Fellow Members,

This announcement contains vital scrimmage information: how to block dates/scratch dates and scratch part of a date but not the entire date – set availability in the am and/or pm – on a given day in the Arbiter. It also includes how to let assigners know when you can arrive at a game after work every day. This will be of importance for both scrimmages and tournament availability and consequential game assigning this season. Please print this email FYI and use it to your benefit.

This season due to the overwhelming demand, all officials wanting to become varsity eligible will officiate 3 full varsity scrimmages. At least one Saturday must be officiated but more is requested. In an effort to curb failed promises, no- shows and cancellations will be fined $50. All scrimmages will be assigned via the Arbiter. The varsity assigner will assign varsity scrimmages; the locals assigners will assign the jv and below scrimmages. All officials on all levels are expected to participate. For the new and young official, scrimmages are a learning experience; for officials scrimmages offer to showcase your ability to call on the varsity level – or any level for that matter; other members simply practice skills or get in shape.

Help out the best that you can – especially on Saturdays. You can tell me (and your local assigner) if you want to be assigned all dates, all Saturdays, or all day on the Saturdays. All members are eligible to officiate scrimmages even if all exams or the online clinic has not been taken. Members that missed the training tournaments may be assigned extra scrimmages to make up but you must address an email appeal to me; the Board will review the request and make a decision.

There is a great need the Saturdays of October 28, November 4th, and November 11th. If you are occupied in the AM, adjust your availability calendar (blocks) in the Arbiter. Example: Block from 8 to 12 but keep open the rest of the day. There is a way to do. The calendar also helps the tournament assigners know availability when tournaments arrive as they look to assign members at various times in the day.

THE ASSIGNERS WILL BE ASSIGNING BASED ON YOUR AVAILABILITY CALENDAR IN THE ARBITER FOR ALL GAMES, SCRIMMAGES, AND TOURNAMENTS. THE AVAILABILITY CALENDAR TELLS IT ALL. LOOK AHEAD A MONTH AND TAKE CARE OF THE CALENDAR NOW . I WILL BEGIN TO ASSIGN SCRIMMAGES STARTING 10-21. ACT ON YOUR AVAILABILITY CALENDAR NOW.

It pays to take care of your availability calendar. If you do not block a date, it shows you are available the entire day all day. Remember, if the availability calendar shows you are available, you may receive an assignment. If you fail to accept the assignment, you will be automatically deleted from the assignment in 3 days. If you decline a game assignment or are deleted, you will be fined a game fee of $70. For a scrimmage the penalty is $50.

HOW TO BLOCK/SCRATCH a full day you will access the Arbiter. On the main menu 1. Select BLOCKS 2. To block A FULL DAY select under ACTION (in blue) the “block all day” circle (radial dial). 3. Go to the calendar below. Select the month desired. Mouse-over the desired day to block and select it. The date turns dark red. You scratched that day. Select until all scratch days are entered. NOTE: All days of the week are possible assignment days except Sundays.

HOW TO BLOCK A TIME OF DAY BUT NOT FULL DAY – will tell assigner when you can call games based on your everyday work schedule and weekends. 1. Select “block part day” in same location, same method under ACTION. 2. Set TO and FROM in TIME RANGE square. Example: to block 1 pm to 5 pm on a Saturday or other day use drop down menu and select times in TO and FROM. 3. Next, mouse-over desired date to partially block the day and select. Date turns light red. Date is partially blocked. The legend on the left defines what the calendar colors represent. 4. Do same for all work days. For example, if you end work at 5 pm every day, set block from 8 am to 5 pm, then set travel limits on main bar if you wish to limit how far you can / will travel to an assignment on a given day based on when you leave work and make the game time.

Suggest you experiment with the October dates then move onto the season. Block dates like family celebrations, vacations, and more. If you are unsure because you travel for work, block the day. You may unblock when you become certain of your travel schedule Don’t forget Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidays. Block, partially block, or leave open as you wish.

HOW TO CREATE TRAVEL LIMITS – Anticipate that you will reach you game 30 minutes ahead of the start time after leaving work. The Arbiter is set that way when assigning availability is shown.

1. Select BLOCKS then TRAVEL LIMITS on main menu bar. 2. Fill in your postal code. 3. Check mark the day of the week you wish to limit. 4. Fill in the miles willing to travel in the distance box. 5. Select APPLY.

Carl Contrata Varsity Assigning Secretary