I'm trying to branch out to do adult games here in Suburban Chicago. I got the name of the Assigner for a league, but I haven't heard anything back from him. What point do I start appearing pushy? Should I email again asking for at least a go away?
Hard to break into the good adult leagues unless someone knows you or you've done games in high level youth leagues where someone has seen you.`Maybe you can ask some of the refs you've worked with to vouch for you. Or maybe your youth assignors.
It it's an ethnic league near Chicago they will probably want you to have some MLS experience before taking a risk on you. Seriously now, do you know that you are able to work in the leagues to which you aspire? Has someone told you so, i.e. suggested it? Is there anyone who knows both your abilities and the assignor(s) in question? If you're ready, it shouldn't be that hard to get an assignment as an AR. Then you can start to show that you belong. Either you ease into the middle naturally, or who knows - many a refereeing career have been advanced more rapidly by an injury or a no-show that puts some other official on the spot. I myself made two major moves up in league level through such happenstance. Or, try to find out if you aren't ready. Ask someone, and prepared to accept the answer.
Not so much a good ole boys network as its an assignor being sure you're ready for these games. If you've done top level youth leagues, chances are the assignor knows who you are already....or is able to find out who you are. If you're a state badge, chances are very good that you'll get a call, although I've seen at least a a couple of state badges not quite up to par. As someone earlier mentioned though, its not all that difficult to run a line, especially in the lower divsions. Problem is, one of the top two leagues does only one man at the lower divisions. So an assignor is stuck with putting an untested, unknown ar in a Major Division match, or an untested, unknown cr ALL ALONE in a lower division match. Both are dicey propositions. That being said, its not impossible or all that difficult either. Two summers ago I had an assignor ask me about three very young state badges who had nothing but youth level experience. I recommended all three. One did his first match as ar2 in a top division match I centered. He was phenomenal. In fact, even pointed out a caution I missed near the benches, which he was 100% correct on. By the next year, two of the three were centering major division matches. Both, however, also do DA, PDL and NISOA. In short, I would say if you have the requisite quality, you'll get the matches, especially in the fall when many of the state and national badges are off doing NISOA.
Message me as to which league assignor you've contacted. There are three major affiliated leagues here. One is maybe a notch or two below the other ones. Maybe you can start there. Be aware, one of the league assignors just resigned last week.
I don't know if I'd call the "old boys' network", but that's how I jumped from doing just Rec games (whose league had there own assignor at the time) to HS, Select, adult games (a seperate assignor who has since also taken on rec). At a tournament, I was assigned as a line with a center who worked for the upper level assignor. When she asked me to start working for her and she told me who had recommended me, I was really quite suprised. We had spoken before, but I really didn't know the guy that well at all. I still stayed with the rec league. Not only because the assignor was a good friend, mentor, and the person who got me interested in refereeing in the first place, but because the kids are generally out there to just have a good time. If we could just get rid of the some of the parents.
I got on a couple of assignors "A" lists by being available. Last minute help. Sticking around for an extra game. And never turning back games unless an absolute emergency. My current assignor just got the nod to assign the best tournament in the state. And I got invited. And I've always pitched in and done the last second u10 make up.
