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Old Wed Nov 01, 2006, 01:14pm
grantsrc grantsrc is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Kansas City, MO
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Something that helped me learn a lot and network was charting penalties for a college crew. Once you find a college official in your area, ask them if you can tag along on a Saturday afternoon. It might seem like a waste of time, and you might get a little bored, but you can learn a lot by doing this. I went along with two different crews last year and they were night and day. In fact, I got picked up by one of them.

Check these boards and some of the other boards, namely refstripes.com. There are many college level officials there. Not to discount those of you that check here too, there just seems to be more of a NCAA focus there.

Go to clinics in your area and even those not in your area. Heck I went to one 650 miles away from me. Yeah I felt a little out of place but I learned a ton.

Lastly, listen more, talk less. The more you listen and the more you ask good questions the better. Don't be the guy at the clinics that makes a (bad) name for himself by talking when you're suppose to be listening.

Good luck. Have patience. John Bible, Big 12 referee, wrote an article in Referee mag that I reread often. His main point was don't be in a hurry. He feels that an official should have 10 years of HS experience before moving to the college ranks. Then another 3-5 years at D2, D3, or NAIA ranks before applying to major conferences. Not sure that is 100% feasible all the time, but at your age, you have plenty of time on your side. Bible says that you really only get one shot to make it.
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