[Raymond]

1. Seven is too many: Physically I had no issues keeping up, but by the last one my ability to focus was not what it should have been and I know for a fact it cost me a staff position (and I'm the only one to blame for it).

7 is too many as you said. I did 3 between May 6th and June 11th. Was willing to do another camp in July that was local but it got cancelled. Definitely will not do more than 3 next year.

2. Assignors/coordinators don't really give a rat's *** about mechanics: For all the big, lofty talk about consistency and everyone looking the same reporting it simply doesn't pan out in terms of who gets hired. Your court positioning/presence and call selection seem to weigh far heavier (and I have no problem with this).

I've given up on trying to figure out what will get you hired. I just work, hustle, and listen and hope things work out.

3. Written feedback from clinicians is almost a thing of the past: At only one of the seven did I receive a copy of what the clinicians wrote immediately following post-game evaluations. I have saved every one of these I have received for the past five years and review them regularly to see if I'm making progress in areas previously identified. Why is this practice going away? This makes no sense to me.

Because it's just a money-making venture for them. Yes, some folks will get hired but first and foremost this is income for the supervisors and observers.

4. Clinicians: There are good clinicians and bad clinicians, that's undeniable. The good ones recognize that an occasional compliment or postive reinforcement mixed in with constructive criticism goes a long way to making a point. The bad ones ... well, let's just say they are incapable of doing anything but criticizing and leave it at that.

Just like anything else in life, you get good, you get bad, you get in the middle.

6. Post-camp communications: First, let me say that at seven out of seven camps, each assignor/coordinator stressed the importance of good communication to successful refereeing ... on and off the court, pre-game, during the game and post-game. Of the seven, the two assignors for whom I work were quick to e-mail and let me know what they thought of my performance. For the one which I was hired I received a brief congratulations e-mail with instructions for filing paperwork with the conference office within a few days; I've e-mailed three for feedback and only receive a response from one (and a poor response at that); and the last I received a "need to see you work next year" reply within a couple of days. One would like to think there would be a little "practice what you preach" coming into play somewhere. The two where I have received no response have been marked off my list for next year.

See my answer to #3.