Why Doesn't CLUBWAKA Hire Kickball Refs?

CLUBWAKA's number one goal is to create an environment that promotes fun and a positive experience. And because that's our number one priority, we take the feedback from our players very seriously. We send out surveys often and I'm always reviewing and discussing with our great coordinators ways we can improve. We have done very well on the surveys in Hampton Roads, with an over 80% Net Promoter Score. That is considered "World Class". But while we're proud, we're never going to stop working on improving.

One of the subjects that have come up on the most recent batch of responses is reffing. Why do we rely on peer assigned refs for kickball? Why don't we have paid refs? These are fair questions, and the answer isn't as simple as "CLUBWAKA just wants to save money". I want to take some time to share some of the reasons why we adhere to this format and why it works.

A CHILD'S GAME

Think back to when you were in the third grade. You're playing pickup kickball with your friends in the neighborhood. Everyone is laughing, kicking, and running. I have very fond memories of playing kickball as a kid and not a single one of them required having a paid umpire in attendance to mediate disputes. Why do we need them as adults?

Remember, we're a bunch of grown-ups playing a kids game. While it's ok to get competitive and play your best, it's important to put it into perspective. We're here to have fun. Do we really need an outside authority babysitting our games? We got this.

Not pictured: a professional umpire

KICKBALL PLAYERS ARE THE BEST KICKBALL REFS

Even if we did want to hire refs, would it really be an improvement? I've played in tournaments and leagues over the years that have featured paid refs and well, I honestly prefer my fellow league members behind the plate. While kickball may take some elements of baseball/softball and some pieces of soccer (that's why it's called "Soccer Baseball" in Canada, I guess. Weird.) it's a very unique sport. There isn't a big pool of experienced refs out there for us to hire. You'll get better quality reffing by having your fellow club members officiating because they play the game, have a passion for the sport and are more likely to care about the league that they're a part of than some stranger just trying to make $20.

INCORRECT CALLS HAPPEN AT ALL LEVELS

Along the same lines, sometimes, I think players have a tendency to look at a 'bad' call and think, "If only we had paid refs, that wouldn't have happened!"

I have been watching a lot of MLB lately as my beloved Red Sox are in the homestretch of another World Series championship season. The big leagues recently expanded their instant replay rules to allow manager challenges of bang-bang plays. I have been really surprised at how often the challenges are successful, so I looked it up. According to mlbreplaystats.com, challenged calls are overturned 48.2% of the time. That's nearly 1/2 the close plays the umps are getting wrong!

That's not to say that MLB umpires are bad at their jobs. In fact, they're not. They're the best umpires in the entire world (maybe even the universe). It's only to point out that if perfection is your standard, you might want to adjust your expectations for your coed adult kickball rec league officials. Maybe player refs aren't as bad as you think.

(Or maybe it's time to finally bring instant replay challenges to CLUBWAKA.)

Perfect game? Not so fast.

CLUBWAKA JUST WANTS TO SAVE MONEY

Above I explained why we don't feel like it's a good investment to pay for refs. Does that mean the extra cash goes directly into the pockets of Uncle Waka? Not exactly. While we are definitely a 'for profit' company, we put the member experience first. The money we save by using peer refs is used instead to throw great parties that feature free drinks and/or food. If you aren't already, make sure you're getting out to these events!

Party on.

IN CONCLUSION... 

I understand that reffing can be intimidating, especially for inexperienced players. We're here to help though. If you have questions or need some help, don't hesitate to reach out to your league coordinator. Our league CCs will help build your confidence and are able to set up special rules clinics with tips and pointers. If you are an experienced player and want to help the overall quality of the officiating, be sure to speak out. Volunteer to help out and teach others. Some leagues even have a volunteer head reffing program with dedicated volunteers each week. Our community is what we make it and what you get out of it equals what you put in.

Thank you all for being a part of our wonderful kickball community and a huge shout out to our fantastic volunteer refs. You are all appreciated!