I'm in my 6th year as a basketball official.
I'm starting my 4th as a football official. I only got into football because "they needed people - bad". Of course, having gone to camps after my first year of basketball, I quickly learned about game management, etc... and was able to take that to football.
Last season (June - November) was a stellar year for me in terms on football. Because of what I had learned in basketball, I've been given some very high regards in my football officiating. The most noticeable - my slow and clear preliminary signals, then the "real" signal after the choice has been given.
My decision making on fouls is getting better, but I'm also a person that had never even seen a football game before I started to officiate. My decision making is not bad by any means, I just tend to call a little more than the average official.
So, I think being a quality basketball official has helped my tremedously in football. The question now is, has it hindered my basketball officiating development?
I'd say no, but others say yes. If I have a bad game in football, I don't let that carry over to basketball. And vice versa. I don't do sooo many games in a week, say, that I get all referee'd out - my mental awareness is still there.
I'm sure I could write more - but Star Trek is on. I might be back.
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