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Communication is the key
First of all, congratulations on seeking advice.
I just returned from a varsity camp, where it was painful to see some new refs as well as some seasoned people still not communicating effectively.
It's always easiest for my very small mind to only work on one or two things at a time. You're probably smarter than me, so I'll give you three keys to communicating well:
1. A strong whistle goes a long way to communicate that you know what you're doing. Especially in a loud gym, a strong whistle will be your friend. Practice it in a closed garage or other area where people won't start throwing things at you.
2. When you call a foul or violation, raise a fist or open hand and just stand there for a moment. Then in a loud voice, communicate the foul or violation without moving, saying the number of shots or spot of throw in. Blow a strong whistle and talk loud enough for all players and your partner to hear. Nothing worse as a ref than a partner who doesn't tell you what he/she's got.
3. When communicating with the table, have strong signals. Someone who displays weak signals in that moment when half the stands are watching makes themselves look bad when Mr. DeMille has the camera on ya.
Overall, be strong in those three areas and you'll be way ahead of most rookies. It all comes back to communicating strongly.
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