SportZone J City League Basketball reporting is no more.

Astoria City League Basketball teams,

    I have enjoyed writing about the news in Astoria City League Basketball through this blog for the last three years but now it’s time to suspend the service. I wanted to provide our local basketball players somewhere online to see Records, Points per game, and even some nifty little write-ups that highlight the sometimes great basketball this community has to offer.  As you know, I’m also one of 4 non-OSAA officials that call all the city league games.  I have been officiating for you guys for almost 7 years now and have at times enjoyed the connection I have to my community when the league’s players are having fun and competing on the basketball court.  I’m also a veteran of playing in many city league seasons back in the days when we had nearly 35 teams year in and year out.  Though some of you may understand what I’m saying here, there are some of you who will not understand the countless hours I put into making sure the blog is something fun and accurate for you guys.  My aim was to try and add a small value marker to help stem what I viewed as a loss of interest in city league basketball from both players and the sponsors.  I figured; let’s get the players and the businesses back in the paper and now online and watch the league grow again.  I often officiated 3 games and would then run home and update the blog until 1am in the morning while the action was still fresh in my head.  It was sometimes a very big challenge to officiate and then write about the game in a positive manner.  What do I mean by my last sentence?

     I know that it take a tough skin to be an effective official that can keep the playing court fair and safe for the players.  I also know that it’s VERY difficult to find many people willing to officiate the Astoria City League for a variety of reason not the least of which is the attitude of the players.  In fact; I officiated league one year completely by myself destroying my knees in the process, writing over one hundred articles for the blog and witnessing some truly amazing games.   I also know that officials are human beings and make mistakes during the course of a week, we do have bad games just as some of you have had in your basketball careers.   Most of you may not believe this, but I officiate for the love of the game and the enjoyment I get out of watching some of you guys grow and mature into some truly fine basketball players.  I enjoy watching veteran teams stay together and eventually work their way up into the more challenging games and I even enjoy watching some teams that never win games go out and simply have some fun.  Sure, I get paid to officiate you guys but please know that it’s been a privilege and an honor some nights to count myself as a part of a league of teams playing a great game and then getting to write about it – most of my writings have been printed in the Daily A and I’m very proud of that and happy you all gave me the material to make the post interesting!! 

     So when I tell you all that I’m going to stop the SportZoneJ’s coverage of Astoria City League basketball, I do so with a heavy heart.  I cannot continue to allow myself to be depleted mentally after officiating some players and even teams that simply want to argue, berate, demean, threaten and even openly accuse me of fixing games.  LET ME BE CLEAR, FAVORITISM DOES NOT AND WILL NEVER HAPPEN AS LONG AS I OFFICIATE!!! I have tried to speak to individuals and teams to alert them to the fact that we will be calling more Technical fouls if certain behaviors continue, but this has fallen on deaf ears.  As officials we expect a certain degree of criticism and understand in most cases to you guys being frustrated at times but some of this recent rubbish has been way out of line and not acceptable.  I don’t feel I need to discuss how to behave on a basketball court, seeing as that most of you have been playing for quite a while and know better.  I can also point to the fact that I usually give a pregame warning as well in an attempt to control the game early.  I will continue to post the calendar with WINS and LOSSES. 

     I’m sorry guys, but officiating City League Basketball is feeling more and more like a job and I feel that all my efforts to help make this community better by being there for those who choose to compete in City League is not bearing any fruit.  Part of the reason I officiate is to provide you all with an official since that is what the teams vote in every year.  Maybe a season with no officials or a rule that forces teams to provide a player/official would do you guys good?  Maybe understanding how to treat others is something that some teams need to learn before other qualified officials choose to come back to league?  Or, maybe some teams would realize that if they just treated others at least with professional courtesy that officials might view officiating a city league game as better than getting your teeth pulled. 

     All joking aside, City League can be fun, entertaining, healthy and competitive all rolled up into one if simple respect to those that try to help put the league into action each year would be practiced.  I look forward to a better end to this regular season and a good playoff run in which I don’t leave the gym in disgust.  If this can happen, perhaps I can look forward to next year and maybe even a tournament or two during the summer. 

Take care all of you and please remember this little passage:  A basketball coach/captain who is respectful benefits his team and the sport, but a team who is lacking in sportsmanship and respect hurts their chances. 

Sincerely, respectively,

Jason Jones

For: SportzoneJ