Physical tests...

bainsey

Does your association do them?

ref2coach

bainsey wrote
Does your association do them?

No, but I sure wish we did. I am often embarrassed to be standing with 2 referees who are so rotund that they waddle to the pre-game meeting with Game Administration.

Mark Padgett

ref2coach wrote
No, but I sure wish we did. I am often embarrassed to be standing with 2 referees who are so rotund that they waddle to the pre-game meeting with Game Administration.

Then how do you tell them apart from the coaches - by their shirts? 🙄

NCHSAA

bainsey wrote
Does your association do them?

We are bringing them into our association this coming year, which is great!

JRutledge

No.

Peace

Adam

No, but it's part of our evaluations.

BillyMac

Snaqwells wrote
No, but it's part of our evaluations.

Ours too: "Official is in physical condition and exhibits hustle and energy through the game".

tomegun

BillyMac wrote
"...exhibits hustle and energy through the game".

OT, but 🙄

grunewar

ref2coach wrote
No, but I sure wish we did.

Concur.

ref2coach wrote
I am often embarrassed to be standing with 2 referees who are so rotund that they waddle to the pre-game meeting with Game Administration.

While not THIS bad, I understand your point. But, I kinda like being the "thinner-one."

26 Year Gap

Back before the gap, there was official in our association that was told he would not do any games until he lost weight and improved his appearance. He looked to be expecting triplets. I moved away after graduation, so I do not know the end result. There is a guy in my new association like that. But nobody will tell him to get with the program. He needs to lose 150 lbs. At my clinic this summer, he got assigned to my crew of 3. The post-game talk was 90% about him being out of shape. Much of the other 10% was directed at us, of which a good share could rightly (and was silently) be attributed to him being out of position.

BillyMac

bainsey wrote
Physical tests: Does your association do them?

Man, I hate the digital exam part.

26 Year Gap

BillyMac wrote
Man, I hate the digital exam part.

Take the train...TSA is hardly involved there.

Nevadaref

Yes, starting last season.
I believe that my local association is not unlike many others in that there are several officials who are overweight. Of course, each of them holds the opinion that they can keep up and that their physical appearance or size doesn't hurt his calling ability. Sadly, it does. They just don't see it because they aren't in a position to observe what they are missing. I wish we could have video from a different angle to show them.

We time two agility/speed drills.

1. A ladder drill. Start on the endline. Go near FT line and back, midcourt and back, full court and back. Takes about 14 seconds for the fit and quick people.

2. A box drill. Using the FT lane. Start where one lane line intersects the endline. Run forward to the elbow, sidestep across the FT line to the opposite lane line, run forward to the endline, sidestep across the endline to the opposite lane line (starting point), reverse the last two parts of the drill, sprint from the elbow to a point on the endline near the 3pt line, sprint to midcourt. Takes about 17 seconds.

You wouldn't believe how much whining we got from people after implementing this last season. Many people have no desire to run or to get themselves into physical shape. They just want to work games and get a paycheck. It's really sad. The worst part is that several of these people have been considered amongst our top officials for the last decade.

tomegun

Nevada, is that the association up north or California? I would love to implement that here; it is hard enough trying to convince the board to NOT cut our meetings.

Judtech

One thing to consider is that for associations who are struggling to have enough members to cover games adding one more hoop to jump through could thin the number of people available or who are willing to go through them. (yes all puns intended)
While there are some associations that have plenty of officials there are others who need as many warm bodies as they can get. I personally have no problem submitting to one but can understand why some associations don't have them.

bainsey

NCHSAA wrote
We are bringing them into our association this coming year, which is great!

NCHSAA, when you find out the criteria, could you let us know? I'm curious about that.

Nevadaref wrote
We time two agility/speed drills....

These look like two solid pre-season workouts. I may give these a try.

I just did a fitness test last night for our soccer board (hence my bringing it up). Part of the reason I took up soccer (which I've come to enjoy as much as basketball, by the way) is because they have a fitness test. These are the four parts and requirements:

*1.125 mile run: 12 minutes
*50-yard dash: 8.5 seconds
*shuttle run (5 yards up, then back, then 10 yards, 15, 20, 25): 42 seconds
*shuffle run (25 yards forward, 25 shuffling left, 25 backward, 25 shuffling right): 30 seconds

Passage is required for varsity games; taking the test is required for any games.

mikeref

I whole heatedly agree that being in good physical shape is an absolute for being a good official. I also think having a mandatory physical test opens up a huge can of worms for any association. Who decides what test will be given? who decides the criteria for passing? Where does the criteria come from? Is there any medical or scientific evaluation associated with the criteria for passing, or is it just an arbitrary decision that members of an association make? Who must take the test? Everyone? Are there different standards for those who do grade school, freshmen, JV, varsity or college? What happens if and when you fail the "test"? How long do the sanctions last? A year, two, forever?
What if someone refuses to take the test? Are they automatically balckballed? While having a standard physical test is a great idea and I would support it, it must be well thought out and planned for. This is the type of situation that could cause a severe rift in any association. I think it is recipe for disaster unless it is thouroughly and completely evaluated before it is implemented. Even if it is scrutinized and well planned for, any association should be ready for unexpected fallout and ranging from disappointment to all out anger. Thoughts??

tomegun

mikeref wrote
Thoughts??

My thoughts are this wouldn't be an issue for me. If I couldn't pass and there aren't games for me then the game (basketball) is in capable hands. However, physical conditioning is one of my 5 things an official can and should do prior to stepping on the court. The game suffers when we can't get into position (I don't use "hustle" because that leads to fake hustle...right out of position) and when someone is physically struggling I think it takes away from their ability to focus on the task at hand.

BillyMac

mikeref wrote
II think it is recipe for disaster unless it is thoroughly and completely evaluated before it is implemented.

Any association considering this better brush up on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996.

Nevadaref

tomegun wrote
Nevada, is that the association up north or California? I would love to implement that here; it is hard enough trying to convince the board to NOT cut our meetings.

That is the NV association. We hold a clinic at a local HS on a Saturday in October each year. We have access to the gym. We have four stations which each last about an hour. We simply made one of the stations the fitness drills.

Attendence is mandatory and people are informed well ahead of time about what is involved and asked to come dressed appropriately to participate.