Quote:
Originally posted by okieofficial
I my "spare" time I am an clock keeper at a high school. It was their policy that anyone that wanted to be an official book or official timekeeper had to pass the officials exam. I like it because it seems that I am always working with a "professional" bookkeeper. We never had any mistakes or any questions about our duties. What are your thoughts about this and would you like to see this policy in your area?? Yea I know it is "Backfield in Motion" but I had to adapt it to basketball!!!
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To me, this is one area of basketball that is seriously overlooked on the whole. It isn't enough that very little was mentioned in this year's Points Of Emphasis. I would love to see a program to train scorekeepers and timers. Not only to do the basic job of making sure things are recorded properly, but to learn how to work with officials in a game better. (And also to learn the rules and how they reflect on the Bench Officials' roles in games.)
I am in my 17th year of scorekeeping and timing for my HS alma mater. (It seems like I never left the place -- and I really havent...
) I take my role in basketball games seriously -- just as I know the court officials do. I have worked in State Championship Tournaments the past 3 years, and I am very proud of that accomplishment.
Most of our home games I work as the timer (Freshman, JV levels). It is very trying sometimes to keep the scorekeepers on task (yes, including my home "official" book sometimes) as I spot for them during the game and don't let the focus wander away. In our home Varsity games I am the official scorebook, even wearing the recommended garment -- a black-and-white-striped shirt, just like the on-cout officials. I take some heat from this, but I feel it's very important to make the players feel that their game counts for something. Also it lets everyone know that I'm there to do an impartial job -- not cheering for my team and missing something important on the court, for instance.
Overall, there seems to be less people available to do the books and clocks than before. (Maybe a certification program will reduce those numbers even further, but I would welcome the quality.) The only fulltime scorekeeper my boys and girls teams have is myself, and I can't be everywhere at once. This personnel shortage is even apparent at other schools -- last week I had to help a timer learn how to operate her scoreboard controller as the game management just gave her the job with no real training. A little trial by fire...
Or maybe I'm taking this a little TOO seriously...