I have long wondered what would cause a good man to go and become a ref. What a tough job. I would hope that they are training as hard as the wrestlers are now. I think the new out of bounds rules are going to be subjective at best until they get a little better hold on it.
Good luck men in stripes.
Few questions to start some conversation until we really know what weights the kids are going.
1. Who is you favorite ref? And why?
2. Which district do you feel like has the best reffing? Maybe a ranking?
3. How do you feel about the abundance or lack of stall calls? And the timing and consistency? Ideas for adjustments?
4. Name some attributes that you wish every ref had?
I will post my answers in a few days. I just didn't want to pose the questions and then steer the conversation. I think this could be some good feed back for those who read the boards.
I will take a stab at this:
1.
a. Brock Zollinger
b. Ron Anthony
c. Mat Clark
d. Ben Ray
2.
While I think there are good officials in each district, I think the over all balance is better in some districts than others. So as an aggregated total of my estimations, I rank them as such.
a. 4th District
b. 1st District
c. 3rd District
d. 5th District
e. 6th District
f. 2nd District (I never see them as they are really only tiny schools in this district with the exception of Moscow and Lewiston). I don't know them or I am associating them to 1st District.
3.
Stalling: Where to start? I wish it was consistent through out a match. If it is stalling with 20 seconds left in the match than it is stalling in the first 10 seconds of the match as well. I hate seeing a guy that produces all the action in the first two and a half rounds being hit with a stall call in the last of the match because the other guys had done nothing for 5 minutes. Then just because the other guy that is losing now gets reward with a stall call when the action has only been produced 1/6th of the time. I get it. I understand it. It creates more exciting finishes to matches. However, I think calling more stalling would create more exciting matches over 6 minutes rather than the last 30 seconds.
4.
I liked this question. I think everyone is different. Brock Zollinger is a great ref. Brock Zollinger is a refs nightmare as a coach. So for each coaching style there is a different type of reffing style needed to deal with that coaches personality. Some coaches need a Mat Clark to keep them grounded. Some need a Chris Call to listen to them and air their complaint. I think the biggest attribute that a ref needs is a willingness to be corrected for the sake of the sport. They are out there on the mat by themselves. They make mistakes. Sometimes though instead of trying to get it right... they come off just trying to be right. I think that hurts the kids and themselves.
4.5
I think Palestra has a good point about how officials are selected to go to state. I think it is an important topic that needs review. There are improper incentives for the refs and coaches in the selection process.
I feel a little guilty, ranking the refs by district. It is really an exercise of experience with each area. Familiarity brings forth a little more contempt. I feel bad... almost, for my rankings because there have been great experiences at each district. It is hard to rank without explanation or a scoring system that explains out the criteria. I will say that my experiences with the 4th district have been outstanding and are by far the best overall crew. Everyone else can be tied for 2nd.
1. Best Official: Arnie Jones
2. Best District for Officials: District 4
3. Stalling / Stalemate: call them quick and call them often.
4. Attributes for Refs: Listening skills for questions, thick skin for the heat of the moment, short memory for coaches, kids, fans, and all of their mistakes.
4.5. I think that is a topic all by itself. It needs to change.
1. Ben Ray is one of my favorites as well as Brock. Jones is good with the bully coaches. He makes the right call and doesn't let who is in the corner change that. I personally like Earl Cole because he won't let kids sit and not wrestle. I get many don't care for him but I have never had a problem.
2. No Comment
3. Stalling is stalling call it early and often. Call the kid that grabs and ankle and hangs on. I am not a fan of the stalling tactic of dive for a leg and hang on burn 15-30 seconds waiting for a stalemate. Holding an ankle for 10 seconds before the count is started.
4. I personally am not a fan of coaches or parents reffing while their kids wrestle. When a ref can change the result of a match that his kid will face the winner of it leaves questions in the area of ethics. District and state seeding can be altered by a ref with an agenda. Not saying is happens but it makes me question sometimes. Short memory for matches. I have seen refs hold grudges for years against kids, coaches, and teams. I don't like to hear refs coaching during a match. Once heard a ref tell my son to not even try his power half or he'd stop the match. Huh? Allowing a coach to question things when his kid wants a lunger. Bonneville is good at this.
Last point the potentially dangerous call. A half is not potentially dangerous if the kid can get away from the pressure. Different story when the legs are in and there is nowhere to go. Physicality should not be punished as long as it is kept legal.
Shout at?
Also refs should never ref their kids or kids from their club. Ever.
I think the refs do a good job overall. I dont know many refs. There are some I recognize as a good ref and some that I think need some work. That being said, i have never done it. It is a tough job. As far as shout outside go, I believe Lonnie Edward's does a great job. I dont always agree with him but he refs a fair match and controlcontrols the mat