...I would not have believed it could happen.
By my account, my first year of officiating basketball was very quiet. I did not have to issue any T’s to coaches. I officiated more than 30 sub-varsity high school games and by the end of the season felt I was getting better and more confident. I officiated 10 middle school tournament games and was thanked by many parents for doing a good job.
During one tournament, my partner and I received a strong round of applause when we were introduced before the second game. I was feeling like basketball is fun to officiate.
Then it happened….a 5th and 6th grade tournament. The four games I officiated were brutal. Kids dive, slap and run into each other all game long while parents and coaches scream at every call or non-call. They must truly believe their kids will be the next great basketball player. Every game lasted nearly 1-1/2 hours. My last game of the season was 5th and 6th grade girls quarter-final. Visiting team is better and winning the entire game. I had to ask visiting coach to keep his two assistants quiet early in the game. Visiting coach is on me all game for illegal screens. Admittedly, I probably missed or passed on calling some mostly because I wasn’t expecting screens and did have trouble spotting them this season in general. Late in the game I called a throw-in violation against visiting team and the coach comes to the table, in front of my partner, and screams at me as I was standing on the baseline. I decided he would get my first T. Told my partner to make sure he knows he has to sit. A minute later on another inbounds on the base line, V coach gets up and leaves the coaches box yelling something but not at me. I immediately assess a T for leaving his seat and the coaches box. Coach is done. Visitors win by at least 10.
At the end of the game, assistant coach approaches me, chest to chest but not overly threatening, to tell me I need to pick up my game. He said I made a spectacle of assessing the second T because the coach was cheering on his players and that my officiating was abhorrent. I told him to leave and not to talk to me. He wouldn’t. I couldn’t leave because the facility does not have an officials’ room so I was stuck and inside I wanted to kick his butt.
I felt I worked hard during the game. We called 25 fouls in the second half and the game took almost two hours to play. Nearly 45 fouls and countless violations were called during the game.
Now I can see why other officials dislike this level of play. The fans and coaches have lost site that this is just a game for little kids. I don’t second-guess myself on the T’s and don’t think I made a spectacle of it, although I was upset when I gave it. Would you have given the technicals? How on Earth does an official control games at this level? Apparently, calling more than 40 fouls is not enough. I found this level of basketball to be the most difficult to officiate all season and will probably pass if asked next year. Is there a camp for 5th and 6th grade games?
