Quote:
Originally Posted by bisonlj
In our area, you don't get assigned to "positions" for subvarsity games. You show up and the crew hired discusses who will work what positions. I had to be prepared to work any position and also be ready to work 3, 4, or 5 man mechanics.
The first question is usually "what position do you normally work". My first few games I mostly worked the wings so I usually answered that way and worked most of the year as a wing. I got on a varsity crew my second year as a LJ and stayed there for 5 years. During those seasons, I tried to work the R or U during sub-varsity games to give myself experience at every position.
You'll eventually find a particular position that you enjoy the most but don't try to decide that your first couple years.
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Good advice here. I do the journal thing and find that it really makes a difference. I'd suggest starting as a wing official. In varsity, I started as a LJ and did that for 4 years, then one as a BJ and now I'm the referee on my own crew. I always thought I'd like being a back judge, but I found it not as enjoyable as the sidelines. All this said, I suggest being opportunistic.
Listen, observe and take it all in. There's nothig worse than a new official that thinks they know it all (which was me). You may know the rule and case book better then the rest of the crew, but there are a lot of things that aren't in the book that will make you a great official...these things you only learn by talking to other official and paying attention to you other crew members.
As a side, you want to sound smart. A referee is the guy that wears the white hat and signals the penalties to the press box; everyone else is refered to as officials. Most fan will generically refer to all officials as referees, but most officials will not.