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I have worked basketball, volleyball, and track for years. I firmly feel that they helped me mature as an official faster, and that I learned how to handle game sitchs much better.
One of the big knocks I have on some rooks is their game management. I see many throwing gas on the fire, than trying to cool the coach off. A subtle skill they need to learn, but cannot be taught in a classroom.
I think the exposure you get to different coaches helps how or how fast you move up. If you can show you can handle intense situation uin one sport, AD's might give you a shot in another. At least that was my experience.
I also have some experience to back this up. I took up lacrosse this year because they are really, really, squeezed for officials, and it looked like a good way to stay in shape and avoid summer ball. I had never seen the game, but I was ahead of the curve. I needed to learn rules and mechanics (Which are a hybrid of basketball and football IMO), but most coaches complimented me on my game management and professionalism. If I was not an official in other sports I doubt that would have happened. And it fosters good will when they think you can manage a game well.
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