Transitioning 3-man to 2-man crew.

[Kansas Ref]

Thanks to all my Ref colleagues for the bevy of replies. I can certainly see how some Refs would prefer to hold-back on utilizing the level of effort for a ''non-registered game" vs. a "registered" game. Conversely, I can see how some Refs want to use summer hoops work as a platform to continue perfecting their own Reffing skills. These teams are comprised of selected players who also attend hoops training seshs during the week and use the weekends to participate in district-wide tournaments. They pay $25 per game and issue the game check when you check at front desk PRIOR to reffing a game. So.....

For now, I will continue to hustle and officiate as if these were "registered" NFHS-type of games. I do not want to start "unconsciously" picking up bad habits in terms of mechanics, laziness, or percieved nonchalance. Hey after all---the last time I checked, me and partner Ref were the only folks being "paid" cash money to be at these games, so I ought give my best effort to do the games. Who knows, that 'hot mom' in the bleachers could be a local administrator who knows my assigner---it is very hard [read as: impossible] to disengage a perception of laziness and nonchalance as a Ref.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by HokiePaul

Our association has also told us explicitly not to "tell the players to get the ball", so that's a no for me as well.

My only question here is, do you chase the ball down when it heads 20-30 feet out of bounds? We're told specifically not to chase the ball, especially if it entails turning your back on the players.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by AremRed

Here are some tips I have picked up for summer ball to conserve energy and not move as much. Take them as you will.

Report from a distance so you don't have to switch
Walk up the floor as Trail whenever possible
Jog from T to new Lead, but start walking once you hit the FTLE
As Lead bring all endline throw-ins that go out between the extended lane lines to your side
Sit down during timeouts when possible
Speed up putting the ball in play when possible
Don't chase the ball, have the players do it
Administer the ball from a distance when appropriate (i.e. not during a press)

I can't imagine doing any of these.

I don't chase balls during the season, so that one doesn't apply here, IMO.

I will report from a bit further away during the summer, but only to speed the game up to fit into the schedule. Same with throw in administration. You're not really saving any steps with either anyway.

[HokiePaul]

Originally Posted by Adam

My only question here is, do you chase the ball down when it heads 20-30 feet out of bounds? We're told specifically not to chase the ball, especially if it entails turning your back on the players.

I've searched through my old emails and I can't find the email that I'm remembering... so I must back-track a bit from my assertion that my association stated this directly (maybe it was verbally at a meeting instead of an email or from one of my non-association assignors).

But the instruction that I recall was simply to not tell players to go get the ball (looks lazy and it is not their job). 99% of the time, the ball makes it's way back to the official in a reasonable amount of time. In a case where the ball ends up at the other end of the court and no player is nearby to pick it up, the game is now being held up. It would be inappropriate for the officials to direct one of the players to go chase after it. In that case, the nearest official should jog over and get it.

But I did not mean to suggest that every time the ball goes out of bounds, there should be an official running right after it and turning his back to the players.

[Adam]

Fair enough. In that case, I think waiting would be appropriate. It's not our job to chase the ball around, IMO. Dead ball periods are more vital for all available eyes to be on the players. Normally, if it ends up in the stands, there's an 8 year old thrilled to throw it to the refs.

[JetMetFan]

Originally Posted by Mregor

Bad advice.
You never know who is watching.

We can take some shortcuts but we are still getting paid to do a job so do it the best you can. That said, we won't long switch on non-shooting fouls but other than that, I don't want to seem lazy or bored, nor do I want to get bad habits. I still hustle to report fouls but my reporting area is larger. Never sit during a game and my pet peeve, keep phones out of sight. I saw an official wearing one on hip. Checked it on every time out.

Originally Posted by Freddy

If this post had a "Like" button I would not click on it.
REAL LIFE PROBLEM WITH THIS:
Some (read: "toooooooooo many") engrain these as habits during summer ball and are unable to abandon them once the high school season starts.
You?

Amen. My philosophies =

*You never know who is watching.
*The kids are running so I owe it to them to run as well.

I do understand the idea behind saving energy/steps if you're working multiple games but I don't work more than two in a row, summer or winter. Economics play a large role: The HS summer leagues I work don't pay less than $40/game and at least one of them is $50/game. Such is the price of doing business in the NY/Metro area.

In terms of telling the kids to get the ball, I don't "tell" them. I do ask them ("Young man/lady, do me a favor? Go get that ball please?) but that's how I do it in the winter as well. I usually don't have to ask as often in running-time games. Someone will get the ball. They can't play without it.

[HokiePaul]

Originally Posted by Adam

Fair enough. In that case, I think waiting would be appropriate. It's not our job to chase the ball around, IMO. Dead ball periods are more vital for all available eyes to be on the players. Normally, if it ends up in the stands, there's an 8 year old thrilled to throw it to the refs.

Agree that waiting will usually solve the problem. I think the point would be that it's not necessarily the players job either. So "let them" get the ball but don't "direct them" to get the ball.

"White 21 ... go get the ball please" isn't something I'm going to say. I'm going to go get the ball myself if we are truly at a standstill.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by HokiePaul

Agree that waiting will usually solve the problem. I think the point would be that it's not necessarily the players job either. So "let them" get the ball but don't "direct them" to get the ball.

