[ThickSkin]

Originally posted by RookieDude

Excellent! Keep doing that.

Other things you can do to improve:

* Find yourself a big mirror, and get in front of it...put your whistle on and go through all the "Official NFHS Basketball Signals". (They are in the back of your Rules Book)

* Come up with a game situation in your head and call it in front of the mirror...watch your mechanics...do they look crisp? Get the muscle memory down, so you don't have to think about your movements when you see a foul or violation.

* Take your TIME! Don't be in a hurry out there. Come to a stop...then call your foul or violation...or call your foul or violation ...then come to a stop. Either way, Hold it, Hold it, Hold it.

* Don't be "walking and talking"...stop completly to make your signals and when you are reporting fouls.

* Get the whistle out of your mouth...don't be walking around like the whistle is your "pacifier". You will look weak, IMO, if you're walking around with the whistle in your mouth...especially if you're holding on to it with one hand. (Don't believe me? Check out a new official...the whistle stays in and the hand comes up to the mouth as they walk around during a dead ball)

That's just a few things to work on for now...now go get' um.

All are very good recommendations. When I was first getting started, I was invited to a JV tournament put on by a school close to where I lived. The tournament served two purposes. It allowed the JV kids to get some games in but the main reason for the tournament was to pair up a veteran official with a young/new official. The entire game was recorded and after the game, the vetran official and the new official watched the game together and provided feedback to one another. It is probably the best learning tool out there for a new official. It is possible that if you worked with a veteran official that you would be able to obtain a copy of the game film and have him provide you with some feedback. Are there any other tournaments out there like this?