My first season as a full staff member at the college level is a full schedule - eleven games. This is very good news since the typical schedule averages eight-nine games.
I have a bye week 9/20, but I have two games on 9/13. The first is at 1:00 and the second is at 7:00. Since we have to be dressed and ready two hours before game time, and the first game is sixty miles away, my day will begin at 9:30AM and not end until about 10:30PM. The first game will end around 4:30 and then I rush to the second game. The good news is the second game is on the way home, but still a forty mile drive. Good thing I have the same White Hat for both games, so the games can't start without him. Still, a thirteen hour day.
For the eleven games , the total number of miles I'll be on the road is 1,540. I have two games with round trips greater than 250 miles with the longest being 310 miles. I can't complain too much about 310 miles because the Side Judge has a 494 mile round trip. I believe these are considered 'travel' games and they will pay for us to spend the night.
As far as White Hat's go this season is very different than last year. Last year I may have had the same White Hat only once. This season I have four games with Frank, three with Jim, two with Milt, and one with Jerry. Frank, Jim, and Milt are from my local college group as well as officials in my High School group. Milt was my High School Crew Chief for a period of time.
Scrimmages begin this Saturday, but as usual, there is some drama. As usual, the college scrimmages conflict with the High School clinic. I just got an email today saying we have two college scrimmages at 11:00. How are we supposed to do that and participate in the High School clinic?