"White 21 ... go get the ball please" isn't something I'm going to say. I'm going to go get the ball myself if we are truly at a standstill.

I'll ask, but only if it takes longer than normal. Even then, it's "Can I get some help with the ball?"

I don't mind the stand-still.

The situation has always resolved itself before the stand-still, though.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by HokiePaul

Agree that waiting will usually solve the problem. I think the point would be that it's not necessarily the players job either. So "let them" get the ball but don't "direct them" to get the ball.

"White 21 ... go get the ball please" isn't something I'm going to say. I'm going to go get the ball myself if we are truly at a standstill.

Not me. I'd go find a drink first. I don't chase basketballs.

[Raymond]

About 90% of my summer games are at same facility. We get $23-25/game. The on site game admin for all the AAU tournaments is the national coordinator for AAU officiating, and also a neutral observer for my top college conference. I can get away with limited switches and long distance reporting in 2-man to keep the games moving, but anything that could be construed as lazy or unprofessional would be very detrimental to my career.

[BillyMac]

This thread reminds me about some of the "relaxed" mechanics that we are allowed to use, that is, allowed by our assigner to use, in the Catholic middle school league that I work when I'm available in the winter.

Multiple games, with six, or seven, minute periods are scheduled on the hour, and our assigner encourages us (all two person games) to keep the game moving.

1) Don't switch on every foul. Switch when "convenient", or only on shooting fouls.

2) Lead doesn't have to report fouls to the table from the reporting area. The Lead may report fouls to the table from near the free throw line (not from the endline).

3) As the Lead, don't make your partner, the trail, rotate on front court endline throwins where the designated spot is along the lane lines. The Lead is allowed to toss the ball to the inbounder across the lane, or hand the ball to the inbounder and back off across the lane, in such situations. The ball must still be put in play at the closest spot.

4) We're allowed to "bump up" the timeouts.

If I'm working with a rookie who wants to work on his, or her, mechanics, then I'll be glad to play along and go with 100% "by the book" mechanics.

No matter how many games we're working that day, we are always expected to hustle.

In regard to these "bad habits" carrying over to our high school games, they don't. We've got college officials, state tournament officials, and other top notch high school varsity officials working these Catholic middle school games, and they have no problem figuring out when "relaxed" mechanics are allowed, and when they're not allowed.

[HokiePaul]

Originally Posted by HokiePaul

I've searched through my old emails and I can't find the email that I'm remembering... so I must back-track a bit from my assertion that my association stated this directly (maybe it was verbally at a meeting instead of an email or from one of my non-association assignors).

But the instruction that I recall was simply to not tell players to go get the ball (looks lazy and it is not their job). 99% of the time, the ball makes it's way back to the official in a reasonable amount of time. In a case where the ball ends up at the other end of the court and no player is nearby to pick it up, the game is now being held up. It would be inappropriate for the officials to direct one of the players to go chase after it. In that case, the nearest official should jog over and get it.

But I did not mean to suggest that every time the ball goes out of bounds, there should be an official running right after it and turning his back to the players.

For what it's worth, I did find the email I was thinking of and it was from our Scholastic commissioner/assigner to all officials based on his observations from the first couple weeks of the season:

"There is no NFHS rule or Association policy that states players are supposed to retrieve a loose ball. It is the responsibility of a member of the crew to retrieve the ball while the other member/s of crew observe the players. Forcing players to retrieve the ball gives the appearance we are lazy or out of shape."

[JetMetFan]

Originally Posted by HokiePaul

For what it's worth, I did find the email I was thinking of and it was from our Scholastic commissioner/assigner to all officials based on his observations from the first couple weeks of the season:

"There is no NFHS rule or Association policy that states players are supposed to retrieve a loose ball. It is the responsibility of a member of the crew to retrieve the ball while the other member/s of crew observe the players. Forcing players to retrieve the ball gives the appearance we are lazy or out of shape."

This has to be the only time I've heard of any group - HS or NCAA - telling its officials to retrieve a ball that goes OOB and leave their partner(s) to deal with the players. I would have asked those in charge what's better in a two-person game: two sets of eyes on nine players or one set of eyes on ten players?

[HokiePaul]

I didn't think anything of it at the time, but that is interesting that the feedback seems to be that this is unusual or even a bad idea. To me, it seems like a reasonable policy.

Common sense dictates that the official is not going to turn his back and leave the players if there is any concern about an altercation or unsporting activity. All the officials would deal with that situation before thinking about the ball -- no different than leaving to report a foul.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by HokiePaul

I didn't think anything of it at the time, but that is interesting that the feedback seems to be that this is unusual or even a bad idea. To me, it seems like a reasonable policy.

Common sense dictates that the official is not going to turn his back and leave the players if there is any concern about an altercation or unsporting activity. All the officials would deal with that situation before thinking about the ball -- no different than leaving to report a foul.

What I find unusual about it is that it's no more the official's job to chase basketballs than it is the players. I'm stunned that an assigner would put that on the officials, actually.