whole should be pleased with its behavior. And with that, I’ll open things up for questions/comments/opinions/ramblings.
Meetings – it’s our understanding that some sort of meeting took place Friday involving rules. If so, notifying and including officials in such a meeting would probably be advised so everyone is on the same page.
Floorspace – As with every tournament, floor space is at a premium and scheduling multiple games at once is a difficult task. Having said that, allowing 8-10’ of space outside the playing surface for officials to maneuver would be very much appreciated. Officials need to protect themselves on the court, and self-preservation becomes more of a priority they closer the official must be to the playing surface. Allowing more space allows the official to focus more on taking the game in, resulting in fewer missed calls. Everybody wins.
Spectators – Fans are generally a welcome addition to any sporting event. There were certainly plenty of moments this past weekend when they added to the atmosphere. Much like with floorspace, though, there comes a point where they can become a safety issue. Booing calls and chastising the refs is fine, as happened to me – that’s no problem. Doing so when they are literally within spitting distance and confronting volunteer officials after games, however, is an untenable situation. Alumni are here as volunteers who want to contribute to a good experience for those who come after them; that desire is gone when situations like these arise. For that reason, I request the NCDA institute a rule that spectators must be a minimum of 15’ from the playing surface – no exceptions. If such a rule is not in place, officials in the future will be instructed to stop play in situations like these until the spectator leaves the area, and to rule a forfeit result if necessary. Without knowing who on earth it was, I’d be embarrassed to be the guy or girl whose parent thought it was a good idea to confront someone about the way their son or daughter plays dodgeball.
Again, though, the overwhelming majority of the weekend resulted in high marks from the officiating staff. The league as a whole should be pleased with its behavior. And with that, I’ll open things up for questions/comments/opinions/ramblings.