[BillyMac]

My local IAABO board is all about education, it's our number one priority, the education of new officials, and the continuing education of veteran officials.

Mechanics is a part of that educational process.

After our new officials take our rules classes and pass the written rules exam, they have to take our mechanics classes and then pass the "floor exam".

After that, they are mentored by some of our best officials, and mechanics is a part, a small part, but a part, of the mentoring process.

During the season, all officials (new and veterans) are evaluated by their partners and also by trained observers, and mechanics make up 20% of the evaluation.

Evaluations lead to advancement, or sometimes, demotion.

We strive to have our officials be proficient in all aspects of officiating, rules knowledge, judgment, game management, teamwork, and mechanics.

Mechanics are often discussed at our meetings.

Sure, rules knowledge, judgment, teamwork, and game management are all much more important than standing the right spot during timeouts and intermissions.

But being a great official and having good mechanics are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

Sure, we have some guys that have perfect "robot" mechanics but don't know if the basketball is stuffed or inflated, but these guys never see the light of a varsity game.

Almost all of our top guys, the ones working the state tournament, usually deep into the state tournament, are proficient in all aspects of officiating, including mechanics.