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Discussion Topic: Hot Topic: Advancement as a High School Wrestling Referee
Dan Cosimi added to this discussion on March 6, 2008
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I was talking to Vince DiSabato today and he brought up the subject of the advancement of high school wrestling referees.
At the college level there is a system of evaluations and the best referees get preferred status and ultimately are chosen to work at the NCAA Tournament. By contrast, at the high school level in Ohio, there is no system of evaluations. There used to be a coaches' vote but that has since gone by the wayside. The referees who work the state tournament are chosen by an referee advisor to the OHSAA, having nothing to do with evaluations or coaches' votes.
What are your thoughts on this?
- Is it better to have evaluations or not?
- Would a coaches' vote help the system?
- Do they have evaluations in other sports such as football and basketball?
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Discussion Topic: Hot Topic: Advancement as a High School Wrestling Referee
Fred Feeney added to this discussion on March 7, 2008
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(This was written in 2005 in response to all those who are screaming about how the State Tournament Officials are picked.)
Remember, above all, the State Tournament is run by the OHSAA. They can pick who they want, anyway they want.
The OHSAA has tried over the past years to take the politics out of it (coaches vote, refs politicizing for votes, etc) and develop a pool of officials to pick from. It is my understanding that this year, a committee comprising of the 3 current State Rule Interpreters, plus the one with Emeritus status, chose from the pool, taking into account the 2 out of 3 rule, leadership, experience etc. That list was then given to Hank Z and he then chose the final list, not 100% going with the recommendations of the committee.
Is this right or wrong? That’s not me to decide. But, it is what it is.
Did some guys get passed over? Sure they did. Why? I don't know. It's a system, a variation of a way to do it. Is it the best way? In my opinion, it can be better. How? The best way, in my opinion, is to have evaluations from Sectionals on and do it that way. There is no process or people in place to do that now, so it is what it is.
I know guys are screaming this isn't fair and that there are some inexperienced guys are being brought in. Again, in my opinion, putting an inexperienced referee in a situation that could turn ugly is not a good thing. I think there are many many officials that can referee the first session of the State Tournament and not have a problem. Maybe even the second session.
That "pool" of qualified guys drops dramatically for the Semi's and semi wrestle backs. I will not ever forget my first State Tournament Semi. Hell, I called stalling 2 seconds into the match! Was I nervous or what! LOL. I did eat that call, by the way.
It's all about "having been there, done that". Does a referee have District experience? I feel he needs a minimum of at least 4-5 years of Districts before being looked at for States. Does he do top level tournaments? You get valuable experience doing top level stuff, but just because you are there doesn't mean there still isn't a learning curve. I have watched young referees work top stuff and I see mechanics that need worked on. I see judgments that haven't matured yet because they don't have the required mat time in yet to recognize all the different situations they will encounter at the higher levels. It will come, but it can’t be at the expense of wrestler in the State Tournament.
I would ask the committee who is picking the referees to ask each and every referee they pick the following questions. If they answer honestly and truthfully and get 90%, is that enough to be able to do the States? 80%? 100%?
1. Do you truly understand and have you seen every conceivable situation that can occur on a mat?
2. Do you have the mat sense and mat maturity to see black and white instead of grey when making a call? It is or it isn't. No time to think about it.
3. Do you truly know what you are looking at and looking for?
4. You know and practice proper and good mechanics?
5. Do you have a intimate grasp on officiating philosophy and know the "when in doubt" type of calls?
6. Do you have a handle on "sticky" situations. Recognizing and reacting to different scenarios that will occur and can occur on a mat?
7. Do you understand and have you seen every out of bounds situation, near fall situation, that can and will occur at higher level of wrestling?
8. Do you understand all about potentially dangerous holds and why something is legal versus illegal and why at a higher level, things may not be the same as they would be at a lower level?
9. Have you learned how not to listen to some things but hear other things?
10. Do you have the experience to understand what stalling is and isn't at the State level? Do you have the guts to call stalling in the Semis to give a kid a win or call it in OT in the finals to win or lose a match, if justified?
And a bonus question...
Do you truly, in your heart of hearts believe you have the experience and maturity to do a State Finals in front of 20,000 people and feel comfortable walking onto the mat and know that you are ready for this and belong there?
There are only 30 slots. I think it needs to rotate. Pick the best. Evaluate and let them know where they did good and where they failed or need work. Without evaluations, how does anyone know where they truly stand as a referee?
OHSAA runs the State Tournament; there is no great conspiracy here. Stop trying to look for one.
Part of the OHSAA mission statement says the following “Our mission is to regulate and administer interscholastic athletic competition in a fair and equitable manner…”
What more do you want?
Frederick M. Feeney 2005
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Discussion Topic: Hot Topic: Advancement as a High School Wrestling Referee
Dom Mancini added to this discussion on March 7, 2008
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It's the rules not the officials - Unfortunately with parity of wrestlers and unclear definitions, calls go different ways - this is very evident when situations occur and other officials "sell out" the ref who made the call - If I only had a dime for everytime I heard a ref say "I woundn't have called it that way" There really is nothing to say about it - they go to their classes take a test, go to meetings and do their best - it's not like they are making 10 grand a match or something - i don't think that refs actually try and screw someone over - they just make bad judgments - like everybody else - no answer to officiating at state touranament - like my coach told me and I tell my wrestlers - you have to beat everyone on the mat including the official - if you lose a match because of the a ref's call - it's your fault - you made the match too close.
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