I have commented in the past on the fact that our officiating community is aging and that we needed to develop a plan for developing and rewarding officials based on their ability not based on tenure or affiliation with other officials and the assignor.
http://www.flowrestling.org/coverage/240...t-Head-positionI watched this video and it jumped out at me that one of the real problems we have is a significant number of officials who are physically unable to perform the job. This isn't about age or scoring but really about the safety and fairness to the wrestlers.
Officials need to watch this video and look in the mirror. If you cannot get into position to insure the safety of the wrestlers and to insure that you are able to apply your knowledge of the rules to the match then step out of the way and let some of the younger officials have a turn.
It is pretty simple, to me. If you are an official and you don't love wrestling and you are not doing it for the kids then you shouldn't be on the mat. If you complain about coaches, wrestlers, pay, or other petty stuff like having a video clip posted on this site then step down and let someone have a turn who is doing it for the right reasons!
Officials make $30 to $50 and hour while coaches make about $2 and hour but many officials command total respect for the coaches with mutually returning the same courtesy.
I am generalizing and I know there are exceptions but I think I am not in the minority when I say I am tired of having to see the same crew at the same tournaments year in and year out. There is only one official who is a year round professional official in this state so why aren't these assignments more fairly distributed so that we have a deeper pool of quality and qualified officials when it comes time for regionals and state? Why aren't these assignments changed up for the sake of eliminating the familiarity officials and coaches develop from a lack of change?
I clearly know that some of you will find this outlandish as it does scream out for an overhaul of a system that has been in place since the stone ages of wrestling in Kansas but remember, without change there can be no improvement.
What if performance is slipping?Obviously there can be many reasons for poor performance and age may or may not be a factor. But regardless of age, an employer can expect all workers to perform in a satisfactory manner. An employer is not required to accommodate a person solely because of his or her age.
If poor performance relates to a disability, an employer may be required to make a reasonable accommodation so that essential job functions can be performed. An accommodation might involve job restructuring, transfer or other strategies, which permit an employee to perform essential job functions.
