Quote:
Originally posted by Jurassic Referee
Three or four games in a row with 2-man crews? I don't care how young or what kind of shape the official is in, it's impossible for that official to be physically able to get into position in the latter stages of their latter games. There's only so much in the tank to start with, and you don't get a chance to re-fill it when you work that many consecutive games. So, what it boils down to, coach, is you have the officials opting to save what's left of their legs for when it's needed for actual game situations, or maybe using up some of their available "gas" on switches instead. Your choice, coach. If you'd rather have them switch, don't be surprised when they're not in position to nail that block/charge call in their third consecutive game.
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Around here, all rec ball, and most other non-Fed ball is done by folks doing three or four in a row. It's just simple economics -- it's not worth the preparation and the drive for the amount of pay we get for one or two games. The way we survive is that we don't switch on every foul. In general, however, I insist to my partners to switch on every "foul on the shot".
Part of the reason for switching is so that the players get some kind of consistency at both ends of the court. If I always call certain contact a foul, and my partner never does, then if we don't switch, the teams are getting two different games. But if we switch at least periodically, then the play is seen from the same angle by the same ref at both ends, and the calls are more consistent.
Jay, we use the word "switch" to mean changing ends of the court. So if I'm under the basket nad my partner is out by the arc, and I call a foul on the shot, the switch would put me out by the arc and my partner under the basket during the free throws. But when the defense rebounds, and we go to the other end, now I'm under the basket and partner is out by the arc again. That's why switching helps. I'm calling the plays under the basket at both ends, partner is calling plays up top at both ends.
What RookieDude is calling a "long switch" I don't understand at all. But suffice it to say that in your setting you're probably not going to get anything that might be called a long switch, and don't sweat it.
Cross-court "switches" are less important, although in an ideal world, they do have their advantages. But you'll only get those rarely, as well.
in general, I wouldn't accept refs who literally never switch throughout the entire game. I would insist, politely, that they switch at least every minute or two. Yea, they're going to be tired, but they need to just suck it up and dig deep and all those other cliches that we give players when they're tired. Sheez, if I can do three or four in a row, and do a decent job, anyone should be able to! If you discuss this before the game begins, and if you describe reasonably why you think it's important, then I think you should get at least some cooperation.
Otherwise, you might have a talk with the person who hires and assigns the refs. Perhaps away from the overheated situation of a certain tournament, you could get some satisfaction.